Count On Me | Niam

Chapter Fifty-Seven

"Is this Liam...Mr Payne? Chloe Horan's other, other emergency contact?" The voice on the ended sounded more shellshocked than authoritative, talking sort of breathlessly and not waiting for Liam to answer. "Chloe needs to be picked up from school...now, sort of. She's not injured or anything, she's just upset, crying, and she won't stop. Her dad, he's unable to get here, we can't even contact him, and her emergency contact, Miss Moore, Jessica, I believe cannot make it either. You are listed, though, so can you come and collect her. This is Mr Payne, right?"

"Yes, this is...I am Mr Payne. This is about Chloe? I can be there in about twenty minutes, if that's okay. You are aware of the agreement Chloe's father and I have with the school? Where no one says anything that comprises anything?" Liam was already halfway out the door, holding one of his shoes in his hand and fumbling with his keys as he struggled with the lift.

He almost felt bad for bringing up the agreement he and Niall had with Chloe's school, and had had ever since Niall and he had met with a solicitor and had everything sorted out officially, he almost felt bad for bringing it up since whomever he was talking to probably already knew that, but the excited tone in her voice made him slightly wary. The press about him and Niall had died down enough for Paddy to no longer need to offer to watch Niall like a hawk, focusing more on the tour than Liam's impending exit from the closet, but he was still wary about Chloe and people finding out about her. She definitely didn't need any more of his crap affecting her.

Liam was distracted by that thought as he drove over to Chloe's school, turning the radio off when the news began to air and the chief headline was about One Direction's first gig in less than a day, making it to Chloe's school in what he counted as record time, ditching his car and legging it into the building.

Being let in by one of the reception staff, Liam gave her a tense smile, shoving his hands in his pockets and following her along to the reception area, stopping in his tracks when he saw Chloe. Chloe, the usually perky, bright, bouncy little girl, was sat next to the woman Liam recognised as her teacher, the old bag both Niall and Chloe always complained about, still snivelling and wiping her nose on her sleeve, tears rolling down her face.

She didn't cheer up when she saw Liam, looking down at her shoes and avoiding making eye contact with him, staying firmly rooted to her chair even as her teacher got up, the look on her teacher's face making Liam's heart sink. She reached across to shake his hand, the smile on her face not quite reaching her eyes as she greeted him. "Mr Payne, I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting. I'm Mrs Evans, your...daughter's teacher. You are aware of why you were called in, yes?"

"I was told that she was upset, which she obviously is." Liam tried to pay attention and not to look past the teacher but failed miserably, shuffling from foot to foot as he was told, "It's a bit more than that. We were reviewing family trees and a class discussion about our families began, and Chloe became very upset. It's not normal behaviour for her, and we are worried by it. It's obvious that things aren't okay at home for her and, being who you are, we're aware that things might not be for a while."

Visibly bristling at that, Liam nodded, waiting for her to be finished before he made to push past, ducking down so he was Chloe's height and going her a tentative smile before he took her bags and coat from her, holding her hand and giving her teacher a grim look as he said, "Things will be perfectly fine for her at home, really. I'm okay to take her home, yeah?"

The teacher simply nodded, looking from Chloe to Liam before she made to escort the to the door, giving Chloe an almost fond look as she said, "I'll see you Monday then, Chloe."

Chloe didn't answer, simply looking down at her the ground as she followed Liam out, still sniffing and letting go of Liam's hand the minute they were out of the school. Liam simply sighed, nodding a little as he watched Chloe before he headed in the direction of the car, placing one and on Chloe's shoulder and propelling her forward when she didn't move with him. Chloe huffed a little, letting Liam keep her moving, tears still rolling down her face, even as she fought to keep them back, her refusal to move meaning Liam picked her up, sitting her in the front and sorting her seatbelt out before he could start the car.