fix you // liam payne

chapter ten // silver lining.

"Hello beautiful," I smile into my phone, speaking softly enough so that the other lads don't hear me and loudly tease me about it. 

Talking to Mia gets tricky with the boys around. I can hardly say I love her without the lads all piling up on me and pinching me and making kissy faces at me. You'd think they'd understand since they're all in happy relationships of their own, of course, with Liam being the exception. 

"Hi," Mia breathes from the other line, a smile evident in her tone. Her voice is enough to cause a jumble of butterflies errupt in the pit of my stomach. I turn away from the lads so they can't see my dopey grin. 

"What're you up to?" I ask, feeling like it's been a million years since I've last talked to her, when in reality I had just had an hour long phone conversation with her last night. 

"Oh, just sitting at the airport and I thought of you," She lets out one of her adorable laughs on the other line, causing my mind to go back to that time I nearly let Mia slip out of my hands. Our airport reunion was as cheesey as cheesey can get, but it's truthfully one of my fondest memories. 

I smile to myself, but thinking back to that only makes me miss her more. We've been apart for months now, and sometimes I scare myself because I hcan hardly remember how she feels in my arms, or how soft her skin feels as she lays cuddled up beside me, her flesh against mine. 

A painful smile appears on my face as I rest my forehead against the coat closet wall, squeezing my eyes shut, wishing I could just disappear for a moment so the two of us could be together. 

"I miss you," I breathe, barely above a whisper, feeling the longing aching deep within my chest, getting to the point that it's almost physically painful. 

"Good thing we'll be seeing each other soon then," She says, not sounding nearly as torn up about it as I am. I can't help but to frown, wishing I had her strength. Though I can't say I'm all that surprised. Mia is far more tough than I'll ever be.

"I wouldn't classify a few months as soon," I pout, knowing that I'm being dramatic, but I can't help it. 

I never knew it would be this hard. 

"No, but I would classify me getting on a plane to Chicago right now as soon," She says, unable to contain her excitement as she lets out a small laugh to herself.

I suddenly stand up straight, nearly knocking myself over with my momentum. My eyebrows furrow together as I hold the phone to my ear. 

"What?" I ask, not keeping my voice down any longer. 

"I was going to surprise you at the hospital, but I just couldn't keep it a surprise. You know I'm shit at secrets with you," She chuckles. 

I can't contain my happiness as laughter bubbles out of my chest. I push my hair out of my face with my free hand, jumping around the place like an absolute twat. The other lads all stop talking to stare at me with utter confusion. 

"Linley felt bad that she couldn't be there since she has shows, so she's sending me," She continues to explain for me.

My smile is so big on my face, I feel as if it were about to split my face into two. The lads cast concerned glances towards one another, probably thinking that I've fallen off the deep end. It's been awhile since I've been this happy. It's hard to even remember the last time after these last few days have been so heavy upon me. 

"I've gotta go because we're boarding now, but I'll see you in a few hours. I love you!" She calls out in the phone, clearly getting jumbled on the other line. 

"Love you," I quickly return before she hangs up. 

 I slip my phone back into the safety of my pocket, shaking my head with disbelief as I let out an excited laugh. The lads continue to stare at me, waiting for some sort of explanation. But just as I'm about to open my mouth to tell the news, our bodyguards enter the room, quickly grabbing us and ushering us out of the coat room.