Don't Look Back - A Niam Horayne Love Story

Chapter 9 - Tell Me Your Secrets

She slid in opposite me, settling in her chair before leaning her elbows on the table. I chuckled, looks like someone doesn’t care about table manners. Cameron was smiling at me, and I noticed that she had sparkling eyes that reminded me of Niall’s, though they were hazel. Her hair was long and caramel colored and slightly wavy, exactly like Danielle’s. Her light makeup made her eyes stand out, and I could tell she was most likely younger than I was.

“So, mysteriously depressed boy, tell me your secrets,” she joked, and I smirked.

“A little on the forward side, are we?” She shook her head, motioning for me to start my story. “Well, before I tell you this, you have to promise you won’t leave before I get to finish. I really do need help with my situation, and I can’t have many people knowing about it, so telling you is a huge risk.” The girl nodded, and I went on.

“I grew up thinking I was straight, just like all my friends. But I, erm, auditioned for a reality singing show and was put in a band with four boys I’d never met before. I fell for one of those boys and denied it until two of the others talked about dating each other. Then we admitted our feelings and became a couple, but we didn’t tell anyone because we weren’t sure what we were doing or if coming out would be a good idea right then since our mates had just done the same thing.

So I got a girlfriend to cover for us, but I didn’t tell her I was using her. She thought everything we had was real, and she was there for me through everything, even when she had no clue what was going on. I was starting to feel as if my love for my boyfriend was fading, so I split up with him and left him broken. I realized I still loved him when I saw what I had done to him, but I was too much of a coward to say anything. So I went to my girlfriend’s house and told her the truth, and she basically split up with me and kicked me out, though she did say she just needed time to think about it and she still wanted me around.

Then I got home and the boys were ignoring me, so I packed up my stuff, left them a note about everything, and left. So now here I am, in a city I’ve never heard of with only a faint idea of how to get back to where I came from, talking a random girl who happened to be my waitress.”

I took a nervous glance at her as I noticed I hadn’t looked at Cameron the whole time I was talking. She seemed to be in deep thought, as if pondering the mistakes I’d made.

“You sure got yourself in a mess there, Liam,” she pointed out, and I rolled my eyes.

“Thank you, captain obvious.” I then realized something. “Hey, how do you know my name? I don’t remember introducing myself or anyone else in the story,” I frowned.

“I know who you are, Liam James Payne. And I think I know who everyone in the story is, too. I didn’t say anything because I thought you would prefer talking to a normal girl instead of a massively obsessed fan girl, so I bottled it up. I can let out my inner fan girl if you prefer,” she suggested, and I quickly shook my head.

“No, please, anything but a crazy fan!” I pleaded, and she giggled.

“I knew you’d say that. Anyway, I’m assuming the boyfriend is Niall, the girlfriend is Danielle, and the band you’re mentioning is One Direction?” I nodded. “You’ve got yourself into quite the predicament.”

“I know,” I sighed, my head in my hands as I leaned on the table. “I just don’t know how I could ever apologize to them, and being around the two of them makes me feel like I’m physically in pain. I always cause pain, so they should just get over me. They’d be better off without me,” I reasoned.

Cameron shook her head furiously. “Don’t say that! The boys love you, and I’m sure they’re all going crazy right now since you left. You don’t have to respond to anything, but if you want proof I suggest you check your phone.”