If I Let You Know... [N.H.]

11. Surfin U.S.A.

We spend the morning in the beach surfing. I can tell Liam is really enjoying himself by the way he rides every wave and whenever it takes him down he emerges and rows back in, ready to catch another one.

I admit that I surprise myself staring at him a couple of times as he looks around waiting for the perfect wave. But even though a shirtless Liam is sexy and very attractive, I can only see him as a friend. And I know I'm not crazy. How could I think of him as something more when I barely know him? And besides he's head over heels in love with Sophia. However, I have the feeling that he could be my best friend on the road. After all, he has chosen to spend time with me when he could have been with the other boys or by himself, and that is something to have in mind.

We have lunch at the beach and we surf a bit more afterwards.

"That was absolutely wicked!" Liam says later on, returning the surfboard; "The waves were perfect, the water temperature was perfect..."

I smile watching him so happy. It's impossible to see him smiling and not smile yourself.

"What is it?" he asks staring at me

"Nothing" I shake my head, "You have a contagious smile" I answer not being able to hold my smile back.

He giggles, looking down.

"Thank you"

"No big deal" I laugh, seeing him embarrassed; "it's just a fact"

We pay, thank the man at the rent house and leave.

"I probably should call my bodyguard to help us get in the hotel" Liam says pulling out his phone.

He speaks on the phone for a couple of minutes and comes to me afterwards.

"He'll be here in five minutes" he says, sitting on a bench beside me; "Did you have fun?"

"I did" I say nodding, "the waves here are nothing like the ones where I live, they were way much better! "

"I'm glad you enjoyed it" Liam smiles, his eyes crinkling; "Will you be coming to the airport to pick Harry and Niall?"

"Yeah; Harry insisted a lot so... Are you going?"

"If you are, then I'll go with you"

The bodyguard arrives at that moment.

"You should have seen the girls' faces" he jokes, "They kept searching for one of you behind me"

"Vic, this is Paddy" Liam introduces me.

I smile and shake his hand. He was yesterday in the jet along with a couple of people I remember seeing through the corridors at the stadiums.

"Nice to meet you" Paddy smiles.

"They're going to be surprised when they see me entering the hotel. They'll be wondering when and how did I leave it" Liam comments laughing.

I give him a half smile and follow the bodyguard to the hotel.

The girls have to look twice to realize it's actually Liam the one who's entering the hotel. But when they do, we're already in the lobby.

"Thank you so much man" Liam says to him, entering the elevator; "Shall I see you in a couple of hours to pick up the boys?" he adds, turning to me.

"Sure" I answer, "At what time are they arriving?"

"No idea; but when I find out, I'll tell you"

"Okay. Thanks" I smile, entering my room.

I take a cold shower and put on some comfortable clothes. I exit to the balcony the room has and look at the sea in the distance. I close my eyes and inhale deeply.

My mind thinks about everything I've gone through in the past few weeks. It all feels so surreal, so impossible... I go back inside and lie on the bed, letting my thoughts wander around my head, eventually falling asleep.

"Vic... Victoria..." Liam shakes my shoulder gently.

I jump and open my eyes immediately.

"Liam!" I exclaim, "How did you...?"

"I had to ask for a room card. I tried knocking and calling you but I got no response and started to worry a little bit"

Knocking? Calling? I must have been deeply asleep because I didn't hear any of that.

"I was sleeping like a dormouse" I look down, "sorry"

Liam pulls a face.

"Dormouse?"

"Isn't that what you say when...?" I stop, "Fuck, I think I've just translated it literally from Spanish. It's something we say when someone is deeply asleep and nothing can wake them up" I chuckle, embarrassed.

"Oh!" Liam finally understands, "We say sleeping like a log" he says.

"Right" I say smiling, "I'll try to remember it next time" I laugh.

"We have to leave in five minutes" Liam says.

"Oh, okay; I'll be ready in two" I answer getting up; "See you in the lobby?"

"I'll wait for you outside in the corridor" he says pointing at the door and exiting the room.

I take out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, put them on and follow Liam outside the room.