~Liam's P.O.V.~
The sniffling got softer after I spoke out.
"Are you okay?" I asked, worried. The person still didn't answer back. I assumed nobody else was in there, so I got the courage and walk in there. As I did I scaned the bathroom, and all of the stalls were open except for one. I slowly walked up to it and heard the quiet sniffling and whimpering. I felt sad and somehow guilty for this person. All I really wanted to do was just help them. It has always been second nature for me to help people.
"I-I can help you," I stutter out nervously, not knowing how they would respond.
"Li?" I heard a shaking voice say? A voice that came from a familiar girl. Everythinng then clicked.
"Alice?" I asked immidiately feeling guilty and sorry, just by hearing he voice and her cries. I began to worry for her, wondering why she was crying. Most of all she was alone.
"I-I'm sorry," She mumbled. I heard her voice and it was filled with so much guilt and sadness. I felt guilty for getting mad in the first place. I wish I got here faster. I wish I could just hold her in my arms, hoping to make her feel better. Anger grew inside me, but it wasn't towards her or me. Who the hell made her cry? It was the question that was burning the hell out of me.
"Alice. You don't have to apologize," I stated. I leaned against the stall, just wanting for her to come out of there.
"Alice, do you want me to go back home with you?" I asked, hoping to some what comfort her.
"Wha-what about work?" She asked concerned.
"Fuck it, I'll take blame for it," I say, my anger was slowly starting to show. I try my best to hide it or else I would freak her out.
"N-no It's fine," she sniffles. Right now my main priority is to just get her out of here.
"It's not fine Alice, your hurt." I state trying to hide my anger towards the person who hurt her.
"Can you come out of the stall?" I asked, hoping she would say yes.
"I-I look really bad," she said with a little humour in her voice, placing a faint smile on my face.
"Alice, you look gor-" I saved myself from what I was going to say, and quickly try to think of something else to say
"You never look bad," I say nervously, hoping she doesn't realize what I was going to say in the first place.
"What were you going to say...before that," she asked. I tensed up and panicked. Gorgeous sounds way to dramatic. What if she has a boyfriend? Crap, I screwed up already. Why do I have to be such a fuck up?
"W-What I meant to say was that. You always look...pretty," I say trailing off, nervous and embarrased. She didn't speak for quiet some time. I began to get nervous and fear was growing inside me.
"A-Alice?" I asked, hoping she would still answer
"Yeah?" She asked, I felt a little relief she didn't think I was a complete freak.
"Can. Can you at least come out of there?" I ask one final time. She couldn't say she looked bad, because I pretty much confessed that she looks beautiful. I heard the lock of the stall unlock. She slowly opened the stall, and I saw her standing there. With tears staining her cheeks her eyes were puffy. My chest began to ache just seeing her like this. I wanted to hug her tight and tell her everything would be okay, but I had to constantly remind myself we just met today. Her crying would be an excuse to hug her, right? I wasn't sure if she wanted a hug, but I knew she needed one. I opened up my arms welcoming her, deep down my worst fear at the moment was her rejecting my hug. I would just be filled with embarrasement and stupidity. Suprisingly enough, she clung on to me. Ignoring the fact that we were basically strangers. Ignoring the fact that we were in a bathroom. She wrapped her hands tightly around me and I wrapped my arms around her, loving the way how she was hanging on to me so tight. Loving how I felt so trusted.
"I'm sorry Li," she whispers, still feeling guilty. Thats the last feeling I want her to feel.
"Stop apologizing, you don't need to," I whisper back
"I'm just- putting you through so much trouble," she said once more.
"I don't care, right now you need someone to rely on," I say back, still huging her. Still in this embrace with her. I don't care how much trouble she would put me through. I have a feeling it would all be worth it in the end.
_
"Don't call me crazy for hating popcorn!" I smile back at her as she got up to head towards the kitchen to make buttered popcorn. I hated popcorn ever since I was a kid. I just absolutely hated the way the texture felt and hated how you can just feel it slide down your throat. I cringe just at the thought.
"I'm still going to call you crazy," she said, already hearing the smile in her voice. I heard her dig around the cabinets looking for the packages of popcorn. We were watching a couple of comedies. I figured it would cheer her up when we came back. I tried everything to make her smile, make her laugh and I'm glad I did. We were both supposed to be back at pacsun an hour ago, but I convinced her it was just one day we were missing. I the felt my phone buzz. I reach in to my pocket and realize I got a text message from Austin
I knew my boy would get girls sooner or later
Austin was a player, and I knew he would tease me about Alice. So I just pretended I never read the message. Hopefully Connor would spare mercy and wouldn't get Alice fired. If he did, I will fight back for her job, but he seems really good friends with Alice so I highly doubt that would happen. Alice jumped back on the sofa with the bowl of popcorn she went and prepared.
"Just try one," she said having a piece of popcorn in her hand, assuming it was for me.
"I don't like popcorn! They're nasty pieces of corn," I insited turning back to face the movie.
"Maybe the popcorn you tasted was bad popcorn!" she explains, trying to convince me to eat it.
"Your not giving up aren't you?" I say as I face back to her, she had determination in her eyes, giving me a feeling I was going to end up eating popcorn today.
