Chapter Six - Liam
Liam can't wipe the smile off his face, hasn't been able to since Zayn called him yesterday, he honestly figured the raven haired waiter would throw his number away and never even think twice. But he didn't do that, he called and Liam managed to not screw it all up, and has a date with him, this afternoon, actually in an hour. Liam had to get Elise to reschedule a few things to make sure he wouldn't have to rush out on the boy but he honestly doesn't care, he has a date, with Zayn and he feels like a teenager again, but he can't wait. There's a knock on his office door, that interrupts his childish fantasizing about Zayn, before Niall barges into his office, "so you ready for today Payno?" Niall asks, perching on the edge of Liam's desk, (which the blond knows he hates). Liam glares at him before nodding, "I think so, I don't even know if it's a date Niall, what if I screw it up somehow?" he asks nervously, chewing on the inside of his cheek. Niall laughs and stands up to come around to hug Liam, "just be yourself Li, I have a good feeling about this one" he reassures him. Liam sighs and pulls away from Niall, "I just want a relationship that works, you know?" he asks, loosening his tie, Niall nods and reaches out to fix it for him "I get it Li, and maybe this is the one" he says. Liam nods and takes a deep breath, "I should probably get going, got a bit of a drive and don't want to be late" he says, slowly, Niall nods and hugs him again. "Call if you need me, but good luck" he says, before following Liam out of the office.
Liam stops at Elise's desk on his way to his car, "hold all my calls, I probably won't be back in today" he tells her, and she nods, "good luck, Liam" she cheers. Liam grins "thanks, you can skip out early if you want to today" he tells her, she really has gotten a lot better in the week since Nikki set her straight about Liam, and his preferences. Elise grins, "I might take you up on that" she grins and Liam nods, before heading towards the elevator again. Once inside with the door closed, Liam sighs and slumps against the wall, he really hopes that things with Zayn work out, he hasn't had a real relationship in longer than he cares to admit. But he feels something when he thinks about Zayn, something he hasn't felt in a long time, something he hopes is real. He steps off the elevator and heads towards his car, once inside he starts it up and turns the radio up loud, before pulling out and driving towards the diner he told Zayn he'd meet him at. Liam's looking forward to getting to know Zayn better today, he learned yesterday that Zayn is only twenty two, while Liam is twenty five, but he can't help feeling like there is something that Zayn was keeping from him on the phone, something he kept dancing around. Liam only hopes it isn't something terrible, because to be fair, he never told Zayn he was in charge of a multimillion dollar company. But he will, Liam decides, if lunch goes well, he'll tell Zayn today.
Liam arrives at the diner, five minutes before he's supposed to meet Zayn and with one last look in the mirror to make sure he looks presentable, he climbs out of his car and heads inside. He immediately spots Zayn sitting at a table, sipping what appears to be a Coke, and it makes Liam smile, that he's early, that Zayn cares enough to be not only on time but early. Zayn looks up as Liam approaches and Liam feels his breath catch as their eyes meet, "Zayn, I'm glad you could make it" he manages not to stutter, and Zayn grins, "I need to eat, why not with a handsome stranger?" Zayn asks. Liam chuckles, and nods "touchè" he responds as he sits across from Zayn, just as a waitress breezes over, "hey, can I get ya a drink?" she asks Liam, who nods, "I'll just have a Coke" he says and she nods disappearing as quickly as she came. The waitress returns before Liam or Zayn have a chance to say anything to each other, placing a Coke in front of Liam, "have you decided?" she asks, arching an eyebrow, Zayn chuckles "I'll just have a burger and fries, please" he answers her, and she turns expectantly to Liam, who shrugs and gestures at Zayn "same, I guess" he says, slowly. Zayn lets out a laugh as their rushed waitress nods and runs off again. Liam furrows his eyebrows "what just happened?" he asks a still laughing Zayn, who shakes his head. "What happened is, you just met Erica, she's in a few of my classes and always in a hurry" Zayn shrugs and Liam laughs, nodding his head.
Once their food comes is when the conversation really starts to flow, "so what are you studying Zayn?" Liam asks, taking a bite of his burger, and watching as Zayn finishes the bite he just took before speaking, and he can't help thinking even the way he eats is adorable. "I'm studying English, I want to be an English teacher one day" Zayn answers, Liam nods "that's great" he says. Zayn nods and takes a sip of his drink, "what exactly do you do again?" Zayn asks when he's done, Liam shakes his head, "can I tell you after lunch?" he asks hopefully. Zayn cocks his head at him before shrugging, "sure, I guess" he says, taking another bite, Liam can't help but feel relieved at how understanding Zayn's being. "So what do you do for fun?" Liam asks, changing the subject, Zayn shrugs and looks away as if he's trying to come up with something to say, before he answers. "I like to draw, and read, but between school, working at the pizza place, and...I don't have a lot of extra time" Zayn says, catching himself mid sentence, cutting off and finishing. Liam furrows his eyebrows at the younger boy, wondering what he stopped himself from saying, Zayn is biting his lip and avoiding Liam's gaze, "what else were you going to say?" Liam asks curiously, but Zayn shakes his head, and takes another bite of his burger. Once he's done chewing he looks at Liam, and Liam just watches him as the darker haired boy appears to be trying to decide something. "I don't know how you'll react to it, to be honest" Zayn says after a minute and Liam arches an eyebrow at him, taking a sip of his Coke, "try me" Liam insists. Zayn shakes his head, "no most guys, don't want to hear this not right away" he insists, Liam chuckles, "I'm not most guys, and I promise I won't freak out, unless you tell me you're a serial killer, then I might" he jokes.
Liam watches as Zayn takes a few deep breaths, seemingly trying to calm himself down, and build himself up to tell Liam whatever it is. "I don't have a lot of spare time because between work, and school, and taking care of my daughter, I'm always busy" Zayn says slowly, glancing up at Liam, who in all honesty is shocked, he was not expecting that at all. Liam furrows his eyebrows, but smiles at Zayn, "how old is she?" he asks slowly, and Zayn bites his lip, "just over two" he answers fondly, Liam nods his head. "I have a niece that age, it's fun" Liam says, because he can't think of anything else to say, as far as he's concerned it doesn't change anything, Zayn is still an interesting, and attractive man, who Liam still wants to spend more time getting to know, but now Liam can't help but think if things go well with Zayn he might get something else he's been so desperately wanting for a while now, a family. "You're not running away?" Zayn asks and Liam laughs, "why would I? I love kids, I still want to get to know you Zayn, maybe even meet your daughter, whenever you decide I can, that is" Liam counters, chuckling when he sees Zayn's eyes widen. "What?" Liam asks, laughing, Zayn shakes his head, "this is the part in the past where people get up and run away, never to be heard from again" he explains. Liam sighs, "I'm not like that, I know you don't know me yet, but you'll figure that out" he says. Zayn bites his lip and Liam smiles, "what's her name?" he asks and watches as Zayn's eyes light up, "Arabella, but we pretty much always call her Bella" he says happily, and Liam can tell the little girl in question is Zayn's whole world. Liam nods, "that's a pretty name" he murmurs, and Zayn blushes, "thanks" he mumbles taking a sip of his drink.
Zayn dives back into his lunch after, that, Liam has so much more he wants to ask the other boy but he doesn't want to push too hard, not this early, "how many years of Uni, do you have left?" he asks. Zayn grins at him, as he sips his Coke, "this is my last one actually, and then I have to do one year of teacher's college, before I can get a job" he answers. Liam nods his head and smiles, pushing his now empty plate away from himself, "that's awesome, but I bet it keeps you busy" he says. Zayn gives him a look, "you have no idea, especially with a demanding toddler at home" he chuckles. Liam just nods as Zayn leans back and pushes his plate away, "so it's after lunch, what do you do?" Zayn asks. Liam grins at him because he's persistent, and chuckles, "alright, but you have to promise not to freak out, okay?" he asks. Zayn rolls his eyes but nods his head, "I promise, especially because you didn't run away screaming when I told you I come with a two year old" he chuckles. Liam laughs, before he takes a deep breath, "well you've heard of Payne industries?" he asks, watching as Zayn's eyes widen slightly and he nods, "well I took it over with my best mate Niall, from my dad last year. I run the company" Liam explains. "You're that Liam Payne?" Zayn asks and Liam chuckles, "yes" he says cautiously, and Zayn grins "cool" he shrugs. Liam's jaw drops "that's it?" he asks, and Zayn nods, shrugging again, "yeah, I mean, that's really cool, and all but I don't think it matters, not to whatever this is, anyways" he explains.
Liam wants to cheer and launch himself across the table at Zayn, because usually this confession is met with a look that Liam has learned means whoever he is speaking to wants something from him, usually money. Erica comes back over and drops off their check, Liam makes a grab for it but Zayn shakes his head, pulling out a few bills and placing them on top of the paper, and passing it up to the girl who practically sprints away. Liam furrows his eyebrows "why didn't you let me pay for lunch?" he asks because really, he intended to, Zayn just chuckles, "you can buy the ice cream if it means that much to you. But I wanted to pay" he says. Liam just shakes his head at him, "I just told you I'm running a multimillion dollar company, and you paid for lunch?" he asks, and Zayn laughs, "yup, now come on" he chuckles, standing up from his seat. Liam follows the raven haired boy outside, still a little dazed, Zayn is definitely something else and he really wants to spend more time with him, "did you drive here?" Zayn asks, and Liam nods, "yeah, why?" he asks. Zayn blushes, "I uh, I don't have a car and the ice cream place is a bit of a ways away" he explains. Liam chuckles and grabs Zayn's hand in his, he doesn't miss the way he feels an electric current run through his body at the contact, and pulls Zayn towards his car. Once they're seated Zayn gives him quick directions and Liam drives away towards the ice cream parlour. He's glad it's not busy when he pulls up and he and Zayn climb out of the car, to head inside. Liam just follows Zayn to the counter where the younger boy orders quickly, then turns around to Liam gesturing for him to do the same, Liam places his order and hands over some money quickly.
Once they have their ice creams in hand, Liam follows Zayn to a booth in the back of the restaurant and they sit across from each other. It's quiet at first but it's not awkward in the slightest, "so what's it like running a huge business?" Zayn asks slowly. Liam shrugs, "it's busy, and hectic, and once people find out they tend to want my money and nothing else" he answers. Zayn nods, and takes a bite of his ice cream, "what about you, what's it like being a single father?" Liam asks. Zayn grins "it's busy, but the best thing in the world. Except when you tell people you have a two year old, you can pretty much say goodbye to any chance of a relationship" he says quietly. Liam nods, slowly and studies Zayn carefully, "well I don't plan on going anywhere, in fact I was hoping I could take you out to dinner, soon. If you want to I mean?" he asks nervously. Zayn grins across at him, "I would love that, and for the record, I don't care about your money, I just want to get to know you" he answers quietly. Liam feels himself grinning, he can't help it, he just can't help thinking things with Zayn could be what he's been looking for, a real relationship, and a potential family.
__________________________________________________________________A/N: Her you go! Sorry this took so long, I honestly meant to post this a few days ago, and there's no actual excuse as to why I didn't. But I hope you enjoy these two chapters...let me know what you think, I love comments and votes (but who doesn't) I try to respond to them all.
Liam and Zayn finally (really) met, and they're adorable,
Anyways Until next time, thanks for reading
XOXO