"So leeme get this straight, we are going to your boyfriend's title fight with the Arctic lads, who are our friends, but we can't mention to them, Niall or basically anyone who isn't one of 'ours', that Liam is your boyfriend or even that he's gay? I don't get why not."
"Josh, just shut up and go with it." Kay snapped earning herself looks of surprise from the group. It wasn't like her to be so irritable.
"Josh you don't have to lie babe, just don't mention it." Zayn smiled at his friend. Josh agreed but looked uncomfortable.
"It's nobody's business but their own, why is that concept so hard for you to grasp? Not everyone wants the whole fucking world knowing their private shit." Kay huffed.
"What's up with her?" Zayn whispered to Meg. She nodded towards the kitchen, wanting Zayn to follow.
"Dude she's piiiissed. Josh mentioned her in an interview...as his girlfriend." She told him as soon as she'd closed the kitchen door.
"I thought they were just hooking up?"
"They haven't even been doing that. Josh was getting a bit too involved, Kay pulled back now he's being really clingy and passive aggressive. He's being really creepy about the whole thing. She made it clear it was over and she didn't appreciate how he was being and then he told that journo she's his girlfriend. He's being really fucking weird. Ed's gonna have a word with him; ask him to reign it in, tell him he's being a freak. I wanted to do it but apparently I'm not tactful enough, can you believe that?"
Zayn was quiet for a few beats before bursting out laughing "Honey, I love you, I adore you I want to be you when I grow up but you have no skills when it comes to being tactful."
"You're all just pussies. He needs telling."
"Why hasn't Kay told me about any of this?"
"You haven't exactly been around recently babe. I can't believe you had a threesome."
"Harry told you about that huh?" Zayn asked awkwardly. He had spent the last week in Wolverhampton. Liam had been training constantly but any downtime he'd had, had been spent with Zayn at his house. A few times he'd had to hide because Niall had called over, dropping something off or whatever. It got old fast and he would have gone back to London but the truth is he was hiding out. He wasn't ready to face the girls, knowing they'd be unhappy with him and he definitely wasn't ready to see Harry.
"He thinks it means Liam and him are going to share you or something. He's ecstatic; he thinks he has you back. You need to stay away from him man. I love you too but Harry's my boy and I know you don't mean to but you're hurting him."
Zayn was about to reply when Ed stuck his head around the door "The cars are here guys."
"Are we picking the others up on the way?" Chris asked as Ed wrapped his arm around her protecting her from the flash of the paparazzi's cameras. They'd been hanging around outside Edward's ever since Chris had moved in.
"Jamie and Nick can't make it, Harry, Alex and Matt are meeting us at the O2." Ed answered, kissing her sweetly on the forehead.
"Harry's coming? To Liam's fight? Is that such a god idea?" Kay grimaced.
"Ha! Have you not heard? They're having this major bromance, they are constantly texting each other. Liam is trying to convince Harry to fuck Alex and give him all the deets." Ed chuckled, while Meg mumbled something along the lines of "He's not content with the gay ones now he's even turning the straight ones. Fucker."
Kay turned to Zee to ask him how he felt about that but before she could get a word out Zayn shook his head "Don't."
The six friends piled into the back of the people carrier. There was an awkward moment when Josh tried to sit next to Kay but Meg pushed him over and sat there herself. Zayn was feeling really guilty, Filth were obviously having some problems at the moment, as well as Kay, and he hadn't been there for them at all. Looking at how Meg was glaring at Josh gave him an uneasy feeling, he didn't like when there was conflict within the band. It tended to filter out into them as a group of friends. He made himself a vow to be there more, and to talk to Kay ASAP.
They were directed to their seats at the arena were Alex and Matt, Arctic Monkeys drummer, were already seated.
"Alreet fellas, girls, Meg." Alex nodded
"Fuck off Turner. Still bitter I turned you down last summer?" Meg retorted, taking her seat.
"Aint you seen the papers? The dope has moved on to 'nuther Filth. It's nice to find out your oldest mate, the person you grew up with, likes fellas by picking up a magazine. I've had sex in front of you!" Matt looked like the thought had just occurred to him.
"Do you look like Styles? Are you sexy, at all, even a little? No. So fuck off ya dick."
"It dunt matter you like cock but you cudda told me."
"I dunt like cock! I just want to fuck Haz. And what?"
"Speaking of Styles, where is my brother dearest?" Ed interrupted their bickering.
"He said he couldn't make it. Summat 'bout getting a song idea."
Zayn breathed a sigh of relief. Well that was one less thing to deal with. He was not looking forward to seeing Liam's fight; Niall's either now he thought of it. Watching his boyfriend and his friend fighting, even in this professional way wasn't going to be easy.
After they'd been sitting for a while, having a few drinks, a huge bald headed guy with no neck and a tattoo on the top of his dome approached them. "Mr Malik? Follow me please." Zayn made to go with him, when Edward caught his arm.
"Zee, what are you doing? You can't wander off with some random dude."
"He must work for Li. Chill Ed, I'm good."
"I'll come with you. Will you girls be ok?"
"Josh you should go with them." Chris thought it was a good idea to get Josh away from Kay, who was smiling an awful lot at Matt. She really does have a thing for drummers.
Zayn followed the behemoth of a man throwing Ed an 'I told you so' look when he led them through to a back passage and stopped outside of a heavy door. The guy knocked once and then stood to the side. Niall popped his head around the door.
"Hey guys! Oh you're Edward Styles! I'm a big fan man, pleasure to meet you."
"Hi nice to meet you too, I've heard a lot of good things about you." Ed laughed, amused by how psyched Niall was.
"Come on in. Zayn, Payno wants to see you for some reason? I've no idea why. He's just through that back door there." Niall pointed it out. "Josh fella! How's it goin? How's it going with that bird you were telling me about? Kay was it?"
Zayn pushed the door and saw Liam sitting, with his head in his hands, on a bench in the middle of a small changing room. He didn't lift his head, just held out a hand for Zayn, which he took.
"You ok darling?" Zayn was worried. Niall had been practically bouncing of the walls he was so manic, but Liam was eerily calm.
"I'm good." Liam's answer was sharp, his tone blunt. "I need you to know that the me out there isn't the real me. The me that cooks for you and loves watching black and white movies and cuddling in bed is the real me, but as soon as I step out if this room I'll be The Payne Train. I'm going to look scary, hopefully, but I need you to know I'd never hurt you."
"I know that Liam, you are the gentlest man I've ever known."
"Okay, I just needed to tell you, Louis won't even come to my fights anymore. He finds it too hard and I just need to know there is somebody I love out there, rooting for me."
Zayn licked his lips nervously. Had Liam just told him he loved him? How was he supposed to respond to that? Now so wasn't the time to have that conversation.
"I'm definitely rooting for you."
Zee saw Liam grimace. "I didn't mean to say that. Sorry." Liam still wouldn't look at him. Zayn lifted his face, forcing him to meet his gaze.
"It's not the time." Zayn said softly. "Concentrate on the fight yeah?" Liam nodded once and Zayn brushed his lips across the boxers.
"That reminds me. You're famous, you're sitting with a bunch of famous people, the cameras will be on you. You can't react to me getting hurt like you would as my boyfriend."
"Then don't get hurt." Zayn says this as breezily as he can but he wishes he knew Louis. It would be great to ask him how he copes.
There was a knock at the door and Niall walked through.
"It's time."
A/N Super short chapter because I need to finish You Started As Friends. As soon as I've done that I'll start chapter 19. Loves you all xxx