Liam's POV
"I can't believe they ditched us," Niall whined as we entered our hotel room.
The show was a big success. We had raised more money than anticipated. The crowd was great. The show was flawless –even Haz was proud of his performance. After the show had ended, the girls met up with us backstage. When we extended an invitation for them to join us for dinner afterwards, they had politely decline... all of them.
Niall was bitter about it. There was no doubt in any of our minds that he was hoping to steal Amalia away. However, I would have loved to spend more time with Char and most likely Zayn would have loved to spend some time with Marisa.
"Oh come on Nialler," Louis slugged him causing him to double over, "Don't be a baby. Let your girl go and party. Meanwhile, we can have a little pow-wow because as far as I am concerned...." Both the boys shifted their attention to me, "We have a Li-li to beat up."
I tossed myself down on the sofa, "Why are you beating me up?" I asked resting my arms behind my head. I was exhausted.
"Hey Haz," Zayn said, "Don't Liam's lips still look.... Swollen?"
Harry put his face right up to mine and squinted, "Yeah Zayn. Still swollen."
"Oh guys, shut up," I muttered as I stood up from the sofa. I attempted to walk away, but they pushed me right back down.
I wasn't one to be interrogated about relationships. They are supposed to be private and between me and her. I mean, sure, I'd share with fans because they were an important part of my life. So are the boys, but I'm just that awkward person who would start blushing or something –maybe not blushing, just grinning like an idiot.
"Harry," Louis towered above me along with Zayn and Harry. Niall plopped down next to me. "Did, erm, did Liam tell you that he was making out with Char last night?"
Harry looked wide-eyed at me with his mouth in the shape of an O. "No!" he gasped. "Zayn did he tell you that?"
"Not me mate," Zayn shook his head. "Louis?"
"Hmmm. Not me neither."
Niall laughed, "I saw them making out."
"We were not making out!"
"Nah, just kissing. But today, backstage, that is a different story isn't it?" Louis winked suggesting the worst.
I shrugged, "Not really."
"Come on Liam!" the boys groaned in frustration.
"Why the hell not?" Louis bellowed.
"Let me get this straight," I leaned forward so my face was close to Louis' who was not sitting on the coffee table, "Earlier, you were upset that we were, which we really weren't but, getting it on back stage. Now you are complaining that I didn't take it far enough?"
"YES!" he screamed in my ear.
"Woah, Lou, calm down," Harry said. "Liam?"
"What?" I asked frustrated.
"Why not?" he pressured.
"You know what I want to know? I want to know why you aren't upset with Zayn. Look where he and Marisa have gotten! No where!"
"Liam, this is different...." Even Niall was against me.
"Well, would someone please explain to me how this is different?"
Zayn sat down on the other side of me and stroked my back comfortingly. We maybe five teenage lads, but one thing is for sure, we can read each other like open books.
"I walked by the room today," he told me. I bit my lip waiting for him to continue."Liam you looked happy for the first time in months!"
I sighed. He was right. Ever since Danielle and I had split I hadn't been the same. I hadn't realized how bad it actually had gotten until I started spending more and more time with Charlotte. It was then that I realized that it wasn't Danielle who I missed. Rather, it was the fact that I missed being happy. Of course I hadn't realized I was unhappy. The whole thing made my head hurt.
"Listen," Louis said in all seriousness, "We know that you've been, well basically, you've been depressed. None of us said anything to you because we figured you would eventually outgrow the situation and we didn't want to pressure you to move on. But now, Liam, you've found a girl that you really like. Don't even try to side step the fact, because we can tell. When you are around her you are just..... happier. There is no other way of putting it!"
Harry continued his train of thought, "But if you are going to play it safe you might screw everything up!"
"Way to be sensitive, Haz," Louis scolded.
Harry's eyebrows pinched together, "I wasn't trying to be insensitive, Liam. I'm just saying that Charlotte is a really great girl. She's funny and outgoing and confident and a whole bunch of other things, but you can't push her back in order to protect her or yourself!"
"He's right man," Niall butted in. "If she's ready, and I know she is. She told Amalia and Amalia told me. You might as well confirm the rumors. You know as well as we do that people are going to be hating on her until you put a stop to it by claimed her yours."
"But it shouldn't be that way!" I cried, "We should be able to explore our relationship before everyone else gets involved!"
"I know man," Louis said with a new pain in his eyes. "We've all been there, but you know what sucks even more? When you are ready to settle down and get married, that lovely future bride is gonna have to deal with all of this, too. If not, you will find yourself caught up in an ugly divorce. That's fame buddy. So, why not see how Charlotte reacts to the whole thing now, especially if she is ready for it."
"Because what if she isn't? What if she thinks she is ready when in all reality it's actually going to tear her apart?" pain shot through my body. The fear of losing something that I barely had was numbing.
"Liam, you have to get over that! Have her suffer death threats and stalkers or just stalkers!"
"I mean when you put it that way," I hissed upset.
"Whatever," Louis shook his head leaving towards his room. Harry followed after him with a wave over his head.
Zayn, who had given up on rubbing my back made his way to his room as well.
I did the same, hoping Niall would go find something to eat, watch tv, and leave me alone.
I had no such luck.
I stripped off my shirt and pulled on a pair of blue basketball shorts that were lying at the foot of my bed.
"I think those are mine," Niall muttered standing in the door frame. "That's ok, you can wear them."
I grabbed my iPod off the nightstand and blasted music through my headphones.
When I didn't acknowledge him, he came at sat at the foot of my bed. He sat staring at me, his eyes were like daggers.... Yet they were oddly sympathetic.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" I murmured.
He motioned for me to take my headphones out. For Niall, I did, For anyone else, I wouldn't have.
"Can we have a conversation.... Guy with a girlfriend to guy with a girlfriend?" he asked.
I shrugged. He took this as a yes and continued, "Liam, do you like Charlotte. Straight up, yes or no?"
"Yes," a smiled tugged at the corner of my lips for the first time since I had left the arena.
"And what do you like about her?"
The smile grew as I thought about Charlotte. "I like that she smiles all the time. I love her laugh and the way her blue eyes are like electric when she's laughing. I love the way that she so easily gets along with everyone. I love that no one can hate her. I love that, that she makes me feel all warm inside." I chuckled at my own words. "I love that when I have my arms around her, all I want to do is pull her closer. I love that she is so innocent. I love that when I kiss her, she melts right into the kiss." By the time I had finished, the smile had taken over my face. Niall just looked at me with a smug look that gleamed victory.
"If you love practically everything about her, why are you hiding that from everyone?"
For the first time all night, I didn't have an answer –not even a snarky response came to my mind.
Niall understood, "Think about that, lad. That's what they were trying to get at in there. Sleep on it."
He gave me a pat on my back before heading out of the room.
I put my headphones back in and blasted the music louder, but no matter how loud the music went, it wasn't enough to black out the thoughts that were filling my head. Niall was right, and I knew it.