It's been a few days since Liam walked out of my home, pissed because I didn't accept his gift. I'm getting relaxed so I sigh when I see his contact on the screen of my mobile. I'm surprised, though, because it seems he remembers when I have lunchtime and I can pick up the call, he doesn't call me during class like the first days of our fake relationship. I smile when I realise it's been almost a month since we started, meaning I'm a month closer to be done with this.
Yes!
"Hello?" I answer in a lighter mood after that thought crossed my mind.
"Hello, Belle. How are you doing today?" Liam asks politely so I don't lose my smile.
"I'm doing quite well, thank you for asking, Liam." It's like training a dog, you must reward the puppy when it's doing well, so using a tender and happy tone with Liam is my way to reward him. Kind of. It's not like I can give him a treat, I think he would get offended if I give him a cookie after he acts considerate. "How are you doing?"
"I'm doing much better now that we're talking," he replies and I can't help it, I snort at the cheesy phrase and I don't think he takes offense because I believe I hear him chuckling, too. "I like when you laugh like that," he muses next and my laughter dies as fast as it exploded.
"Well, it's easier to laugh when you're being nice," I tell him seriously and I can hear him sigh.
"I'm trying," he confesses and a slow smile comes to my slip.
"That's good, that you control the jerk. It makes our jobs easier," I concede and I think he groans. "It's okay, we all have bad sides. Some of us are worse at controlling it than others, that's all," I add trying to make amends for calling him a jerk. Not that I haven't done that before, but he's trying and that's indeed very important.
"Belle, you don't need to remind me every time we speak that this is a job for you," he says and I shake my head, even if he can't see me. Reminding him that this is a job is my way to keep distance between us, to make things easier for both of us.
"It's a job for you, too, Liam," I insist and I'm sure this time I hear him groan.
"It's not a job for me," he snaps, taking me by surprise. "I didn't ask for a job, Belle. My job is being in a band, not dating you. I didn't go to Simon asking for more work, don't get confused."
I don't dare to say anything else because I don't want things to get awkward. I'm not sure-or better said, I don't want to be sure-what he means by those words, so I choose the bliss of ignorance. Even if it's deliberate.
"So can you please let me enjoy this time? I just wanted an easy relationship without complications. I won't pester you again after out time is over, but just quit the repetition, you're not a parrot," he requests and I gasp at his words.
Okay, I understand now he wanted a simple relationship, without real feelings and complications. He didn't want a girl to fall head over heels for him and with whom he could spend a nice time. If I remind him this is a job-at least for me-I break the illusion and, okay I get it, it's annoying for him.
"Fine," I agree because after all he just requested me to not repeat it anymore, he didn't demand me and that's a big improvement.
"Thank you," he says and I can't stop the smile on my lips. He's improved a lot in one month and it's not as terrible as before. In fact, if I have to be honest, I'm not having such a bad time now. Yes, sometimes he still gets on my nerves, but it's not all the time, and I can't forget that. "Anyhow, I called for another reason, besides talking to you, of course," I chuckle at his words, feeling the tension fading away. "Today is our first month anniversary and we need to celebrate," he chirps in a very cheerful tone that I hadn't heard coming from him before.
"Anniversaries are for years, you know?" I remind him and he sighs heavily.
"Party-pooper," he mumbles and I laugh. "Just go along, okay? I was saying: it's our month-versary-" I chuckle at the word, I can't help it "-and I have the right place for us to go. So, I'll pick you at home at seven. Is that okay for you?"
"Sounds good to me. How should I dress?" I question, wondering if he'll take me to some restaurant or some shopping event.
"Smart casual," he replies and I raise my eyebrows even if he can't see my expression.
"Oh, so now you know what smart casual is," I tease him and I hear him chuckle.
"Please, Belle, I can learn." I chuckle again but I don't say a thing. "Okay, I'll see you later. Have a good afternoon," he wishes me and I do the same for him.
The rest of the afternoon I keep wondering where he'll take me and I'm surprised to find myself feeling anxious when it's almost seven. It's not like I'm expecting him to take me somewhere nice or that I would enjoy instead of him, but I'm curious of what he considers appropriate to celebrate our first month together.
It is still hilarious to say that, even if it's in my head because, even for a second, it feels like we've been actually in a relationship. How silly.
At seven o'clock my home doorbell rings and when I open I find Liam dressed in skinny black trousers, white shirt with the top two buttons open, a leather jacket and black boots. His outfit actually matches mine: a grey stripped waist-high skirt that reaches my knees with a black blouse and black coat, with of course, black stilettos.
"You look amazing," he compliments, his eyes evidently scanning me from head to toe. At least he doesn't say 'hot enough' anymore.
I smile gratefully before I do the same for him. "Thank you, you also look great. So, where are you taking me?" I ask as I grab my purse to follow him to his car after closing the door. Dad hasn't arrived yet, so I left him a note and dinner ready for when he gets home. I also texted him, but he likes the notes.
"There's an inauguration of new exhibition at the Museum of London and I thought that's the kind of place you'd enjoy visiting," he explains casually and I stop abruptly, blinking quickly questioning if I heard him wrong. Is Liam Payne really taking me to a place I would enjoy?
He notices I stayed behind and turns to look at me with concern in his expression. I can only keep blinking because I'm still flabbergasted.
"Is there a problem? If you don't want to go I can take you somewhere else. You told me I should think of what the other person likes, but I don't know you that well and you look like the educated and sophisticated type so when Zayn told me he was also going to this exposition I thought you'd also like it but if you don't it's fine I-" I shake my head and take a step forward, towards him and grab his wrist softly, really touched with his action.
"I didn't even know there was an exhibition tonight," I confess. "And it sounds wonderful. I love visiting museums. It's just that I'm... surprised that you thought of this, for me."
He relaxes and I notice in that moment that he was actually nervous I wouldn't like this idea. I wonder when was the last time he actually did something for another person that wouldn't be his cup of tea. His smile comes back, slowly but surely. "I'm not a jerk all the time, you see?" he says lightly and I chuckle, looping my arm around his.
"I'm glad, it makes things easier," I agree and make him resume so we can get to the exhibition once and for all.
On our way I make him some questions about the exhibition, but he doesn't know much. He knows they are adding some new pieces and he had to pull some connections to get the invitations. By the time we arrive I'm actually bouncing on my seat and Liam has an amused smile, a bit smug because he knows he nailed it tonight.
He shows the invitations and we are led inside where many other people are already wandering. Waiters walk among the guests, offering champagne that I accept but I stop Liam because he is driving. He pouts at first but finally accepts that tonight he just can't drink. Before we are actually led to the new wing, we meet with Zayn and his wife, Perrie, and we have a pleasant conversation. It's so easy to get on with him especially. We have many things in common and share many interests.
When we can finally see the new exhibition in the museum, Liam and I separate from the married couple to go on our on way. Once there, I notice it's a Sherlock Holmes exhibition that seeks to show who Holmes is, as the famous character. We find clothes worn by Bennedict Cumberbatch in the BBC show and a nineteenth-century portray of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and many of the paintings, drawings, illustrations and photographs reveal details of Victorian London, giving a glimpse of the famous landmarks and cultural climate which inspired Conan Doyle's novels.
When I visit exhibitions I really like appreciating every detail, without missing anything even if it's the simplest one out there. I don't like chatting through the visit or getting distracted or taking pictures. I'm here to see every acquisition and it's not like I come all the time as to miss the chance. At first Liam doesn't notice that I really like to concentrate and tries to talk to me a few times, but I don't listen to him. He finally gets it and instead of insisting, he takes my hand and allows me to guide him. I notice after a while that he also is paying attention and enjoying the exposition and that makes me smile.
Once we've seen everything he tells me now he's taking me to have dinner to a nice restaurant, modest but elegant. A place where I can feel comfortable. "Did you like the exhibition?" he asks me when we are having our meal.
"It was very nice. I didn't know they were going to have something like that. I've wanted to see the Egyptian exhibition forever but it's always closed when I have time," I pout with a sigh.
"Maybe next time we can see that. I'd never paid that much attention to something. I'd never come to an exhibition, period," he laughs. "It was a nice experience," he concedes and that makes me so happy, I don't really know why, though. "You looked really absorbed and I had never seen someone like that."
"I love museums and to fully enjoy the experience you have to get immersed and block the rest of the world. In my opinion," I comment and he nods.
After that our conversation is light, mostly about what kind of things I would like to see. It's disappointing that Liam doesn't have any thoughts of other things he would like to see whereas I can't stop listing exhibitions I would love to visit. I tell myself that there's no reason to be disappointed, not because he acts nice and thoughtful one night it means he'll be like that all the time. Liam Payne is not the type who visits museums or cares about expanding his world with knowledge.
And after dinner he's driving me home and despite the big difference between Liam and I, I still had a lovely night and I feel quite happy. I would like that every time is like this, I wouldn't mind spending time with him even if it's just pretence. I don't mean going to exhibitions all the time, I mean having a good time in which we can talk about different things without bickering or ending up offending the other.
He walks with me to my door in silence, but it's not awkward, so I don't even try to break it. Once we are at the door and I turn to face him to bid him goodbye, Liam leans in closer with his right hand cupping my face. I instinctively step back, putting distance between us.
"What are you doing?" I ask, my eyes wide but he doesn't back off.
"I'm going to kiss you, what else could I be doing?" he shoots back in a soft voice, leaning closer and I keep retrieving. "Belle, it's my time to remind you that this is your job. You're my girlfriend," he says and I freeze. "It's just normal I kiss you goodnight, plus, you never know who might be watching."
"But in this hall no one-"
"You never know," he insists, cutting me off and leaning closer, now holding my face with both hands, stopping me from stepping back and I can't escape his lips.
It's not a forceful kiss like the one he gave me during the birthday party, it's not a short kiss that ends before I realise what's happening. No, this one is slow and soft, a tender pressure against my lips, warm and sweet. His lips move painstakingly, coaxing me to join him and I close my eyes without noticing it, melting against his body as one of his hands lowers until his arm is wrapped around my waist, keeping me close. The kiss grows a bit more demanding and I respond this time, tilting my head to the right before he hugs me even tighter and deepens the kiss.
Every other time he kissed me I felt nothing, just cold and disgust, but now I feel warm, I feel comfortable and tingly all at once. I don't want to pull back, because for the first time I'm enjoying the kiss and I don't think that's something good, but I couldn't care less at the moment.
-:-:-
Hehehehe :B
Guys, regarding Liam's POV: I'll write it, however, the books in the AP series are single POV, which means it won't be ONE chapter in his POV. No, it'll be bonus content and it'll be availble for you later this week. Just be patient.
Bel, xx