branching out l.s.

seven

"So, I wanted to ask you something," Liam told Sophia on Friday morning.

The two of them were lying in Sophia's bedroom in her 95th Street apartment.

"OK."

"And, I actually wanted to ask you last night, but then, you know-"

"Yeah."

Zayn had brought Perrie home drunk and crying, and Sophia had jumped in to help get her to bed, because the blonde refused to go to her room without getting hugs from her roommate.

By the time she was taken care of, Liam was half-asleep in the bedroom, and Sophia had fallen in next to him.

"Well, I've been thinking about it a lot. I've been saving up my money from work for a while now, and I think I'm ready to move out."

After Liam graduated from college two years ago, he'd moved back in with his parents. On the day of the ceremony, Liam swore that he would be out in two years.

Well, two years was now, and Sophia was proud of how determined Liam was.

"So, I was looking around the area, and I really could afford a good place, if I had a roommate."

"Oh, definitely," Sophia agreed. "You want to ask Niall or something? I'm sure he would love to move closer to the rest of us. I hate that he still lives in Hamilton Heights."

"Well no, not Niall..."

"True. I mean, if anything, he's going to be moving in with Amy soon. They've been together for a year now, so it makes sense."

"Well that, too, but no, I actually had somebody else in mind."

"Who?"

"You," Liam finally admitted.

Sophia picked her head up off the pillow. "Really?"

"Well yeah. I mean, we've talked about living together before, but it's never seemed like the right time. At least, it hasn't to me. But, I'm doing well at work, and now that you're working with Garrett, we'll have a dual income. Plus, I just want to live with you: fall asleep with you, wake up with you and just be with you, Soph. I kind of love you, you know."

"I love you, too," she smiled. "And I would love to live with you. You really think the timing's right?"

"Yeah. Who knows? We could spend our two-year anniversary in our own apartment."

"Wow. No screaming roommates running around getting ready for work."

"No annoying parents asking every question they can think of," Liam added.

Speaking of roommates, one of Sophia's was in the hallway.

"Ugghhh," Perrie groaned as she walked by on her way to the kitchen. "I'm never drinking again."

Sophia checked the time. "Shit, I have to get ready for work."

Liam nodded. "Me, too. When are you going to tell them?"

"Soon," Sophia promised. "Maybe tonight. Definitely by this weekend. I want them to have as much time as possible to find a replacement if they need one."

"El's dad already pays half the rent," Liam commented as he stood and stretched. "Will they really need a third?"

"I don't know," Sophia shrugged. "But I'd rather them have a lot of notice."

"So nice of you."

"I do what I can. Somebody has to be the nice one around here."

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