𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞 ⸙

1.16𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪

Liam woke with a smile. Despite the slight headache and the tight chest and sore throat, he was in an excellent mood and had slept very well.

Liam curled under his warm duvet and scrolled
through the conversation he had with Baela last night. "Zayn thinks I'm cute," Liam whispered, grinning wide.

Baela had also told Zayn that Liam thought he was handsome. How much of their conversation did Zayn see?

He held his phone to his chest until his alarm went off. Another Monday morning had come too soon. Liam was in such a good mood that not even his aunt or uncle could trample on his high spirits.

"You're always rushing around recently. What's
wrong with you?" Liam's uncle moaned as Liam
hurried around the table to reach the toast.

He had spent too long thinking about Zayn and his muscular arms, and now he was running a little late.

As Liam reached for the toast, his aunt grabbed the plate. "No, Liam, only people who know how to set a bloody alarm can have breakfast. Go, or you'll be late."

"I did set my alarm, I just-"

"Liam James Payne. Are you answering back to me?"

Everyone stared at him, even his cousins.

"Sorry" Liam whispered.

"Honestly, Liam, you don't have to live here, you
know. Your room could be my studio. But no, we let you live here because you are family, so act like a member of this family, okay?"

Liam nodded and reversed through the kitchen door.

He left the house without looking back.

The cold air was like walking into a freezer. Liam
zipped his coat up and pulled his hat over his ears.

He gripped the bag straps over his shoulders and
hurried down the street. The sky looked a little
yellow, and Liam wondered if snow would fall this winter.

He hoped so. The woods looked magical with a
layer of snow brightening the bare branches and
muddy trails.

Liam smiled softly to himself. He longed to look into Zayn's deep hazel eyes. There was something about the way he stared that made Liam shiver, in a good way. He thought about Zayn's big frame, his black hair, and his lips that sometimes twitched at the corners when he was amused.

The sight of college wasn't a sight of dread. Liam
was in the mood for learning, and he had done his homework and lots of studying over the weekend, a shift at the cafe, and retrieved a hot guys number.

Liam didn't want to think about the wolf, or the very large dog, or whatever animal chased away Harry and his idiot friends.

At lunchtime, Liam was lost in a book until his phone buzzed. His heart skipped a beat. Liam hoped it was Baela or Zayn, but the message was from his aunt telling him to do his own laundry from now on.

Liam sighed and told himself to stop being so eager.

He couldn't help himself. Nobody had ever paid
him so much attention apart from his parents, but they had been gone for long enough for Liam to forget what it felt like to be properly loved.

By the time Liam finished college, the sun had set, and the clouds had cleared. Stars sparkled all around the sky and the moon, split entirely in half, glowed brighter than it had in a while. Liam would have stared at it if he wasn't so cold on the steps, and so eager to get to the library.

Liam wanted to text Zayn and ask if he would come to the library. Liam was anxious about messaging him and decided to leave his phone alone, for now.

He slipped on ice on his way down the street. The
lights from the library emerged in the distance. Liam rubbed his hands together and sniffed back the cold. The worst part of winter was the ice; Liam was clumsy on dry ground.