Stay With Me (Liam Payne)

Part 9

 She made it home before Liam and Paddy, she was relieved to see. She made her way to the kitchen, grabbed an apple, a yogurt and a spoon, then headed up the stairs. She was on step three when she heard the door open. She tired to go faster, but with her hands full, she needed to be careful. Just 7 more stairs, she thought. Just 7 more. Liam was rushing in heading for the stairs and calling her name. He looked up, surprised to see her. "Wait." he called. "I want to talk to you."

Nicki moved faster than her body really wanted to, but Liam caught up with her anyway. "Please, don't" she said as Liam reached her.

"Don't what? I just need to talk to you. I think we had a misunderstanding." He said.

She kept moving up the stairs. 3 more. "Yes, we did. I misunderstood your feelings for me. I'm embarrassed and I'd like to be alone." 2 more . "I'll get out of your hair tomorrow, okay? I haven't unpacked much." 1 more. "I'll try to keep my gutter germs from getting on too much stuff." She made it to the landing. "I'll pay you back for the food and stuff with my first paycheck. Thanks for calling the police and all, but I'm really wishing you'd have just left me there." She hobbled to her room and shut the door. Liam had frozen when she started to talk, but now moved quickly up the rest of the stairs.

He knocked on the door. "Nicki, let me in. I want to talk to you. I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. I don't want you to move out. I didn't know...."

Nicki turned up the radio on her phone as far as it would go, blocking out the rest of whatever he said. She didn't want to hear how sorry he was that a stupid little girl like her thought he liked her. She didn't want to hear how he never meant to give her that impression. She pulled out her suitcases and set them on the bed. If she repacked carefully, everything might fit. She took everything out and started to fold and organize her things.

Then the door popped open and Liam walked in, shutting it behind him. He grabbed her phone and turned it off. "Will you please listen tome?" Nicki turned away, hoping he knew that meant no. "Look at me."

"Liam, please don't make me feel worse. Please. I understand. I really do. Its not your fault and you didn't do anything wrong. I just really want to go, okay? Don't embarrass me even more than I am by making me 'talk' about it."

"Do you like me?" he asked.

Nicki huffed and walked into the bathroom. Maybe if she took a shower, he'd go away. She wished she had a girlfriend or mother to call for advice. She'd even settle for a grandmother who didn't like her. The only person she had was Lee and wasn't going to be able to comfort her. She turned on the water as hot as it would go, put the trash bag over her leg and got into the shower, letting her tears flow freely, mingling with the water rushing over her body. She stayed under the water for as long as she could, until it began to cool and her fingers were pruney.

Nicki stepped out of the shower, wrapped herself in a towel and opened the bathroom door. She stepped out and saw that he was sitting on the bed, waiting for her. She jumped a bit, surprised by him sitting right there while she was in nothing but a towel.

"Will you answer my question now?" Liam asked. Nicki just looked at him, wondering if she should shut the bathroom door or try to go to her closet. "Please?" he asked.

"What question? I'm not dressed, if you don't mind leaving?"

"I'm not leaving until you answer me." Liam stated.

"Why do you want to embarrass me so badly? What did I ever do to you? I never even spit in your food." Nicki cried.

"Well, that's reassuring. And I'm not trying to embarrass you. I didn't think you liked me. You've been pretty hostile to me since we met. Do you like me?" Liam asked again.

Nicki couldn't take anymore. She stepped back into the bathroom and shut the door. "If I answer, will you go away?" she called though the door.

"Yes." Liam answered.

"Okay. Yes. I think. I wasn't sure. I wanted to get to know you better, but yes. Okay? If I had posters of 1D most of them would be of you.  And a few of that Lou." She threw that in to be mean.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked through the door.

"Because I thought you already liked ME! You told the doctor I was beautiful. You chased me down the street. You came to the diner when it wasn't my shift to find out when I worked. I thought that meant that you liked me. I guess I misunderstood. You brought that girl home and I realized my mistake. I'm embarrassed. I don't want to be here anymore. Will you leave now?" Nicki pleaded.

"I thought you hated me?" Liam said. "You were never nice to me. Ever."

"Please go. Please." Nicki was going to cry again.

"I'm sorry. I never would have brought her home if I knew. I thought you hated me. Please come out of the bathroom." Liam asked.

"I get it. You are sorry you hurt my feelings. I except. Now go."Nicki said. "You said If I answered, you'd go."

"I changed my mind." Liam said.

"Wow. You really are a sadist." Nicki mumbled.

"What's a sadist?" he asked.

"Seriously? I have to define my insults? It means you take pleasure in the pain of others." Nicki sighed.

"I'm not glad I caused you pain. I didn't mean to. I didn't know I was. I didn't know you liked me back." Liam said.

Back? Nicki thought. Did he say back? "Can you hand me my pajamas? They are on that weird chair."

Liam grabbed them and said "here." Nicki opened the door and grabbed them. She pulled on the t shirt and shorts, then opened the door again. She took one step out of the door. Liam was standing right there. She looked up at him. "I'm sorry." he said. Then he put his hand behind her head and into her hair, pulled her close and kissed her softly on her lips. "I'm sorry."

See? I told you it gets better! -Eva