Stay With Me (Liam Payne)

Part 13

 The next day, Nicki took the car Harry had given her to the rehearsal. He had another list for her. The tour was starting in a matter of days and he still needed things done. She ran all of his errands, bought herself a stool and a few other things she would need for the tour, went to Harry's to do his breakfast and dinner dishes, got his nonweepy lettuce lunch and headed back. She was feeling very confident. She could do this job.

All of the boys were in wardrobe, trying on clothes, when she returned. She walked up to the door and was about to enter when she heard her name. "Hey, Liam, thanks for finding Nicki. She did my dishes and my laundry. Becky would never have done that." Harry said.

"No problem. She needed a job. I'm glad it's working out." Liam answered. She smiled to herself. She was doing a good job.

"So, what's going on with that, anyhow? You dating her or what? "Nicki heard Niall ask. This really made her stop. She held her breath waiting to hear his answer. She hadn't said anything to the other girls because she wasn't sure what he thought this was. She didn't want to misunderstand him again.

"Naw, man. She's really sweet and all, but I don't think I can deal with baggage right now." Liam said.

She froze. No. He had said No. Sure it had only been one date and two makeout sessions, but that still deserved more than a no. Angry, she pushed open the door and walked in. There was no mistaking who was coming, not with the clumpy cast. Liam looked at her in shock. He knew she heard. She handed Harry his lunch, turned and walked out.

She knew Liam wouldn't follow her. He couldn't, not after just telling the boys that he wasn't interested in her. She texted Harry, saying she was going to get lunch and run another errand, then headed out. She went straight to the diner to talk to Lee. He was really her only friend. He wouldn't be able to help her, but he'd listen. That was enough.

She parked the car and went into the diner. She asked Mindy if Lee was working and she told her to go have a seat. She'd sent him out. Nicki waited, checking to see if she had any messages. Just one. Jen asking if she wanted help packing for the tour. She answered yes and agreed to meet at the hall at 2 o'clock and the girls would tell her what to bring and what she wouldn't need to bring. Lee finally came over to the table and sat.

"You look great, Nick! I can't believe that they fixed your nose. I think it looks better now that it did before!" he joked.

"HaHa, Lee." she said. "You still look the same. Greasy." She stuck out her tongue at him.

He laughed. "Thanks, babe. Now what are you doing here? You shouldn't be here. He still comes in here asking where you are. Here's you last paycheck. It's only a couple hundred, but it might help you. How are things at Liam's?"

She sighed and told him the entire story, from thinking he didn't like her all the way to finding out he REALLY didn't like her, that he had made up all those nice things he said. "I guess he figured I'd be easy, right? I'm glad I didn't sleep with him. Well, I did sleep with him, but, well, you know what I mean."

"Wow. I don't know what to say. I thinks he does like you. He wouldn't let you live there if he didn't. Maybe he just doesn't want to tell the other boys?" Lee said.

"We leave for tour in a few days. He said he wanted to take me out on proper dates. Don't you think someone would notice? He wouldn't be able to hide that on tour. Or him sleeping in the same bed as me. I think he meant it." she said. "Maybe I'm jumping into this too fast anyhow, right? Before I am someone's girlfriend again, maybe I should figure out who I am alone. Maybe this is a good thing?"

Lee shook his head. "I have no idea. You need girlfriends. I can only tell you that if I was dating you, I'd be proud and tell the world."

"But you can't date me because you are far too gay for me." Nicki laughed.

"I'm NOT gay!" he said too loudly, causing everyone in the diner to stop and stare at him. Nicki giggled. "Jesus, Nicki!" He looked down, embarrassed.

"I bet this is the first time they ever heard anyone come out about being straight before!" Nicki was cracking herself up. "Maybe you'll get a few numbers out of this. Deloris is at table 6. She's cute."

Lee turned and looked at the 80 something year old regular. "Great. I'll spell out 'will you marry me' in her oatmeal with strawberries."

They talked until she needed to get back to work. She wrote down her phone number, proud that she had joined the 21st century."Text me, okay? I don't want to lose touch with the only person who cares about me." Nicki told him.

"Liam cares about you. He does. Just, don't go all Nicki and put up your walls, okay?" Lee said.

"Go all Nicki? Thanks, Lee." she stuck out her tongue. She stood up and gave him a quick hug.

"Go to your car Nick. Keep your head down and go." Lee pulled her back into the hug.

"Oh, shit. Is he here?"

"He just sat at the counter. Go now. Don't look back. And don't come here again. If you need me, I'll come to you, okay? Now, go. Fast." Lee pushed her to the door. She hobbled out to the car, climbed in and drove back to her new life.