Liberate • Harry Styles

three.

The arena was cold and empty, and I had no idea how to get to backstage through another door. I walked across the entire seating area and sat 10 rows back. I could see the boys already start to file onstage and Niall's eyes landed on me almost immediately. I winked and gave him a little wave. He smiled and went to the back of the stage, where the rest of the boys were conferring with the sound guys.

They started warming up, goofing around and making each other laugh. Someone in the wings cleared their throat very loudly. Taking this as their cue to start, they launched into their set list. In the middle of Little Things, just before Harry's solo, he looked at me and his brow furrowed.

"Why is she here?" He spoke into the microphone, ignoring his cue and letting the music play on in the background.

Niall waved his hand and the track stopped. "Harry, calm down."

"She can't be here!" He protested. "This is a closed rehearsal."

"It's ok, I'll leave," I called out, a little hurt, and already moving to get up.

"No, stay." Niall says. He turned and talked to Harry quietly. Harry threw his hands up and made angry faces, but eventually he nodded his head and cued the track back on.

I sat back down awkwardly and watched the rest of the performance. When it was done, Niall beckoned for me to come on stage and I obliged, wary of Harry's lethal gaze on me. The more he was annoyed by me, the more I wanted to know the reasons why. It clawed at me, like the nagging feeling you've forgotten to lock the doors.

"Are you ok?" Niall asked.

"Does Harry not like me?" I asked. "Like, what's his problem?"

"He...he's fine with you." He stumbled with his words. "I can't really explain it."

"Niall," I groaned. "I've known you a day, and this is all still surreal. But I'm not gonna sit here and fangirl over Harry. You need to trust I'm not gonna flip."

Niall laughed and I still couldn't get used to the lovely ring of the sound.

"Okay, I was going to tell you anyway. Management kind of gave me a deadline."

"Management?" I asked, confused.

"I asked if we could bring you along. On tour, I mean," Niall's eyes glistened as I broke out in a wide smile.

"Are you serious?"

"I wouldn't lie," Niall said, and gave me a side hug. "You're fun to be around."

"What would I do?" I asked.

"Oh, that was the other thing. You're a good friend, but you have to be of use." Niall laughed. "If you agree, management will lock you into a contract - to be our social media manager."

"What?" I couldn't believe my ears. I had just graduated, which meant I needed to look for a job. That could be it.

"Niall, I don't know what to say." I stammered.

"You don't need to say anything. Management were already looking for a person and I suggested you. If we hadn't met you, it would have been someone else."

"Thanks for making me feel special." I laughed and Niall blushed.

"Niall!" Harry called from the dressing room. We were standing outside with the door closed. We made our way inside, Niall closing the heavy steel door behind us.

"I wanted you, not her." Harry glared at me.

"It's okay, Vi." Niall reassured me. "Go three doors down and meet with Jackie, one of our publicists. She'll give you the gist of the job."

I exited the room, hearing Harry starting to yell at Niall, angry at him for mentioning the job to me. I guess he thought if Niall didn't tell me, I would be gone by now. I ignored the fact Niall never really told me why Harry hated me, happy I had a new job.

I knocked on the door to the office and there was no response. I heard some shuffling and knocked on the door lightly again. The door opened with the force of my knock and I entered the room.

There were two people on top of Jackie's desk, obviously not ready for my appearance. I gasped as I realized it was Liam and my future co-worker. They were having sex. In front of me.

At my gasp, Liam turned around and his eyes grew wide. He pulled out of her and covered his privates. Embarrassed, he put on his boxers quickly as Jackie sat up, realizing I had come in.

"What are you doing here?!" Liam boomed. "Get out!"

He shoved me out the door and slammed it behind me with such force that I broke down into tears, scared out of my mind. My brain tried to process what my eyes had just seen. I heard running footsteps and Harry ran up to me.

"What the hell happened?" He asked me.

"Don't yell at me!" I sobbed. "I don't need another person yelling at me!"

"Oh, shit." Harry said. "Come here."

He opened his arms and I welcomed his embrace, sniffling as the shock of the situation wore off. His niceness confused me, but I decided not to overthink it. I really needed him at that moment.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Harry asked.

"Liam...he's fúcking Jackie." I said. I looked up at him, confused. "I thought he was with Sophia."

"He is." Harry glared up at the door and broke from our embrace.

"Harry, don't - "

But it was too late. He had already gone in.

"Liam, what the fuck?!" I heard Harry scream and I stood in the doorway, somehow wanting to see what would happen.

"It wasn't what it looked like." Liam was fully clothed, his prominent bulge still showing through his black skinny jeans. He zipped up his hoodie and glared past Harry to me.

Jackie moved to stand beside Liam. She was very pretty and her body was magnificent. Her brunette curls were pinned to the side, although slightly messed up from her activities. She pulled her black pencil skirt further down her thighs and adjusted her white blouse, her slender fingers doing up the buttons.

"You need to tell Sophia." Harry said. "This isn't right. If you don't tell her, I will."

Liam put his hands up in surrender. "I promise. I was going to."

"Um hum." Harry nodded sarcastically, he and Jackie locking eyes.

"Slut," he muttered under his breath and Liam stepped forward.

"What did you just call her?" Liam growled, his face inches away from Harry's.

"Nothing." Harry smirked at Jackie and spun around. He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the room and down the hallway.

"It's kind of funny, you know, considering your background." Liam called after us, and I looked at Harry quizzically. I wanted to know what he meant by that, but my mouth betrayed me and asked another question.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Away from here." Harry replied.

[a.n.]

Omg this chapter I can't

Oh no the boys are in trouble what's going to happen next ;)

I wrote this chapter and Liam like this because in all other fanfiction Liam plays the good character and I wanted to be different. Tell me what you think!

Twitter - @climacticstyles

xxoo - sophia.