Her brown eyes focused on him as he changed into a plain white button down shirt and jeans. Her mind flashed back to the day they met a little over a year ago.

“No, no, no, no.” Came a thick British accent. It was very out of place in the small town smack dab in the middle of Connecticut. “This can’t be happening. Damn-it, Horan!” He muttered loudly.

Bradley watched him as he stood behind a large Simon Cowell sign in the center of the walkway by Build-A-Bear. His fingers tapped away at his phone frantically. Worried covered his face as he eyed every girl that passed by.

Bradley wrapped her half eaten cinnamon pretzel and placed it in her cat tote bag. She smoothed the front of her black shirt and tugged lightly at her cardigan. She took a deep breath as she approached the cute messy haired boy before her. “In a bit of a pickle?” She asked.

The boy jumped at the sound of her voice. “I’m sorry, Babe. Now’s not a good time for pictures, try back later.” Liam gave the girl a small smile. ‘No time for fans, not now.’ He thought.

“I don’t want a picture?” She replied, confused at his awkward answer. “I’m a frequent mallrat; I can help you find something. You look hopelessly lost.”

“Why’d you get that stupid giraffe shirt?” Liam’s hard body fell on the couch, pulling Bradley out of her thoughts.

She pouted and looked at him, “I like it, and he’s not stupid. He’s wearing a suit and glasses.”

“Wearing a suit and pair of glasses doesn’t make a person smart, B.” He pulled her in for a quick kiss.

Bradley pulled back, “Ah, but he’s a giraffe!” She exclaimed. “Your argument is invalid.”

Liam pressed his body against her, pinning her to the couch, he leaned down to kiss her, “Touché, love.” He mumbled against her lips.

“Oh, that would be lovely. Could you please?” Liam took note of her oblivious state, she had no idea who he was. “Could you take me to Spencer’s? I got separated from my friends.” Actually, Niall thought it would be funny to turn Barnes and Noble into a maze and hide

“Yeah, that’s on the other side of the mall, though.” Liam cursed loudly then quickly apologized. “We just need to take the elevator up and walk a bit; I promise it’s not that hard.” .

“I love you.” Liam whispered in her ear, it sent shivers up her spine.

Bradley pulled away from Liam and leaned against the arm of the couch, “Why?” She asked. Liam looked at her confused. “Why do you want to be with me?”

He smiled as he rested against the couch, “Well, for starters? Um…you wear sandals in the middle of winter.”

Bradley stepped in the elevator, one brass colored sandal after the other. Liam entered the contraption cautiously. He quickly pressed the “Close Door” button. Bradley looked at him as a group of girls tried to rush in. Liam sighed and looked at the blonde girl beside him. He noticed the cardigan over a corset. Then a black skirt, no tights. And sandals. ‘Is this girl nuts?’ he thought. ‘It’s freezing outside!’

The elevator came to a stop on the second floor. Liam grabbed the girls hand and rushed out before anyone noticed he was here. Bradley followed, confused on his rushed pace. “At this rate, you’ll pass your friends.” She laughed. Liam looked worried. “I’m joking, unless you keep going through Sears at the end, then you will be fine.” Liam relaxed.

Bradley observed how he walked with his head down and hood up. She was curious, was he some kind of shoplifter, was she helping him escape the Mall Cops. They were mean, so it didn’t matter.

Bradley laughed, “What?”

“It was one of the first things I noticed about you. You wore these gladiator type sandals it was like negative twelve Celsius out!” Bradley laughed again. “You didn’t scream in my face, either. That I was grateful for.”

Liam’s eyes shot up as they neared Spencer’s. To his luck, there were no girls around. Actually the first person he saw was a hooded Niall. Bradley noticed this blond boy as well. More thoughts rushed her head. ‘Am I going to be kidnapped? Is this some kind of conspiracy?’ She felt a little awkward walking up to the now forming group of hoodies. By the time they made it over there, there were 4 other boys, all in hoods.

“Thanks for helping Liam back.” She suddenly realized she never asked his name. “Do you want an autograph or something?” She looked at the dark haired, blue eyed boy. ‘What is with these boys and pictures and autographs?’ She turned to look over the glass wall down at Newbury Comics. A gasp came to her lips as she turned to the boy she directed. He stood there watching her curiously.

‘I just saw him down….’ She turned back to the store and looked in the window, a large cardboard cutout of this Liam guy stood there. “You….” She looked at him and then the other boys, they too were also cutouts. “Who are you people?”

The boys looked to where she was and smiled, “Ah, we’re One Direction, Love.” The curly haired boy said happily.

“Well, I didn’t even know who you guys where, then.” Bradley scratched her head lightly, just adding more mess to the lazily braided blonde hair. “Why did you call me a week later? I mean, what made you do it?”

Liam chewed on his bottom lip as he thought back, “There was something about you. I was very close minded about girls and relationships. But you were on my mind, you and your weird style and cluelessness. I knew I had to get to know you more. And when I did, I knew I had to make you mine.” He turned to her and smiled.

Bradley looked away, tears forming in her eyes. “But I’m not Danielle….” She started. “I’m not pretty or talented like her.”

Liam’s smile faded, he leaned over and wiped the tears away as they rolled down her cheeks. “Hey, where did that come from?” She pulled her face away and didn’t look at him. “You are beautiful and talented in your own ways. No, you’re not Danielle. And I did love her. But do you see how that worked out? We ended for a reason and at a perfect time. Babe, if we didn’t break up, I would have never met you. The mall trip was the boys way of ‘helping me get over her’ and they remind me almost every day.”

“Besides that stuff, why else did you want to be with me?” Bradley couldn’t bear replying to the Danielle answer, she could hardly process it.

Liam’s smile returned as he pulled her against his chest. “It’s the way you smile with your eyes, the way you laugh, how it’s only us two in a room of thousands, the way it feels when we touch, when we kiss…it’s everything. Everything made me want to be with you. I would swim across the ocean without hesitation if you wanted me to. You simply say my name and I come running. Some may say I am ‘whipped’ but you know what it is?” Liam paused as Bradley shook his head, “It’s love. I love you.”

Bradley nuzzled slightly into Liam, “I love you too.”

“I don’t know what I’d do without you, B.” Liam kissed her neck lightly.

Bradley turned herself to face Liam, her lips met his. Slowly they melted into each other, their kisses becoming deeper, the world’s noises fading. Buzz. “Hey, don’t get too excited!” Bradley laughed. Liam rolled his eyes and looked at his phone. Without a single thought, he pressed “Decline” and turned back to Bradley. “Who was it?”

“Andy.”

Bradley frowned, “You should have taken it, you should have been gone to meet him already. He’s your best friend; don’t stand the poor guy up.” She stood to let him go.

Liam instantly pulled her back down. “He may be my best mate, but you are my best girl. You obviously need me right now and he can wait. He’s seem me enough in his lifetime to wait an extra hour.” Liam kissed her galaxy painted nails, then her neck where the chain that held her blue mustache necklace hung. His lips found her earlobe, he whispered, “You really do have a strangely unique…beautifully perfect style, my love.”

“Shush.” She said, kissing him, “We only have an hour.”