Protect You, Protect Me
Mayfly
Liam walked into Louis' room thirty minutes later. His mood was better but still pissed off.
"Where's Gray," Harry asked him. Liam shrugged his shoulders and sat down in the chair.
"Where's Gray Liam," Perrie asked him sternly.
"I'm guessing she left," he said. Perrie jumped up from the bed.
"What do you mean? What did you do?" She screamed at him before taking off down the hall. All the boys followed him, Liam lagging behind the others.
"Gray! Gray! Let me in," Perrie yelled, pounding on hotel door. There was no answer.
"Liam give me your key." Liam handed it over without question. Perrie quickly slid the card through and went barraging into the door. Most of everything that was Gray's was gone. All that was left was two pairs of her socks and a toothbrush. Perrie turned to Liam slowly.
"Talk. now." She spit through her teeth.
"I did what was best for us Perrie. It became too much, she wasn't going to break it off so I did it for her," he explained. The five of them stood there staring at him with their mouths open. You could of heard a pin drop in that room.
"Are you absolutely mad," Louis asked him.
"No Louis I'm not. Did I love her with everything I had? Yes, without a doubt. But I cannot keep breaking both of our hearts over and over. It had to happen." Liam sighed. The guys didn't know where he was coming from. This made sense to Liam, it worked. It was better for both of them to walk away and go on with their lives. It would of happened later down the line when they were more vested anyway. The boys left for Australia in three short weeks. He knew Gray didn't have a passport, she wouldn't of been able to come.
"You are completely mental. I can't even look at you right now," Perrie said. She took out her phone and called Gray. The phone went straight to voicemail.
"Gray, it's Perrie, you need to call me as soon as you get this. I need to know where you are." Perrie walked out of the room with Zayn following her.
"Liam, I know this probably makes sense in your head, but it doesn't to us. You just sent away the love of your life. Sleep on that one," Niall said. He patted Liam on the back before leaving the room. Louis couldn't find anything to say to him. He just walked out shaking his head.
"You are a bloody moron," Harry yelled following suit. Soon Liam was left alone in his own thoughts. He knew they wouldn't understand. Liam was protecting her. The longer they were together to worse it would get. The twitter comments, the paparazzi, tabloids, all of it. Gray deserved the world and he couldn't give it to her. He knew, even though it slowly killed him inside, that he had to let her go. It was the right thing to do. Liam laid down on his head, his hands feeling the note and bracelet above him. He opened the note and read.
Liam -
I don't know what to say other then every part of my body hurts. You have killed me inside and out with your heartless words. You pretended like you didn't even care, yet I know deep inside in that stupid brain you do. As much as I wish I could forget you, and stop loving you, I know that will never happen. Always remember you made this choice, not me.
Gray
Liam picked up the cloth bracelet spinning it between his fingers. He slipped it on his wrist without thinking and looked at it. He knew mistakes happen, and this was one of them. The biggest mistake of his life.
----
Gray got home around 4 am, after paying three times too much for a plane ticket. She called her mom on her layover. Gloria was still waiting up for her.
"Hi sweet girl," her mom said giving her a hug. Gray folded into her mom's arms. She no longer had any tears to cry. Her eyes were raw and brittle, feeling like they could break into a thousand little pieces.
"Hey," she squeaked out.
"We will talk later. Go to bed my sweet love," her mom said reassuringly. Gray nodded and walked up the staircase and into her room without feeling the motions. She laid down in bed, not caring about taking off her wrinkled plane clothes. Gray turned on her phone to see a message from them all, except Liam. She quickly typed out a message to all of them.
To: Harry, Pea, Louis, Niall, Zayn
I'm home safely. I'm sure you heard. Love you all with all my heart.
She turned her phone back off and went to sleep not wanting to feel anymore.
----
BREAKING NEWS: All good things must come to an end my lovelies. The stories are true, One Direction's Liam Payne and the very pretty Gray Cameron have gone their separate ways. Sources say it was not a mutual decision, as Miss Cameron was seen looking pretty devastated at the Washington D.C. airport. What does this mean Directioners? Who knows! Stay tuned for all the news, brought to you by The Pioneer Celebrity.
Gray went through the week doing the motions she was expected to. Wake up, eat, smile, make conversation, do something with her life for a while, eat, smile, say goodnight, go to bed.
Instead, she was melting. Every part of her still hurt. She wished with everything that the pain would go away and she could forget Liam ever existed.They were only together for four months, most of it they spent apart. Gray shouldn't feel this way. Four months doesn't get her the right to be so vested. Two more days she told her, two more days then she needed to go back to old Gray and forget these four months of her life ever happened. She got out bed and headed downstairs.
"Hi Gray," Grace said to her cheerfully when she came downstairs.
"Hi baby," Gray responded trying to smile.
"Are you always going to be so sad?"
"No, not always. Sometimes a person just gets sad," Gray explained.
"Why?"
"People make other's sad."
"Did Liam make you sad," she asked. Gray nodded her head yes.
"Then he made me sad too," Grace pouted. Gray gave her a hug.
"Don't worry love, sadness only lasts as far as you let it."
----
Liam headed downstairs to the lobby to meet the other guys. There had been tension ever since the night Gray left. The rest couldn't understand why he did it and Liam didn't feel like explaining it to them. They never would be able to get it. Liam knew that it was a dumb decision. He thought too fast when he was angry, it was better for her to just leave. Out of sight, out of mind.
"Can I talk to you all," he said in a low tone. They all looked at him.
"I am sorry you don't respect my choice, but for the sake of the band, can we please find some truce?" They all looked at him, keeping with the silence.
"Are you ever going to explain this to us? Gray was all of ours. Maybe not our girlfriend, but she was our sister. You ripped her away from all of us," Louis explained. Liam sighed, they just couldn't let it go.
"I did what was best for her," he replied. Louis laughed in a threatening tone and rolled his eyes.
"You did what was best for you. You couldn't handle it anymore, can you?" Liam and Louis continued to size each other up.
"Break it up lads, this isn't worth it. This ends now, you hear me. We are brothers, who need to show it." Zayn yelled at them. Louis walked away without saying anything else.
"Last time, but she is fine." Harry whispered to Liam. Harry knew, he understood Liam's weird idea.
"Thank you," Liam whispered back relieved. He wanted to know she was okay. Liam followed the others making a silent vow to himself to forget her from this moment. He needed to let her move on, and let himself move on. His focus should be on the group only, no more distractions.
----
"What are you doing," Mila said as soon as Gray answered the phone. It had two weeks since the incident, Gray was feeling stronger every day.
"I have a date with laundry," Gray joked. She freely moved throughout the laundry room. Her crutches were ditched yesterday, which was a sign of relief to Gray. Her body was healing and so was her heart.
"Ditch it and come over. I have wine." Gray closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Wine sounded amazing, but she knew going over to Mila's meant rehashing everything that went down with Liam. Gray had been secretly avoiding her all week.
"I have a lot to do.." Gray trailed off.
"I smell bullshit. Get over here, otherwise I'm coming over. You have 20 minutes." Mila hung up the phone without a goodbye. Damn her. Gray chucked the soap bottle in frustration. She had tried so hard to forget him. She just wanted to forget it all. Gray quickly threw on her shoes and headed out the door. One conversation about him, that was it.
Fifteen minutes later she knocked on Mila's door.
"Good girl," Mila said when she opened. She handed Gray a full glass of wine.
"Mila, you have fifteen minutes to get all your gossip in, then I am done. No speaking about him ever after that," Gray demanded. Mila threw her a look.
"Really girl? Fifteen minutes? How long have you been setting up time limits for him?"
"Ever since I got home. It works," Gray barked back. She wasn't in the mood. Her system worked, she didn't need Mila's sarcastic attitude trampling down her ideas.
"Okay, fifteen minutes. Let's start with Exhibit A." Mila grabbed her phone, scrolling through until she found what she was looking for.
"Explain this one." Gray looked over the picture, immediately feeling her body tense up. It was a picture of Liam up close. He was smiling, but his eyes looked sad. It broke her inside.
"That's Liam, the ex. Next question." She tried to hand the phone back but Mila stopped her.
"Look again fool. Right arm." Gray's eyes trailed the picture until she saw what Mila was talking about. He was wearing the bracelet he had given her. It was the same silver and purple bracelet exactly.
"When was this," she whispered to Mila, trying not to let her emotion show.
"Last night, Niall sent it to me." Gray didn't even realize they had a show. She was pretty positive they were in somewhere in New York, but she didn’t want to ask.
"Why would the man, who seemed to want nothing to do with you be wearing that," Mila questioned.
"I don't know."
"Oh Gray, cut the bullshit for once in your life and get your head out of our ass. Why? Why you continue to think he wants nothing to do with you? He told me what that bracelet says Gray. I know," Mila said firmly, but her eyes were sincere. Gray looked away from the picture and handed the phone back.
"He ended it Mila, not me."
"Then you need to start it! How hard is that to get!" Gray's eyes teared up. She was so sick of rehashing this. Everyone seemed to have an opinion on what she should do.
“No Mila! No! He did this! He ended it. I shouldn’t be the one crawling back, pleading to him to have what we had again. He should of thought about that at the beginning of this. But no, he is the freaking idiot who decided to dump me. Please tell me what I should be the one begging him?”
“Because you love him,” Mila said quietly.
“Ha. You’re funny. Love doesn’t fix anything it just makes more problems.” Gray downed her glass of wine before getting up.
“Mila, I love you, but I’m not talking about him anymore. That part of my life is over. If you can’t see that, then we cannot talk right now.” Gray threw her purse on her shoulder and walked out of the door. She climbed into her car and punching her steering wheel repeatedly. All she wanted to do was forget him, forget every single thing about him right now but she couldn’t. It wasn’t Mila’s fault, she shouldn’t of took it out on her, but at his point Gray didn’t want to feel anymore. She didn’t need to ever hear his name again. Gray took off down the road ready to make a change. Some like to rebound after a breakup, Gray liked to change herself. She walked into the shop and up to the counter.
“Hi, what can I help you with today,” the cheery receptionist asked.
“I want to cut my hair off. Chop it all off.”
Gray walked out of the shop an hour later feeling refreshed and new. There was nothing better than a good haircut. She took her long, sandy brown hair that hit two inches below her shoulder blades into a sleek level bob that just barely touched the top of her shoulders. The stylist talked her into changing up the color too. Gray was now a blonde with bright highlights. She looked at herself in the rearview mirror and smiled. New Gray was much better than Average Gray.
----
“Boys, we have two days left, then its home,” Niall cheered on the bus. They had just finished their second to last show in New York City. All of them felt exhausted to the core and couldn’t wait for some rest. They had two weeks to be home before heading out to Australia for a month, and then they were done. As much as they loved to be around the world, they all wanted to be normal again, as best as they could.
“I’m taking a small road trip before I go back to the UK,” Louis announced to them.
“Where are you going,” Zayn asked.
“Illinois.” Liam sat up straight staring down Louis.
“Why,” he asked.
“To say goodbye. Relax Liam, I’m not going to do anything stupid. I just feel quite bad that we never had a proper goodbye. I highly doubt she is going to come over to the UK to ever visit.” Niall and Harry spoke up saying they would go with him while Liam stayed silent. He wanted to go so badly but it would just cause more drama and heartbreak in their lives.
“Sorry lads, I need to get home. Liam you coming back with me,” Zayn asked him. Liam shook his head yes, happy to get out of making an excuse to not go to Illinois.
“Suit yourself mate, but you could have came,” Louis sighed to him. He tried everything he could possible do to get Liam to go along with it. They had made up from their almost fight, knowing that inside they were brothers and couldn’t let Gray come between them. Liam still wouldn’t admit it, but he was hurting inside too. Louis could see it in him. They tried to act normally throughout all their concerts but when Liam thought no one was looking his face went sour. Louis always saw it. He knew he could find a way to get them back together, it was just going to take time.
----
Gray was up in her room getting ready for a run when she heard the doorbell ring.
“Gray,” her mom called up in a singsong voice,”you have a package." Gray’s ears perked up. She didn’t buy anything online lately. What could it be? Without thinking she ran downstairs to see Harry, Niall and Louis dancing around her mom. They immediately stopped when they saw her. Gray didn’t look like the Gray who left them. Her hair was shorter, she was tan, and currently only wearing running shorts and a bra. Her face was almost complete healed and she was off her crutches. The only thing that still showed from her accident was the green cast, which was to be removed next month.
“Whoa..” Niall chirped up. Gray blushed, they were all gawking at her like she was a T-Bone steak.
“Guys, what are you doing here?”
“We came for a little visit with our favorite Gray Goose,” Louis explained. Gloria ushered them inside while Gray ran to find a shirt. She walked back out to see Gillian and Grace had already found the guys. Those leeches.
“I don’t like Liam,” Grace yelled out to all of them.
“Why not little lady,” Louis asked her.
“He made Gray cry. She cries a lot about him, especially when she sleeps.” Gray groaned. Leave it to her little sister for letting all her skeletons out.
“Hey Grace! I found Mom’s secret stash of Mountain Dew in the garage, why don’t you get one?” Grace smiled and ran down the hallway. Thank God, Gray thought. The rest of them stood around awkwardly.
“So where’s Zayn,” she asked, only bringing up him.
“He and Liam went back early home. He missed Perrie.” Gray smiled sadly, she missed Perrie too.
“Well that was sweet of him. Wish he could have been here, I missed him.”
“Do you miss Liam too,” Niall asked. Gray looked up with him.
“I could care less about him right now.” Gray walked down the foyer into the living room and the boys followed.
“Gray do you think we believe that,” Louis asked.
“You should, it’s what I am telling you.” Come down Gray, she told herself. She didn’t need to yell at another person this week.
“Okay, sure we will believe that. Whatever you say Gray,” Louis said rolling his eyes. It caused Gray to boil over.
“What does that mean Louis?”
“It means Gray, you continue to tell yourself you are fine and you don’t love him or need him, but we ALL know you are lying. Liam is doing the same thing. We are not stupid Gray, we can all see right through you.” Gray huffed.
“Listen, I am trying to move on from this. What do you want me to do? Think about him every moment of my life? Stare at his pictures? Find clips of him on Youtube and watch them religiously? Guess what, I already do that. I know what that does. It makes me sick, I cry and think about all the moments I had with him. You think I want to call him? I do, his number is still in my phone and even on my speed dial. But I don’t. I have to move on. I have to accept that he doesn’t want me, even though you all say it’s the truth. It’s time to move on,” she ranted to them. She was telling them, but always trying to tell herself the same thing. She woke up every morning telling herself that it was the day to forget Liam but it never worked. She always found a moment to think of him.
“Gray,” Harry started but stopped. There was nothing they could say to her to make her change her mind. Gray was a spitting image of Liam, both of them were far too stubborn to realize and refused to make a move.
“I’m sorry Gray. We won’t bring it up again. We just wanted to come see you for ourselves, honest. We missed you Gray,” Niall told her. She smiled.
“Well hell, I missed you too!” They sat around for a while more talking about what was next for the group and for Gray before they left.
“Will you come visit us in the UK?” Harry asked her.
“Of course, we will plan something at one point. I have to meet these mothers you all never stop talking about.” She laughed to him.
“Wait! We need a picture,” Louis exclaimed. They quickly circled around Gray, squeezing in close to all fit into Louis’ screen.
“Say 'Piss off Liam!' ” Gray cracked up laughing when he snapped the picture. Louis quickly pulled away. He was already plotting to put that on Twitter and not tell her. She was never on it, so no harm no foul. They said their goodbyes and the boys headed out. Gray felt somewhat sad, but happy at the same time. She was happy they came by, even for only a small amount of time. They were her brothers, and it felt good to see them. Hopefully she could visit at some point.
----
Zayn and Liam got off the airplane and both immediately turned their phones on. They were home, on UK ground finally.
“Mate, you best check your Twitter,” Zayn whispered to him. Liam grabbed his phone and and logged on. He saw it immediately.
LouisTomlinson: With my best mates @NiallHoran @HarryStyles @Gramayonnaise. Wish @Real_Liam_Payne and @ZaynMalik could have joined us!
The picture said a thousand words. Gray was in the middle of the three boys looking happier than ever. Liam could tell they were all squeezing her a bit too tight for his liking, but there was nothing he could do about it. It killed him. She was with them, being happy while he was stuck and barely able to function every day.
"Where's Gray," Harry asked him. Liam shrugged his shoulders and sat down in the chair.
"Where's Gray Liam," Perrie asked him sternly.
"I'm guessing she left," he said. Perrie jumped up from the bed.
"What do you mean? What did you do?" She screamed at him before taking off down the hall. All the boys followed him, Liam lagging behind the others.
"Gray! Gray! Let me in," Perrie yelled, pounding on hotel door. There was no answer.
"Liam give me your key." Liam handed it over without question. Perrie quickly slid the card through and went barraging into the door. Most of everything that was Gray's was gone. All that was left was two pairs of her socks and a toothbrush. Perrie turned to Liam slowly.
"Talk. now." She spit through her teeth.
"I did what was best for us Perrie. It became too much, she wasn't going to break it off so I did it for her," he explained. The five of them stood there staring at him with their mouths open. You could of heard a pin drop in that room.
"Are you absolutely mad," Louis asked him.
"No Louis I'm not. Did I love her with everything I had? Yes, without a doubt. But I cannot keep breaking both of our hearts over and over. It had to happen." Liam sighed. The guys didn't know where he was coming from. This made sense to Liam, it worked. It was better for both of them to walk away and go on with their lives. It would of happened later down the line when they were more vested anyway. The boys left for Australia in three short weeks. He knew Gray didn't have a passport, she wouldn't of been able to come.
"You are completely mental. I can't even look at you right now," Perrie said. She took out her phone and called Gray. The phone went straight to voicemail.
"Gray, it's Perrie, you need to call me as soon as you get this. I need to know where you are." Perrie walked out of the room with Zayn following her.
"Liam, I know this probably makes sense in your head, but it doesn't to us. You just sent away the love of your life. Sleep on that one," Niall said. He patted Liam on the back before leaving the room. Louis couldn't find anything to say to him. He just walked out shaking his head.
"You are a bloody moron," Harry yelled following suit. Soon Liam was left alone in his own thoughts. He knew they wouldn't understand. Liam was protecting her. The longer they were together to worse it would get. The twitter comments, the paparazzi, tabloids, all of it. Gray deserved the world and he couldn't give it to her. He knew, even though it slowly killed him inside, that he had to let her go. It was the right thing to do. Liam laid down on his head, his hands feeling the note and bracelet above him. He opened the note and read.
Liam -
I don't know what to say other then every part of my body hurts. You have killed me inside and out with your heartless words. You pretended like you didn't even care, yet I know deep inside in that stupid brain you do. As much as I wish I could forget you, and stop loving you, I know that will never happen. Always remember you made this choice, not me.
Gray
Liam picked up the cloth bracelet spinning it between his fingers. He slipped it on his wrist without thinking and looked at it. He knew mistakes happen, and this was one of them. The biggest mistake of his life.
----
Gray got home around 4 am, after paying three times too much for a plane ticket. She called her mom on her layover. Gloria was still waiting up for her.
"Hi sweet girl," her mom said giving her a hug. Gray folded into her mom's arms. She no longer had any tears to cry. Her eyes were raw and brittle, feeling like they could break into a thousand little pieces.
"Hey," she squeaked out.
"We will talk later. Go to bed my sweet love," her mom said reassuringly. Gray nodded and walked up the staircase and into her room without feeling the motions. She laid down in bed, not caring about taking off her wrinkled plane clothes. Gray turned on her phone to see a message from them all, except Liam. She quickly typed out a message to all of them.
To: Harry, Pea, Louis, Niall, Zayn
I'm home safely. I'm sure you heard. Love you all with all my heart.
She turned her phone back off and went to sleep not wanting to feel anymore.
----
BREAKING NEWS: All good things must come to an end my lovelies. The stories are true, One Direction's Liam Payne and the very pretty Gray Cameron have gone their separate ways. Sources say it was not a mutual decision, as Miss Cameron was seen looking pretty devastated at the Washington D.C. airport. What does this mean Directioners? Who knows! Stay tuned for all the news, brought to you by The Pioneer Celebrity.
Gray went through the week doing the motions she was expected to. Wake up, eat, smile, make conversation, do something with her life for a while, eat, smile, say goodnight, go to bed.
Instead, she was melting. Every part of her still hurt. She wished with everything that the pain would go away and she could forget Liam ever existed.They were only together for four months, most of it they spent apart. Gray shouldn't feel this way. Four months doesn't get her the right to be so vested. Two more days she told her, two more days then she needed to go back to old Gray and forget these four months of her life ever happened. She got out bed and headed downstairs.
"Hi Gray," Grace said to her cheerfully when she came downstairs.
"Hi baby," Gray responded trying to smile.
"Are you always going to be so sad?"
"No, not always. Sometimes a person just gets sad," Gray explained.
"Why?"
"People make other's sad."
"Did Liam make you sad," she asked. Gray nodded her head yes.
"Then he made me sad too," Grace pouted. Gray gave her a hug.
"Don't worry love, sadness only lasts as far as you let it."
----
Liam headed downstairs to the lobby to meet the other guys. There had been tension ever since the night Gray left. The rest couldn't understand why he did it and Liam didn't feel like explaining it to them. They never would be able to get it. Liam knew that it was a dumb decision. He thought too fast when he was angry, it was better for her to just leave. Out of sight, out of mind.
"Can I talk to you all," he said in a low tone. They all looked at him.
"I am sorry you don't respect my choice, but for the sake of the band, can we please find some truce?" They all looked at him, keeping with the silence.
"Are you ever going to explain this to us? Gray was all of ours. Maybe not our girlfriend, but she was our sister. You ripped her away from all of us," Louis explained. Liam sighed, they just couldn't let it go.
"I did what was best for her," he replied. Louis laughed in a threatening tone and rolled his eyes.
"You did what was best for you. You couldn't handle it anymore, can you?" Liam and Louis continued to size each other up.
"Break it up lads, this isn't worth it. This ends now, you hear me. We are brothers, who need to show it." Zayn yelled at them. Louis walked away without saying anything else.
"Last time, but she is fine." Harry whispered to Liam. Harry knew, he understood Liam's weird idea.
"Thank you," Liam whispered back relieved. He wanted to know she was okay. Liam followed the others making a silent vow to himself to forget her from this moment. He needed to let her move on, and let himself move on. His focus should be on the group only, no more distractions.
----
"What are you doing," Mila said as soon as Gray answered the phone. It had two weeks since the incident, Gray was feeling stronger every day.
"I have a date with laundry," Gray joked. She freely moved throughout the laundry room. Her crutches were ditched yesterday, which was a sign of relief to Gray. Her body was healing and so was her heart.
"Ditch it and come over. I have wine." Gray closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Wine sounded amazing, but she knew going over to Mila's meant rehashing everything that went down with Liam. Gray had been secretly avoiding her all week.
"I have a lot to do.." Gray trailed off.
"I smell bullshit. Get over here, otherwise I'm coming over. You have 20 minutes." Mila hung up the phone without a goodbye. Damn her. Gray chucked the soap bottle in frustration. She had tried so hard to forget him. She just wanted to forget it all. Gray quickly threw on her shoes and headed out the door. One conversation about him, that was it.
Fifteen minutes later she knocked on Mila's door.
"Good girl," Mila said when she opened. She handed Gray a full glass of wine.
"Mila, you have fifteen minutes to get all your gossip in, then I am done. No speaking about him ever after that," Gray demanded. Mila threw her a look.
"Really girl? Fifteen minutes? How long have you been setting up time limits for him?"
"Ever since I got home. It works," Gray barked back. She wasn't in the mood. Her system worked, she didn't need Mila's sarcastic attitude trampling down her ideas.
"Okay, fifteen minutes. Let's start with Exhibit A." Mila grabbed her phone, scrolling through until she found what she was looking for.
"Explain this one." Gray looked over the picture, immediately feeling her body tense up. It was a picture of Liam up close. He was smiling, but his eyes looked sad. It broke her inside.
"That's Liam, the ex. Next question." She tried to hand the phone back but Mila stopped her.
"Look again fool. Right arm." Gray's eyes trailed the picture until she saw what Mila was talking about. He was wearing the bracelet he had given her. It was the same silver and purple bracelet exactly.
"When was this," she whispered to Mila, trying not to let her emotion show.
"Last night, Niall sent it to me." Gray didn't even realize they had a show. She was pretty positive they were in somewhere in New York, but she didn’t want to ask.
"Why would the man, who seemed to want nothing to do with you be wearing that," Mila questioned.
"I don't know."
"Oh Gray, cut the bullshit for once in your life and get your head out of our ass. Why? Why you continue to think he wants nothing to do with you? He told me what that bracelet says Gray. I know," Mila said firmly, but her eyes were sincere. Gray looked away from the picture and handed the phone back.
"He ended it Mila, not me."
"Then you need to start it! How hard is that to get!" Gray's eyes teared up. She was so sick of rehashing this. Everyone seemed to have an opinion on what she should do.
“No Mila! No! He did this! He ended it. I shouldn’t be the one crawling back, pleading to him to have what we had again. He should of thought about that at the beginning of this. But no, he is the freaking idiot who decided to dump me. Please tell me what I should be the one begging him?”
“Because you love him,” Mila said quietly.
“Ha. You’re funny. Love doesn’t fix anything it just makes more problems.” Gray downed her glass of wine before getting up.
“Mila, I love you, but I’m not talking about him anymore. That part of my life is over. If you can’t see that, then we cannot talk right now.” Gray threw her purse on her shoulder and walked out of the door. She climbed into her car and punching her steering wheel repeatedly. All she wanted to do was forget him, forget every single thing about him right now but she couldn’t. It wasn’t Mila’s fault, she shouldn’t of took it out on her, but at his point Gray didn’t want to feel anymore. She didn’t need to ever hear his name again. Gray took off down the road ready to make a change. Some like to rebound after a breakup, Gray liked to change herself. She walked into the shop and up to the counter.
“Hi, what can I help you with today,” the cheery receptionist asked.
“I want to cut my hair off. Chop it all off.”
Gray walked out of the shop an hour later feeling refreshed and new. There was nothing better than a good haircut. She took her long, sandy brown hair that hit two inches below her shoulder blades into a sleek level bob that just barely touched the top of her shoulders. The stylist talked her into changing up the color too. Gray was now a blonde with bright highlights. She looked at herself in the rearview mirror and smiled. New Gray was much better than Average Gray.
----
“Boys, we have two days left, then its home,” Niall cheered on the bus. They had just finished their second to last show in New York City. All of them felt exhausted to the core and couldn’t wait for some rest. They had two weeks to be home before heading out to Australia for a month, and then they were done. As much as they loved to be around the world, they all wanted to be normal again, as best as they could.
“I’m taking a small road trip before I go back to the UK,” Louis announced to them.
“Where are you going,” Zayn asked.
“Illinois.” Liam sat up straight staring down Louis.
“Why,” he asked.
“To say goodbye. Relax Liam, I’m not going to do anything stupid. I just feel quite bad that we never had a proper goodbye. I highly doubt she is going to come over to the UK to ever visit.” Niall and Harry spoke up saying they would go with him while Liam stayed silent. He wanted to go so badly but it would just cause more drama and heartbreak in their lives.
“Sorry lads, I need to get home. Liam you coming back with me,” Zayn asked him. Liam shook his head yes, happy to get out of making an excuse to not go to Illinois.
“Suit yourself mate, but you could have came,” Louis sighed to him. He tried everything he could possible do to get Liam to go along with it. They had made up from their almost fight, knowing that inside they were brothers and couldn’t let Gray come between them. Liam still wouldn’t admit it, but he was hurting inside too. Louis could see it in him. They tried to act normally throughout all their concerts but when Liam thought no one was looking his face went sour. Louis always saw it. He knew he could find a way to get them back together, it was just going to take time.
----
Gray was up in her room getting ready for a run when she heard the doorbell ring.
“Gray,” her mom called up in a singsong voice,”you have a package." Gray’s ears perked up. She didn’t buy anything online lately. What could it be? Without thinking she ran downstairs to see Harry, Niall and Louis dancing around her mom. They immediately stopped when they saw her. Gray didn’t look like the Gray who left them. Her hair was shorter, she was tan, and currently only wearing running shorts and a bra. Her face was almost complete healed and she was off her crutches. The only thing that still showed from her accident was the green cast, which was to be removed next month.
“Whoa..” Niall chirped up. Gray blushed, they were all gawking at her like she was a T-Bone steak.
“Guys, what are you doing here?”
“We came for a little visit with our favorite Gray Goose,” Louis explained. Gloria ushered them inside while Gray ran to find a shirt. She walked back out to see Gillian and Grace had already found the guys. Those leeches.
“I don’t like Liam,” Grace yelled out to all of them.
“Why not little lady,” Louis asked her.
“He made Gray cry. She cries a lot about him, especially when she sleeps.” Gray groaned. Leave it to her little sister for letting all her skeletons out.
“Hey Grace! I found Mom’s secret stash of Mountain Dew in the garage, why don’t you get one?” Grace smiled and ran down the hallway. Thank God, Gray thought. The rest of them stood around awkwardly.
“So where’s Zayn,” she asked, only bringing up him.
“He and Liam went back early home. He missed Perrie.” Gray smiled sadly, she missed Perrie too.
“Well that was sweet of him. Wish he could have been here, I missed him.”
“Do you miss Liam too,” Niall asked. Gray looked up with him.
“I could care less about him right now.” Gray walked down the foyer into the living room and the boys followed.
“Gray do you think we believe that,” Louis asked.
“You should, it’s what I am telling you.” Come down Gray, she told herself. She didn’t need to yell at another person this week.
“Okay, sure we will believe that. Whatever you say Gray,” Louis said rolling his eyes. It caused Gray to boil over.
“What does that mean Louis?”
“It means Gray, you continue to tell yourself you are fine and you don’t love him or need him, but we ALL know you are lying. Liam is doing the same thing. We are not stupid Gray, we can all see right through you.” Gray huffed.
“Listen, I am trying to move on from this. What do you want me to do? Think about him every moment of my life? Stare at his pictures? Find clips of him on Youtube and watch them religiously? Guess what, I already do that. I know what that does. It makes me sick, I cry and think about all the moments I had with him. You think I want to call him? I do, his number is still in my phone and even on my speed dial. But I don’t. I have to move on. I have to accept that he doesn’t want me, even though you all say it’s the truth. It’s time to move on,” she ranted to them. She was telling them, but always trying to tell herself the same thing. She woke up every morning telling herself that it was the day to forget Liam but it never worked. She always found a moment to think of him.
“Gray,” Harry started but stopped. There was nothing they could say to her to make her change her mind. Gray was a spitting image of Liam, both of them were far too stubborn to realize and refused to make a move.
“I’m sorry Gray. We won’t bring it up again. We just wanted to come see you for ourselves, honest. We missed you Gray,” Niall told her. She smiled.
“Well hell, I missed you too!” They sat around for a while more talking about what was next for the group and for Gray before they left.
“Will you come visit us in the UK?” Harry asked her.
“Of course, we will plan something at one point. I have to meet these mothers you all never stop talking about.” She laughed to him.
“Wait! We need a picture,” Louis exclaimed. They quickly circled around Gray, squeezing in close to all fit into Louis’ screen.
“Say 'Piss off Liam!' ” Gray cracked up laughing when he snapped the picture. Louis quickly pulled away. He was already plotting to put that on Twitter and not tell her. She was never on it, so no harm no foul. They said their goodbyes and the boys headed out. Gray felt somewhat sad, but happy at the same time. She was happy they came by, even for only a small amount of time. They were her brothers, and it felt good to see them. Hopefully she could visit at some point.
----
Zayn and Liam got off the airplane and both immediately turned their phones on. They were home, on UK ground finally.
“Mate, you best check your Twitter,” Zayn whispered to him. Liam grabbed his phone and and logged on. He saw it immediately.
LouisTomlinson: With my best mates @NiallHoran @HarryStyles @Gramayonnaise. Wish @Real_Liam_Payne and @ZaynMalik could have joined us!
The picture said a thousand words. Gray was in the middle of the three boys looking happier than ever. Liam could tell they were all squeezing her a bit too tight for his liking, but there was nothing he could do about it. It killed him. She was with them, being happy while he was stuck and barely able to function every day.
Liam quickly walked away from the baggage claim area and sat on a bench where he was away from the crowd. He put his face in his eyes and closed his eyes. The tears tried to make their way out, but he refused. He cannot be the guy crying in an airport about his ex girlfriend.
“Liam,” Zayn whispered next to him. Liam looked up at him with tears falling out.
“I fucked up Zayn, I fucked up so bad.”
----
“Gray! It’s so good to see you again, cannot believe its six weeks,” Dr. Whalen exclaimed when he walked into the room. Today was the day they cut off the nasty cast she had. Gray was behind excited. The ‘Green Monster’ needed to go.
“Oh, looks like you know an artist,” he said noticing the artwork Zayn left on there. Gray smiled. She spent the last weeks trying not to look at it. The day she asked Zayn to do his handiwork, Gray never thought she would be away from Liam. Zayn drew a cartoon couple of Liam and Gray on the inside of the cast with hearts and flowers. The outside, what most people saw, was a cartoon group picture of all the boys. Gray loved it then, and she secretly loved it now.
“A friend got bored,” she shrugged.
“Well, I’ll try to cut around it so you can keep it.” Dr. Whalen got to work with the cast saw while Gray watched. She didn’t think she would be so emotional. He was cutting off the last piece of that life. After he was done, it was finally completely over. He went over it one last time before the cast split in two and fell to the table below.
“You will have to wear a split brace for about another 3 weeks, but at least you can shower. After that, it shouldn’t be any issue. You had a nice clean break so once it heals you will never noticed it again.” Gray sniffed and wiped her eyes. If he only knew how true those words were for her entire life.
I LOVE THISSSSSSSS
5/18/14