Marina's POV

"Open up, Josie! It's not funny anymore!" I yelled banging on the door with my fist. "I need that!"

To my dismay my best friend had recently taken a liking of nicking important notes I had previously taken. It had been happening ever since we had shared a dorm in hope of saving money, while the University College of London. She thought it was amusing, knowing it got under my skin.

"Josie," I cleared my throat loudly. "Must I really confront your professors about you copping the homework assignments off of other students on campus?"

Even though I couldn't see Josie behind of the door I knew she flinched at my threat. "You're a goody-goody, but you wouldn't do that to your one and only best friend."

Josie made a good point, but her voice quivered, obviously unsure.

"Are you sure about that?"

I spun on my heel heading towards the door and had almost made it outside when Josie jumped out in front of me, stopping me in my tracks. Her curly, black hair covered her face completely.

"Put your hands up." She growled at me.

In complete honestly I felt as though we were re-enacting a scene from an old western movie. I put my hands up in surrender and backed away slowly. Once Josie had seen I had given up she handed me my grocery shopping list.

It was about time, I thought to myself.

Then she left without a care in the world. Never had I planned to tell her professors about her copping homework, but I didn't feel like wasting anymore precious time for my homework. I knew with a threat like that and careful planning I would be sure to get my way.

It was a fifteen minute walk before I made to the grocery store. I didn't feel it was needed to buy a car, because everything I needed was a couple of blocks away, and it wasn't in my budget to purchase one either.

On my walk I noticed the rain clouds above me were dark and had an unforgiving look about them. I was about an hour into grocery shopping and had found everything on my list with the exception of one item, which just happened to be the one thing Josie wanted.

"Do you know where I can find pancake mix?" I asked a worker. He wore a plaid shirt and was crouched on the floor, shuffling through the canned foods.

The worker stood up to his full height. "I think you're mistaken, because I don't work here." He apologised earnestly.

"Oh." I felt my cheeks grow hot from embarrassment.

"But I can show you if you would like." He offered politely.

"Please."

"My name's Liam by the way. Liam Payne." Liam held out his hand, which I shook.

"Marina Poulston."

---

"Can you come with me to grab a cup of tea?" Liam asked in a sweet, hopeful voice, after we had found the pancake mix. Then added, "you seam like a really nice person." He put a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

I stepped backwards almost immediately. There was no way I was going to fall into this trap. For one, I had never been I love and had never planned to do such a thing either. Secondly, if I did my grades would surly show it.

So the only polite and truthful response I had was, "Sorry, but I've got a lot of homework to do." From there I wheeled my cart away towards the cash registers.

Liam's face fell and I felt pity for him. At first I stopped in the middle of the aisle, looking at him. At the doors then back at him, deciding it would be smarter not to put myself in a situation I didn't want to be in.

Liam's POV

As soon as I asked if she wanted to come with me I knew Marina would turn me down flat. So when she glanced at the door I tucked a coupon with my number on written on it inside her purse, knowing sooner or later she would come across it.

Marina's POV

As soon as I had made it out of the store I knew I was in trouble. The clouds were even darker than before and the wind started picking up. Then all of a sudden thunder rumbled, lightning flashed across the sky, and copious rain started to pour down, hard.

I scrambled for my flip phone (another cost factor) which was buried deep inside my purse. When my hand grasped something firm I pulled it out, but to my dismay it was a soggy coupon.

I flipped it over in curiosity. On the back it said 'call me?' with a happy face and a number on it below. This had to have been Liam. After much thought I dialed his number.

"Hello?"

I bit my lip. Here goes nothing, I thought.

"I'm at the store and need a ride back to my dorm at the University College of London. Could you please help me, Liam?"

There was an awkward silence then in a cheery voice he said, "yup. I'll be right over."

After I had hung up I started to wait outside in the rain. Every once in a while shivering from the icy wind. A navy blue jeep pulled up against the curb and rolled down the passanger's window.

"Are you coming?" A husky voice asked with eyebrows raised.

I jumped up, holding the bags with a firm grip. Then hopped into the passenger's seat, still shivering. Thankfully, the heat had been turned up to the full maximum, not that it helped.

"Still cold?" I nodded. "Here you go." Liam handed me a fuzzy blanket which I gladly covered my body with.

From there on we were silent until Liam cranked up the radio. Love Me Do by the Beatles was playing, my favourite.

"Someone to love, somebody new. Someone to love, someone like you. Love, love me do. You know I love you. I'll always be true, so please, love me do. Whoa, love me do." We sang in harmony.

"You have a beautiful voice." Liam told me, pushing his hair aside.

I smiled and forgetting who I was talking to I blurted out, "my dad and I used to sing that together when I was five. In fact we still sing it- well, I do at least."

"Why only you?" Liam's eyebrows were cocked.

"When I was ten both of my parents were involved in a car crash. Only my dad came out alive, but he had brain damage causing him to lose his memory. He was placed in a memory care unit at a local senior living home." I managed to choke out. Rarely did I ever talk about my parents accident.

"Do you visit him often?"

"At least once a month." I said softly.

---

"Thank you for taking me home on such short notice. I could re-emberse you with a check to cover the cost of gas if you would like." I offered.

Liam shook his head. "That's okay. I don't need anything."

"Really?" I pulled out my checkbook just in case.

"Well," he shuffled his feet nervously. "Maybe a kiss?"

That was an odd request, but I had to something for him. I searched my bag for the sweet little candies I normally carried. "Sorry, I ran out. Josie must have ate them all." I apologized.

Liam laughed till his face was pink. "Not the candies!" He howled, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "A real kiss!"

I frowned. "Oh, here you go." I leaned over the center console and pecked his check. My cheeks grew hot. "I haven't kissed anybody before." I admitted shyly.

A goofy smile was plastered on Liam's lips. "That still wasn't a kiss, but it was good enough."

If there's one thing I hate it's when I don't know something. "Then what's a real kiss?"

This time Liam closed his eyes, inching closer towards me and started to- no there was no way I was going to do this. Utterly disturbed I opened up the car door, accidentally falling out onto the pavement.

"I've got to go." I told Liam. "Bye!" No longer caring about the rain I ran to my dorm with the grocery bags in hand. "Jo?" I called. "I hope you're happy, because I got the pancake mix just for you!"

Josie ran into our kitchenette, squealing with joy. "This is the best day ever!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

I cocked my head to the right. "Why's that?"

"Because I finished my homework all by myself, you bought my pancake mix, AND I was able to purchase ticket for a concert for you, me, Scarlett, and Nessa!" Josie smiled so deeply I thought she was going to sprout dimples.

"Who's holding the concert?"

"ONLY THE BEST BOY BAND EVER!"

"I'm sorry, but the Beatles aren't around anymore Josie." I told her, disappointed myself.

"Not them!" Josie exasperated. "One Direction!"

"Who?" I asked weakly.

Josie sighed. "Honestly, they're so adorable and you don't even know who they are?!"

"No?"

"Well, you'll find out soon enough. Besides it's this Saturday." Josie assured me calmly.

Oh great, I thought, that's the day after tomorrow.

Notes

Any thoughts? ~Belle~
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