I sat on the bed as Liam paced the floor, thinking of what to say. Not a word had been spoken the entire ride to the hotel. The silence was killing me, so I spoke up first.

“Why don't you believe me?” The words stopped Liam dead in his tracks and he turned to face me. He opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it and kept pacing. “Liam we need to talk about this.”

“Give me one good reason to believe you.”

“In this entire relationship, name one time I've lied to you.”

“You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend when we first met, Mels. How do I know you're not out doing the same thing now?” I shook my head and looked at the floor.

“You can't seriously think that after everything we've been through, the hell we've been through together that I would cheat on you. You. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I wouldn't do anything to risk that again.”

“Again?”

“Don't act like we didn't break up.”

“Oh yeah.” I looked away from him as I saw him rub his hand over his heart where my name was tattooed on his chest. Names and faces tattooed on your body were always a bad omen. I didn't believe in bad omens until now. I scratched at my week old tattoo that I had planned on showing him when I got here before the rumors started. “I know it's childish of me not to trust you, but you were cheating on Mitchell with me. You didn't tell me about him until we nearly kissed. You could have told me earlier.”

“I was protecting myself!” I defended and stood up off the bed. “Do you not remember sitting by my side at the hospital because he put me there?”

“I think about it every day.”

“Then why don't you understand?! It wasn't just you I lied to about him, Liam. I lied to my best friend, my parents because I didn't want to end up where I did. It was either lose the trust of everyone I love or die and believe it or not I found my life too valuable even when Mitchell made me feel like it wasn't.” Liam took a step towards me. I took a step back. “I know that our relationship got to a point that was so normal that you may have forgotten what happened, but it still did. He put me there and you never would. I love you and you mean the world to me, but if you can't trust me anymore then maybe we should end things now before it's any more painful for the two of us.” A knock at the door stopped our conversation before Louis popped his head in.

“Mate... I know this may not be a good time,” Louis's eyes looked from me to Liam, taking in the distance between us. “But we've gotta get going to sound check.”

“Right, I'll be right behind you.” Louis nodded and ducked out of the room. Liam looked over at me and sighed. “We're gonna have to finish this conversation after the show.” I nodded and Liam leaned forward and kissed my forehead before he left the room.

I sighed and walked over the mirror and lifted my shirt over my head, examining the tattoo over my ribcage. Liam James.
~*~

Liam's POV

After the show, all I could think about was if the crowd could tell I was distracted. I couldn't help but think about what Melody had said. Were we really about to break up again? I couldn't go through that again. I pressed the fourth floor button on the elevator and waited for it to stop. I instinctively placed my hand over the small tattoo on my chest just over my heart. Melody Belle. I smiled at the memory of Melody discovering it.

“What's this?” She asked as she crawled onto my lap, straddling me and wrapping her arms around my neck.

“It was something I did after we broke up. I guess at the time it was a really bad idea.” I chuckled as one of her fingers traced the letters of her name. “I got it over my heart because you're my heart... I guess it's cheesy now that I say it out loud.”

“I love it.” She smiled and leaned down to kiss me.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

How could we have gone from that to not trusting each other?

Me not trusting her. She trusted me completely. I guess she had a point. Melody never gave me a reason not to trust her. Why didn't I trust her?

I sighed as I entered the hotel room we shared and smiled at the sight of my sleeping girlfriend. Looking at her laying there in her lime green sports bra and a pair of sweatpants she always slept in reminded me how much I loved her and how much I couldn't let her go again. “Mels.” I whispered as I shook her awake. She groaned and buried her face further into her pillow.

“Five more minutes.”

“Baby wake up.” Her face turned over and her lips pulled into a slight smile when she saw me before it dropped. She remembered that we had a conversation to finish. “Hey,” She slowly sat up and pulled the duvet up to her chest as she did so. “About earlier--”

“I don't want us to break up again.” She stated before I had the chance to say anything. “I missed you so much the first time, and I don't think I can go through that again. I know you had it worse because I was the one who left, but I realized how stupid it was on the plane ride home, but I couldn't turn back and ask for you back because you had just proposed and I broke up with you and--”

“Breath.” I chuckled as she took in a deep breath. “I don't want to either.” Melody sighed in relief and brought her hands up to her head, running her fingers through her tangled hair. The duvet fell slightly, revealing small writing on her skin just below her sports bra. “What's that? I don't remember that.”

“It's nothing.” She immediately pulled the covers back up, covering what I assumed was a tattoo. I grabbed the cover and moved it to get a better look. Liam James.

She had gotten my name tattooed on her.

“You actually did it?” I smiled up at her as her face turned ten shades of red. She nodded as my fingers delicately traced over her skin. “Over your ribcage?” She nodded again, not speaking as I sat in front of her, unable to take my fingers away from the cursive print on her skin. “Why there?”

“It's stupid.” She shook her head and moved my hand away.

“It's not. Tell me.” She shook her curls once again. “Please?” Melody took in a deep breath, preparing her answer.

“Because being with you is as easy as breathing, and when you're not there... it's like I can't breath.” I sat there in silence, waiting for her to lift her eyes to mine. I never knew I could mean so much to someone as amazing as her. “I told you it was stupid.” She sighed and pushed my hand away. I smiled and placed my hand gently on her cheek.

“It's not.” I brought my face close to hers and smiled as her breath caught in her throat. “I love it.” I pressed my lips to hers, sighing into the familiar kiss.

“Never doubt me again.” She sighed as we parted.“Never.” I promised and pulled her towards me with her legs, wrapping them around my waist as I kissed her again, slowly lying her back on the bed.

Notes

New chapter! Let me know what you think!
Xx