Starting Over

We arrived at Liam’s house about 10 minutes later. Wow, who knew he lived so close to me? I get out of the cab and El and I pay the driver. Before we can even reach the first step the door flies open and five goofy guys are standing there smiling. Suddenly the earth starts to shake and they are sprinting towards El like they have just found a lost child. They all tackle her to the ground in a huge hug leaving me standing there laughing hysterically at their enthusiasm. Louis is the last to end the embrace with her and the first to introduce himself to me.
“Hey love, I’m Louis, but I guess you already know that” he says to me with his sassy attitude.
“Of course I do, I’m a huge fan! But I’m 26, so my crazy fan girling days are far behind me. Sorry to disappoint you” I roll my eyes as I reply with my signature sarcasm. All the boys continue to come over one by one and introduce themselves with a hug. All of them, that is, except Liam. He’s standing closer to the door eyeing me nervously with a very endearing look on his face. Almost like a scared puppy. Hmmm. I wonder what that’s about. I’ve heard in every interview, because let’s face it, interviewers can’t come up with an original question to save their lives, that if he thinks a girl is attractive he goes shy. That can’t possibly be the case with me though. They have just gotten back from an 8-month long tour, I’m sure he is just exhausted from that and looking forward to a relaxing evening at home with movies and junk food. That and he’s probably not thrilled to learn that a fan now knows where he lives.
**Liam’s POV**
I release Eleanor from our bombardment of a group hug and realize that we are not alone. I guess Louis forgot to mention that El was bringing a friend with her, not that I mind. I see her standing there, laughing at us 5 idiots, and can’t help but notice how beautiful her laugh and smile are, that and much older she is than the rest of us. Don’t get me wrong, she’s not a grandma by any means, she just seems so much more mature and yet just as immature as the rest of us. I can’t help but stare and I feel myself going shy.
“I’m a huge fan” I hear her say to Louis. “Shit” I think “there goes our nice chilled evening! Ok, bring on the screaming, the questions, the emotion”. I love our fans, I really do, they are the most amazing group of girls in the world, but sometimes I’m grateful for the times that I run into people who don’t recognize me. I get to feel normal, if that’s even possible anymore. I brace myself but soon realize that she is completely chilled. Just acting as if she is with a group of friends that she has known forever and who aren’t young pop superstar millionaires at the top of their careers and famous all over the world. “Wow” I think. I slowly make my way back to the door frame, too nervous to approach her. I wish Andy were here, he’s an amazing wingman. He would have had her over here by now. I bring myself out of my thoughts to realize that she is staring at me too; I probably look like such a wanker. I’m a mega star in a famous band and I can’t even bring myself to say hi to the poor girl. It’s three words, just three. Now move your feet, lift your arm, open your mouth, and speak. NOW! I command myself. Luckily for me, I obey my inner self.
“Hi, I’m Liam”. Ok, step one complete, I think in my head. “Welcome to my home” Good.. polite manners are good. Well done, Liam, my self-contained pep-talk continues. Holy crap I’m nervous…
“Samantha, but you can call me Samy” she answers quietly as she reaches out and wraps me in a half-hug. My body reacts out of nerves before I realize what’s happening and I tense up immediately. She smells amazing. Like roses and vanilla. It’s enough to make you drunk. I try to relax a little but honestly, I’m a little uncomfortable being so close to someone who already seems so perfect. This is going to be a very long, uncomfortable, awkward night for us all.
**Samy’s POV**
“Hi, I’m Liam. Welcome to my home” he manages to say. He speaks! Man does he look nervous. I’m almost afraid that he is about the pass out right here on the sidewalk. Now I know a bit of what he feels like when all these girls are nervous to meet him. “Samantha, but you can call me Samy” I say as I make the first move and give him a half hug. He tightens up under my arm.
“Nice to meet you. So, are we all just going to stand out here all night or can we go watch the movies?” he says rather abruptly.
“Let’s go!” I proclaim. Everyone follows my lead as I walk straight into Liam’s house without his guidance. I make my way through a long entryway and eventually end up in the living room. I toss my purse on the floor and pull out my candy and red bull before setting them on the coffee table and grabbing a stack of movies to look through. El walks up and sits behind me and leans in closer pretending to look at the movies
“Wow, not even here a month, just meeting the boys for the first time and you have already worked your magic on one of the world’s most eligible and sought after bachelors” she whispers so only I can hear. My mouth goes dry and I start to panic. Who in the world could she be talking about?
“What?!? Who?!?!? One of them?!?!?!?” I say a little too loudly making the boys stare at us for a moment before quickly returning to their conversation.
“Shhhhhhhhhhhhh” she whisper screams at me “Liam. I haven’t seen him behave that shyly around a girl since he met Danielle,” she states “even then Louis had to play wingman because Liam was too nervous.” I just stare blankly at the pile of movies in my hand. She couldn’t possibly be more wrong. Liam wasn’t attracted to me. He just met me. He’s just tired and needs to relax from the long time away from home. That’s all.
“He probably just wasn’t expecting company apart from your usual gang tonight,” I reply “he did just get back from tour and I’m sure he just didn’t want to have to entertain an outsider. Plus, I know if I was him I wouldn’t be too thrilled with a fan knowing where he lived.” “NONSENSE!” El yells rather loudly. This causes the others to stop their conversations once again and look at us with curious, if not devious, eyes.
“We are not watching The Notebook” she says in an attempt to cover up her outburst. Louis, of course, sees right through it.
“Samy, whatever El said is true. She is never wrong. She has a sixth sense about things, just not in the creepy seeing dead people horror movie kind of way” he states from across the room. Great. I pray that he is wrong. The last thing that I need is to be back in a romantic relationship after the hellish marriage I just got out of. Especially with someone who is constantly on the road, in the public eye… and young. My parents would kill me for that. Absolutely kill me. They hate the fact that I listen to One Direction. I can’t even begin to imagine the amount of insensitive disapproval that I would receive from both of them if I dated a member.
After another 20 minutes of debating and the arrival of the pizza, we decide, much to Louis’ and Zayn’s protest on a Disney movie marathon. Liam has them all. We settle into the couch with Harry and Niall on one end and Zayn, Liam, and I on the other. El and Louis opt to cuddle up on a pillow mountain they created on the floor. We all snuggle up with blankets and food and start the movie. The Little Mermaid. It’s one of my favorites. By the end of the movie, Harry and Zayn are asleep, I assume from a combination of boredom and jetlag.
“That’s such a romantic movie” I say.
“Romantic??” Liam looks at me with a smirk. It’s not until this moment that I notice just how close we seem to have moved to each other during the course of the movie.
“Yes!” I defend aggressively “she is willing to change and risk her entire happiness and way of life to save the ones she loves. That is romantic.” I say with my classic romance voice.
“I suppose” says Liam looking at me skeptically “but I find Beauty and the Beast much more romantic” he states.
“I do too but this movie still has a hint of romance in it” I smile at him victoriously.
“Whatever you say” being his only response. We look at each other for a moment until he once again goes shy and begins to blush as he stares at the blanket on his lap. I blush a little and focus my attention on picking out another movie with El.
The Lion King comes to an end and everyone is asleep. Everyone, that is, except me and Liam. My god! Could this night get any more awkward? It’s bad enough that I keep touching him accidentally under the blankets with my legs as I shift positions. This causes him to shift, tense up, and blush slightly. Now we are left alone. The two people who haven’t been able to speak to each other directly for more than 30 seconds without awkward pauses, the last two people awake at 1:30 in the morning.
“Are you tired?” Liam asks shaking me from my thoughts. I shake my head, unable to vocalize anything at the moment. “Neither am I. One more movie?” he asks. I nod still unable to locate my voice. “Beauty and the Beast?” he asks.
“Perfect!” I finally respond with words as he jumps up to put in the DVD. He returns to the couch just as a small shiver escapes my body.
“Here” he says as he puts his blanket on top of mine so we are now sharing both.
“Thanks” I say feeling the sudden warmth of not only the extra layer of blanket but also of his body now closer than ever to mine. I look up at him and smile warmly. He returns it but with the same level of hesitation as before.
**Liam’s POV**
I hand her the blanket and feel her body scoot closer to me. This instantly makes me tense up with nerves and anxiety. What is it about this girl that has me so nervous? Come on Payne, you’re better than this. You need to just man up and ask her out. No, it’s too soon for that. I think to myself. Sooner than I expect the movie is over. I look over the Samy’s seat and see that she is beginning to fall asleep. God she looks beautiful. Almost angelic. I can still smell her intoxicating scent from here. I have a sudden urge to hold her. It’s incredibly strong and before I can stop myself, I feel my hand reach for her face and tuck some of her hair behind her ear. Luckily she doesn’t seem to notice. Without realizing it I gently position myself next to her so that her head is resting on my chest. I can sleep anywhere and this feels strangely right, like it was meant to be. I make sure that she is covered up with the blankets and feel myself falling asleep peacefully asleep for the first time in months.
**Samy’s POV**
I wake up with a start to the sounds and smells of breakfast being made. Where the hell am I? I think to myself. I look around and quickly realize that I’m at Liam’s. We must have all fallen asleep during movie night. I also realize that I had clearly fallen asleep on Liam. Crap. Well, this is embarrassing. I get up, careful not to wake the sleeping man beneath me and make my way into the kitchen. Pancakes and bacon await me.
“Eggs?” Harry offers.
“No thanks, I’m allergic” I say.
“Oh, that’s strange” he says “never heard that one before!” he says back. I just giggle. It is strange but I’ve been that way for several years now. I suddenly developed an allergy to eggs. I can eat them in things but if I have them on their own I get itchy and nauseous. Doctors say it has something to do with the proteins. I just think it’s annoying. I would kill for a cheese omelet without feeling nauseous and getting hives.
“So… how did you sleep?” El asks while giving me a smirk.
“Fine” I say bluntly. I so don’t want to get into this right now.
“That’s it? Just fine?” she pushes.
“Yep, so listen, I gotta get back to the apartment. I need to finish unpacking, get organized, and run some errands today” I say trying desperately to change and subject and remove myself from the awkward situation. At that moment, Liam walks into the kitchen and smiles.
“Good morning everyone!” he says a bit too cheerfully.
“Yes, we’re sure it is a good morning for you Liam” says Louis sassily.
“Drop it Louis, she fell asleep and I put her head on me so her neck wouldn’t hurt, let’s not make a big deal out of it ok?” Liam said in a direct, almost threatening manner.
“Ok, ok, sorry!” Louis said defensively. Wait. Liam had put my head on his chest? The man who could barely utter more than three words at a time to me last night had wanted me to be close to him. Well, this just got more awkward, time to bolt while I can.
“I better get going” I said grabbing my purse and heading towards to door.
“Wait,” Liam said, catching up to me “Let me take you home.”
“No, that’s ok. I’ll take a cab” I respond.
“No, I said I’ll take you home. Really, it’s no problem, let’s go” he says while grabbing his car keys and wallet. We head out the door and towards his Range Rover. He opens the door for me and I hop in. We pull up to my house a few minutes later and Liam looks at me for a few seconds before finally saying
“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”
“What do you mean?” I ask confused.
“Well, I was being a little standoffish last night and then after you fell asleep I made you lay close to me. I just didn’t want you to feel awkward about it or to think that I was trying to take advantage of you” he said, looking at his hands.
“No, it’s ok. I understand. But, Liam, why were you so standoffish last night? You seemed so nervous and anxious around me. Are you sure that I didn’t do something to offend you?” I asked sincerely.
“I was nervous but I promise, it’s nothing that you did and I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable. Honestly, I was nervous because I find you beautiful. I was too shy to say anything. I’m honestly not even sure why I’m saying to it you now. I was wondering though, would you possibly like to go out on a date with me tonight?” He looked like he was about to cry from nerves. Liam Payne just asked me out on a date. This was all happening so fast, but I couldn’t deny that there was some indescribable level of attraction, comfort, and safety that I felt being around Liam. Before I could process what I was doing, I heard myself respond with
“I’d love to, Liam. What time should I be ready?”

Notes