Chapter 13 ~ Darcy

“Carter, I need you! Stop playing with my books, they are not toys,” I tell my best friend, and he looks at me with a huge smile across his lips. Before I can add something else, he jump to my bed and make himself comfortable. We really are like siblings. “I don’t know what to wear!” I cried out and he laughs shamelessly, at me.

Yes, like he is my older brother.

I have a date with Liam in exactly three hours. A date. Only the two of us. I’m shaking. Someone help me!

Since going to the zoo we’ve talked and tried to find a good place to go where we won’t have any problems with the media and stuff. I don’t want anyone to think we are officially dating due to this when we may never repeat this again. I don’t want to cause him any problems. Therefore, we decided on a picnic-kind-of-thing in the countryside –he will drive– away from all the paparazzi haunting for a new story to sell.

I still can’t believe I’m going out with Liam Payne, one of the members of the biggest boy bands ever. That would never be normal, in any circumstance. I still don’t understand what he sees in me, I’m plain and boring, yet he still asked me out. Should I care about his mental health? Maybe I should care about mine, I’m going insane.

“Don’t worry, it’s just an outfit,” my best friend replies and I roll my eyes, sighing helplessly.

“Really, I need a girl friend. You’re useless, Carter,” I state, walking over to my wardrobe again, killing my brains cells to know what I can wear. It’s not exactly cold, but it’s not warm either. Damn you, autumn!

“Oi! I can be your girl friend!” He protests in a high voice. A terrible girl’s impression, if you ask me. “I just need a wig and we can sort this out! Where are the wigs? I want to be blond… Darcy, why don’t you have any wigs? I can’t work like this! I quit,” he dramatises, still in that high pitch and I start laughing out loud.

“Are you sure you’re not gay?” I ask him just to mess with him. He looks at me offended.

“How dare you question my manliness?!”

“I’m questioning your humanity, to be honest,” I retort and he gasps, even more falsely offended.

He makes a very gay-like wave to dismiss me and I laugh even harder at his antics. No, Carter is not gay, not at all, but he likes to mess around when he’s with me, just to make me laugh. “Okay, but seriously this time. I don’t think you should overthink this. He likes you already for who you are. An outfit won’t change that,” he states practically, but he doesn’t understand.

An outfit can change an impression. It means how I’m presenting myself. This time is different, I don’t want to be only plain, boring, old-sister Darcy. I want him to see I can be more than that, even if it’s just for one time.

“I wanna look nice,” I confess feeling my cheeks burning.

“Aw, sweet Darcy is embarrassed!” He teases me and I feel my cheeks burning even brighter. “We can go stalker-mode if you want and look for pictures of his previous girlfriends to know what he likes in  them, you know,” he offers and I sit on the floor, my legs crossed while I ruffle my hands on my hair.

“I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to know what kind of girls he has dated. What if his last girlfriend is stunning? Or she has this amazing life? Maybe an actress, I don’t know. I don’t want to feel more insignificant after seeing her. Ignorance is bliss, right? When it comes to this, I’d rather not know,” I explain and he nods, his smile is approving.

“I bet you’re better, though,” Carter states solemnly and I smile widely at him. Such a good friend, always making me feel better. “Okay, try some outfits and I’ll tell you which one I like the best, though I’m not sure if me and Liam have the same taste, at least I can tell you with which one you look more stunning. Deal?”

I nod gratefully and I pick my favourite outfits, hoping one will make it. In the next hour, I try seven different outfits and Carter finally decides for navy blue leggings, a grey, long cardigan with grey t-shirt under it, and my grey boots with high heels and shoelaces. I adore those shoes, they are so comfy and pretty. Carter also made me wear a long necklace with a half-moon hanging at the end.

“You look so beautiful,” he says, looking at me when I’m finally ready. My makeup is natural, and I put a little navy blue ribbon on my hair to do something with it. It’s really practical to have short hair, but you can’t do much to change.

In that moment Lizzie walks into my room and joins Carter in my bed. “Wow, you look so pretty, Darcy!” My little sister compliments me and I smile shyly, my cheeks burning again.

I hope Liam agrees and he thinks I look nice.

I can’t believe I’m having these thoughts. I never cared about these things before. Sure, I’ve always loved to look nice and I really like clothes. I’m not obsessed, though, I don’t have an enormous wardrobe, but I like to have nice things. Lizzie enjoys when we go shopping and she loves to make me model for her different outfits. We always end up playing to Project Runway. There are many pictures of me with all what Lizzie could find in the house on me.

“Thank you,” I whisper very low.

“If Liam’s jaw doesn’t hit the floor when he sees you, then he’s blind. Just saying,” comments Carter, and Lizzie laughs next to him, I only chuckle lightly.

Now I just have to wait for Liam. Carter is staying with Lizzie whilst we go out, and Liam promised me we wouldn’t get back late. I could’ve asked Harry to help, but they have had a lot of things to do this week. I offered Liam to cancel our date until his agenda was less crowded, but he refused roundly.

“When you come back, remember to buy some wigs, so next time I can be in character when you need my help,” Carter says and Lizzie looks at him excitedly.

I want to say that there may not be a next time, but I know how excited Lizzie is about me going out, and even more with Liam, so I don’t want her to see me so pessimistic about this. I’m sure she’ll understand if things don’t work out, but she wouldn’t like me to assume things are going to fail even before I actually try.

“May I have a pink wig?” She asks hopefully and it’s Carter’s turn to laugh.

“Seems like you’ll have to buy some wigs, after all,” he jokes and I sigh. Apparently, I’ll buy some wigs and I can see already all the games Lizzie will make us –yes, including Carter– play. That will probably be fun. Like the time we pretended we were in the Olympics.

About twenty minutes later, the bell rings and Lizzie jumps excitedly. “That must be Liam!” She squeals, rising to her feet and running out of my room.

“Do you want to meet him?” I ask my best friend and he shakes his head.

“I don’t want to scare him,” he explains. “Though if he asks you out again, next time I’ll be waiting him with my rifle in hand.” I laugh at his words and walk towards him to kiss his cheek.

“I don’t think we’ll get to that point, but thanks for taking care of me.”

“If he doesn’t ask you out again, I’ll shoot him straight away for stupidity,” he threatens again and I laugh harder this time.

“Darcy, it’s Liam!” My little sister screams from downstairs and I breathe deeply.

“Wish me luck,” I tell Carter before turning around and walking out of my room.

I walk down the stairs and go to the living room where Liam is sitting on the sofa with Lizzie next to him talking non-stop. She’s telling him about our plans to buy wigs to play new games. Liam is laughing and going along with her, he doesn’t even notice the moment I walk in until Lizzie calls my name, only then the brunet boy turns around and his eyes find me.

His look goes from my head to my feet and I can see he approves of my outfit selection and he likes it. He eyes wander over my body wide open in appreciation and I feel so little and self-conscious I want to run away.

Liam stands up and approaches me, his eyes still on me until his gaze finally focuses on my eyes and I see something in his, but I can’t put my finger on what it is. “Wow,” he says and I feel my cheeks burning bright. “You look stunning,” he adds later and I look down, suddenly finding my fingers quite interesting.

“See? Carter was right about Liam liking this outfit,” Lizzie comments and I look up again to see Liam eying Lizzie questioningly. “Carter helped her to chose that outfit,” she explains and he furrows his eyebrows.

“Carter is here?” He asks and Lizzie nods with a huge smile.

“Yup. He’s upstairs. I should go make him company, right, Darcy?” My little sister asks and I nod approvingly. “Bye, Liam. Have fun with Darcy and take care of her. You know what will happen if you hurt her,” she reminds him and I giggle like a silly girl.

“Yes, ma’am! Do not worry, I will take care of her and bring her home safe and sound,” he replies saluting like an officer. Lizzie smiles proudly and salutes him as well, before giving him a hug and running upstairs.

Liam turns around, his eyes on me again and this time he smiles sweetly, in that way that I’ve really grown fond of.

“I have everything set up. Shall we?” He asks, offering me his arm.

I smile back at him before looping my arm around his and nodding. “We shall,” I reply, feeling a tingly sensation in my belly that I assume is anticipation.

Really thinking about it, this is my first real date and I really hope it will turn out great. I don’t want to make a fool of myself, and most certainly not in front of Liam. I hope I won’t do anything embarrassing that will ruin everything. I don’t want Lizzie to lose her friendship with One Direction due to my clumsiness or awkwardness. I’m really praying that everything will be fine and Liam won’t get disappointed in me.

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Dedication goes to @lady_stillwaiting becuase this means a lot to her <3

Happy Birthday, Louis! I know he's not reading this, but I had to say it (:

Bel, xx

PS: GO TEAM LARCY!