Chapter 6 ~ Liam 

I look at her, but she avoids my glance and I know she does so on purpose. She’s using Niall as an excuse to stay away from me, and there’s a part of me that gets annoyed by her reaction, but there’s another part of me that smiles happily. She’s not indifferent, but for some reason, she’s pushing me away and I want to know why.

I’m surprised by how empathic and observant she is. She saw through me so easily when normally people fail at seeing how things affect me, because I can smile and I’m happy with the things I do. I’m very grateful for this amazing opportunity I’m living, but the sacrifices I have to make to keep this life are too high. Sometimes they overwhelm me with sadness and emptiness. But I smile anyways, and people think I’m the nicest and happiest guy around because I’m living the dream. But Darcy saw it immediately; the day we met she saw the weight on my shoulders and how tired I was. Among so many fans that day, only she noticed it.

She’s not any fan, she’s not the biggest fan, but she’s a special one.

I smile as I see her helping Niall to gather all the food he’s going to eat without sharing a bit. The boy is taking all my food and leaving me with nothing to eat later. After this I’ll have to go to the grocery shop.

Every time she smiles, it seems so honest and kind, like she would never harm anyone. I can see she’s a mature girl, but at the same time I see so much innocence in her eyes and I wonder how her life has been. Her relationship with Lizzie is incredible and I bet any mother would love to have two siblings that close. Seeing the way Darcy looks at Lizzie makes me want to call my sisters to tell them I’m sorry for being away for so long. When Darcy looks at her little sister it seems like that is her whole world, but is there something else for her?

I realise I want to know so much about her, there are so many questions I have to ask. She not only mesmerises me, but she intrigues me so much.

“You ready?” Niall asks me, and just then Darcy looks at me with a little smile and I realise I’ve forgotten to prepare the tea. I feel my cheeks burning immediately.

“No. Sorry, I got distracted,” I say, and Niall gives me a cocky smile, but Darcy looks away. I wonder if she knows I got distracted because of her, because I can’t stop asking questions in my head about her. With how perceptive she is, I think she does know, but then I know she’s quite innocent and therefore, she can be very naïve.

“I’ll go ahead with this, Darcy can help you, can’t you?” Niall asks her as he takes all the things they’ve gathered so far in his arms.

“Oh, sure. No problem,” she says, but her voice doesn’t sound so secure and I bet she’s nervous. Again, that part of me rejoices with the knowledge she’s not indifferent, that my presence affects her somehow.

Niall nods and walks away, in the last minute he turns around and winks at me before Darcy can see it, and then he resumes his way and leaves us alone in the kitchen again. I smile because I can’t help it and I’m about to say something but she beats me.

“Where’re the mugs? Or would you rather teacups?” She asks, grabbing her hands at her back and my smile grows wider as I find that posture so cute.

“Mugs will be fine, and they’re in that cupboard behind you,” I reply and she nods swinging around to look for the mugs while I go for the tea so I can prepare it.

Soon she’s next to me with several mugs and we work together to pour the tea into them. Whilst we are on that, I decide it’s a good moment to ask her some harmless questions.

“So, your mum doesn’t spend much time with you two, right?” I ask her starting by what she mentioned before.

“She’s a geologist so she spends a lot of time abroad. We see her every few months,” she explains and I would love to ask her what a geologist exactly does, but I don’t want to look stupid. I’ll look for that later.

“And what about your dad?” I ask again, and for a second she goes stiff but then she carries on like I’ve said nothing but I know I’ve hit a nerve.

“He left us when Lizzie was born. I don’t know where he is right now, nor what he’s doing and I don’t care,” Darcy replies, and her voice sounds different, cold and sharp. It’s obvious she hasn’t completely forgiven her father.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to–”

“It’s okay,” she cuts me off. “You couldn’t know and it’s just… I can’t really forgive him for leaving Lizzie. I don’t care that he left me as well and my mum, but he left Lizzie when she was only a couple of days old. You can’t imagine how hard it was for Mum and for me to tell her that Daddy was gone and he wasn’t coming back. How do you explain that to a two-year-old girl?” She asks, and I know it’s a rhetorical question. “I’m sorry, I just– I’ll shut up now,” she says, and I don’t think about it, I just act.

Before I realise what I’m doing, I grab her hand softly and squeeze it gently. She looks at me and I immediately know I should step back, but I can’t. I like that she can tell me those things despite the fact that we barely know each other. I want her to trust me already.

“It’s okay, you can tell me these things if you want to and I understand that you can’t forgive your dad. I don’t think I could if I were you,” I tell her without letting her hand go. Her eyes are boring into mine and I can see gratitude in her chocolate orbs.

“Thank you,” she whispers, and I’m still holding her hand. Without noticing, I stroke the back of her hand with my thumb. I don’t want to let her go, I like the way her little hand fits in mine and the warmth of her skin against mine. “We should go back,” she adds a few seconds later but those feel like minutes because whilst I’m holding her hand it seems like the time has stopped.

“Yeah,” I say, but I don’t let her hand go yet and she looks at it to remind me to release it. I feel the absence of her touch immediately and it’s like hundreds of ants are running over my palm, like when one of your limbs goes numb.

To keep my mind busy with other things besides the sensation she has given me, I go for a tray and put the mugs with hot tea there so we can carry them to the room where everyone is having fun. Harry, Louis, Lizzie and Brit are having a great time. My dog has fallen in love with Lizzie, that’s for sure, and the lads seem to be very happy with her. Harry is so good with kids and he loves playing with them.

The rest of the afternoon goes by so quickly. Lizzie plays with Brit until she can’t take it anymore and falls asleep, then we are Lizzie’s main focus of attention. She attacks us with so many questions about everything and nothing. I notice her favourite topic is animals. She loves to ask us about all the pets we have had in our lives and stories about them. She also loves to ask us about funny anecdotes and the boys love to answer those.

During all that time, I can’t find a moment to talk to Darcy more privately. She is always focused on Lizzie, smiling proudly when she asks clever questions and apologising to us when she goes too far. I still have so many questions, there’s so much I want to ask but she ignores me and that frustrates me. Lizzie is adorable and we all are having a great time, but my main purpose when I invited them to come over was to see and get to know Darcy better, but she’s not making that easy for me.

Maybe that’s because she has a boyfriend.

Maybe she senses that I am interested in her differently from the other lads and she’s keeping her distance because she doesn’t want to reject me like that. But… But I know something happened in the kitchen when we were alone, when I grabbed her hand and looked her in the eyes. I saw something.

And maybe that’s the reason she’s pushing me away.

“Liam,” Lizzie calls me smiling adorably. “After today you’re still my favourite,” she muses and Darcy giggles.

“Oi! I thought I was your favourite,” Harry protests, pouting like a little kid and now Lizzie giggles.

“Nope. Liam is, right Darcy? But you’re Darcy’s,” she carries on and Harry looks at Darcy this time giving her one of his signature smiles. For some reason, I tense up and I’m about to stand up and do something to erase that smile from his face.

“Am I?” Harry asks Darcy arching his eyebrows and Darcy blushes furiously.

“Yup, but it’s not the same. I know Liam is gonna be my husband but Darcy doesn’t see you like that. She’s not interested in a relationship, she says she doesn’t have time for that, right Darcy?” Lizzie trails off and the older girl’s cheeks are even redder.

“Lizzie! I don’t think they want to know that,” Darcy scolds her little sister and Lizzie only smiles apologetically.

“So you don’t have a boyfriend,” Harry inquires and again I feel the urge to do something to shut him up.

“Nope. The other day a boy asked her out when we were buying ice cream but she said no. Mum says it’s because she’s in love with Carter, even though she doesn’t want to accept it yet. But that’s gross, Carter is like our brother,” Lizzie answers for her sister and it seems like Darcy wants to dig a hole and hide there forever.

“Lizzie, please,” she begs and Lizzie covers her mouth with her little hands.

I can’t stop looking at Darcy wondering why. Why does she say that she doesn’t have time for a relationship? Why isn’t she looking for a boyfriend like many other girls? Who is Carter?

At least I know a thing for sure now: she doesn’t have a boyfriend.

“Well, if you ever decide you want a boyfriend, you have three of us to pick. Zayn and Louis are taken so your options are Niall, Liam and I,” Harry tells Darcy and this time she grabs a cushion to hide her face. The curly-haired boy is enjoying making her uncomfortable. “But we all know you’re gonna pick me, right?”

“Harry, stop,” I say looking at him severely. I don’t like all what he’s saying but most of all, I don’t like how he’s making Darcy feel awkward.

She looks up at me and she gives me a little grateful smile and then I look at Harry and he’s watching me intently, like trying to decipher what’s wrong with me.

“I’m sorry, Darcy. I went too far,” he says and she sighs deeply before looking at him and smiling.

“It’s okay. Anyways, I think we should go. It’s late already,” she says and I want to protest. I’ve discovered a few things about her but far from all the things I want to know. I don’t want her to leave yet.

“Oh bu,” Lizzie pouts and Darcy stands up to go to her and grabs her hands.

“We have to, Lizzie. This isn’t our home,” Darcy reminds her and Lizzie keeps pouting.

“Maybe next weekend we can do something,” I suggest and Darcy turns around to look at me immediately, surprised. “If your sister agrees, of course,” I add looking at Lizzie and I know I’m being unfair, I’m putting Darcy against the wall with this.

“Please, Darcy please! With a cherry on top!” Lizzie begs, bouncing on her heels and I know the moment Darcy gives in because she closes her eyes and sighs deeply. I’m smiling by the time she actually replies.

“Okay,” she agrees and Lizzie jumps clapping really happy. Inside, I feel just like her.

-:-:-:-

Did you like it? I hope so. Please vote and comment if you did. I really enjoyed writing this chapter and the dedication goes to @1D_4you because she was the first comment with content on the last chapter. That's how it's gonna work now: The first comment (with content) gets dedication.

Bel, xx