The Other Side of the World

“You guys did great!” I handed Zach a towel backstage as I kissed his cheek. I followed him into the green room. “Can we hurry up? I want to go to the after party already.”

“Bug, the after party is at the hotel in our suite. It’s not going to be that special.” He rustled his hand through my hair. “You just want to get back to your beloved boyfriend.”

And of course, as he said that… Cameron comes walking in.

“He’s not my boyfriend okay?” I stuck my tongue out at Nathan as he walked by. “He’s just a really good friend.”

“Yeah a friend you kiss, cuddle, hold hands with; you know all that good couple stuff.” Michael said trying to make things a little more awkward for all of us.

Cameron and I have kept our distance throughout this whole tour. We never spoke to each other unless we really needed to. It was probably best that way anyway.

“Come on guys! I just want to have some fun tonight!”

--

We walked into our suite with One Direction waiting for us. I wasn’t able to see Liam after the show because they went right out to sign autographs for the fans. So I ran up to him and gave him a kiss.

“You did amazing out there.” I said to him. “You all did,” turning to all of them.

We were all having a good time, reminiscing on some tour memories. There were a ton of food, music playing, and lots and lots of alcohol. When Allstar Weekend wants to party; they party.

“I see you didn’t hold back on wanting to get drunk tonight.” I casually said to Michael as I took the last bite of my pizza.

“You know how we do.” He jokingly nudged me. “So what’s up with you and Liam?”

“What do you mean?” I took a sip out of my drink.

“Are you guys going to try and do this or…?”

“Well we leave for your UK tour in a week and a half. I don’t know. I’m just seeing how we go.”

“Come on Kay, stop being so afraid.” I look at him in confusion. “We all know you’re scared to have something again after Cameron. But you gotta know, Liam isn’t going to wait around forever. And I know you are trying not to do much because of Zach.” He turned to me. “Zach just wants you to be happy. And if you’re happy with Liam, he won’t do anything. He just cares, okay?”

“Mike, I know. I know all of that. It’s just…”

“You aren’t drinking are you?” Liam said as he interrupted me.

“Oh no.” I kissed him on the cheek. Michael gave me a weak smile and walked away.

“Did I interrupt something?”

“No, no you didn’t. It was nothing important. And no I’m not drinking. Zach would kill me.”

“Why do you always do things like that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Everything is, Zach doesn’t like this; Zach doesn’t like that.” He looked down at his shoes. “What about what you like and what you don’t like?”

“I don’t do that.” I was getting defensive.

“Okay, I don’t want to fight tonight. Let’s just go join everyone else.”

--

“You guys aren’t drinking?” Michael asked the guys as he was getting more and more drunk by the minute.

“No, just a little. We have an early flight tomorrow. Nothing sucks more than being completely pissed drunk on a 12 hour flight.” Niall said.

“Makes sense.” Cameron said already slightly drunk,

“We don’t really need to get drunk to have fun.” Liam said.

“Sure.” Cameron replied in a sarcastic tone walking away from all of us.

I knew something was wrong. Something is always wrong when it comes to them. Liam doesn’t do much. He just stays out of Cameron’s way. Though Cameron would do that same, when it came to me, he never let anything go until he won.

“Hi Cam.” I walked up to the food table grabbing another piece of pizza.

“Oh hi.” He said with no emotion as he downed another shot of tequila.

“How have you been?” I smiled at him.

“Fine.” No emotion yet again.

“I’m really excited for the UK tour. Never been there before. Definitely something I want to do before I go to school.”

It got awkward for a moment.

“What do you see in him?”

“What?” He caught me off guard.

“Why are you so… infatuated with him?”

“He’s a good guy Cam. Stop holding it against him. Stop blaming him for not having me.”

“If we didn’t tour with him you’d be with me.”

“How do you know that? How do you know that if he wasn’t here I would be with you again?” I was getting furious.

With Cameron being drunk he put his finger over my mouth. “Shhhhhh.” He said slurring his words. “I should have never agreed to all this. I did it for you. I begged for them to go on tour… with us. This is what you wanted.” He took another shot. “I just wanted you.”

He got close to my face; inches away from kissing me.

“You reek of alcohol. It’s disgusting.” I pushed him away from me.

“Oh come on.” He grabbed me putting his hands on my face forcing me to give him a kiss.

Struggling to push him off I screamed. “Get off me Cameron.” Everyone came running.

With Harry holding me as I could barely stand from the shock of what was going on. Liam was standing face to face with Cameron as Zach and Nathan, who were barely drunk tried to hold back Cameron.

“Oh look who it is. Kaylin, British Prince coming to save her once again.”

“Cameron stop it!” I tired pushing Harry off me, but he wouldn’t let go.

“Harry don’t let her near him.” Liam said.

“Oh because I’m such the bad guy.” Even more drunk, Cameron was getting out of control. “Let’s see, Mr. Perfect over here. Stealing my girl.”

“She’s not your girl anymore.” Liam said as his anger built up.

“And some how she’s yours? After a month she’s now “your girl”? I’ve known her for years now. You’re nothing to her.” Cameron attempted to spit at him.

Niall, Louis, and Zayn held Liam back. “It’s not worth it Liam.” They all said.

“Cameron, you are getting out of control. Stop it.”

“Shut up Zach. Just shut the fuck up.”

“You know what’s funny….”

“I don’t know Liam. What’s so fucking hilarious to you?”

“You are. You’re pathetic.” Liam got into his face. “I’m not that one who hurt Kaylin. I’m not that one who walked out when she had a pregnancy scare. I wasn’t the one who cheated on her. I wasn’t the one who left her on the bus after you found her covered in blood.”

The room quickly got silent.

“I wasn’t the one who left her scarred forever.” I stood there in Harry’s arms thinking it was all a dream. Did Liam just tell everyone my secret? Did that all just happen?

I watched as Cameron started to walk away then quickly turn around and punch Liam in the jaw. Liam flung back as the rest of the guys caught him.

“It’s not worth it Liam!” Zayn yelled at him. “It’s not worth it.”

Frustrated and hurt, Liam ripped himself out of their arms and walked out the door.

“Liam!” I yelled after him. I pushed Harry off of me chasing Liam out of the door.

“I can’t believe you!” I heard Zach yell to Cameron as I was leaving.

--

“Liam, please! Please wait up.” He was half way down the hall now. “Liam!”

He quickly stopped and I caught up to him.

“Please don’t leave me. Please don’t go.”

“Kaylin. I can’t do this. I have to go.”

I grabbed his hand. “Please Liam. Let me go with you.”

“I have to go Kaylin.”

As he started to walk away, I blurted out, “Liam, I love you.”

He slowly turned around. “Please forgive me Kaylin, but I can’t do this right now.” He held on to his jaw as a tear rolled down his cheek. He turned and walked away from me.

I walked back to the room trying to figure out what just all happened. I didn’t know if I should cry, be angry, or just be all around confused. I think I was feeling all sorts of emotions at the point.

Niall, Harry, Louis, and Zayn walked out of the room with concerned looks in their face.

“I’ll be okay, I promise. Just make sure he’s okay for me. Please. Just take care of him for me.” They all nodded without saying a word. And they too walked away from me.

I took a deep breath before walking back in. I slowly opened back up the door to find Nathan and Michael putting Cameron down on the couch with and ice pack to his eye. While Zach was at the sink running his hand under cold water.

“Bug.” He turned the faucet off.

“Not right now Zach. Not right now.” I walked into the bedroom and locked the door. I lay in bed praying it was all a dream.

--

4am. I wasn’t expecting Liam to come around. But since it was his last night and with everything that happened. I hoped and wished he would just come around to at least say good bye.

I walked out of my bedroom as quietly as I could. I found Nathan and Michael sleeping on the floor and Cameron on the couch. I guess Zach slept in the other room after trying hours and hours for me to open the door for him.

--

4:30am. I waited patiently by the door. Still nothing.

--

5am. I figured he wasn’t coming. I walked outside onto the balcony. The sun was about to rise as I watched the morning waves come upon the shore.

“I told him I loved him and he walked away from me.” I said to myself. I pulled out my razor that I had with me all night. I looked at it and looked at my scar from the first time I ever did it. I contemplated my decision.

I got up as the sun was at its peak. Shining as beautiful as always.

I threw the razor blade in the trash without a second thought. And walked back inside and go back to bed.