Two Way Street

I stood behind the counter at work, flipping through the pages of a gossip magazine I’d picked up at the corner store along with some ridiculously weak coffee. I paged through, looking through the various make up ads and celebrity gossip before I gasped and set down my coffee in shock.

“Liam Payne spotted with snarky brunette. Louis Tomlinson also spotted with snarky brunette. Harry Styles spotted with same snarky brunette. Is she a three timing trashy attention seeker? What’s her story?”

I closed it angry and tossed it in the trash. “Like hell I’m going to read that fucking rubbish.”

“What rubbish is that, love?” I glanced up as Liam stepped through the door. He held in his hands two coffees.

“How did you know that I needed coffee?” I stretched out my hand be he drew his back, raising an eyebrow. I rolled my eyes and kissed him quickly. “Now give me my damn coffee, you bastard.”

“Is that how you talked to all your boyfriends?” he asked, feigning hurt. He handed me my coffee and kissed my cheek before fishing the magazine out of the rubbish bin. He flipped through the pages until he found the page I’d been on. “Oh, so you saw this?”

I nodded. “And it’s bull shit. There’s no way I’d cheat on you with Louis and Harry. Harry is a possibility.”

Liam set his coffee down and took a step back. “I hope you’re joking. You are joking, right?”

I rolled my eyes. “Come one, Wet Mop. Learn my humor, will you?”

He smirked. “Learn my humor, Mar. I can be funny.”

I scoffed. “I doubt that. Is there any particular reason you stopped my, Mr. Funny Pants?”

Liam grinned. “Trying to be cute, are we? And yeah, actually. We’re going on a date tonight and I thought I’d let you know before I pick you up.”

“So if I had plans for tonight, I have to cancel them because I’m forced to go on a date with my overbearing boyfriend?” I frowned and tossed the old corner store coffee in the rubbish bin. I took a long sip of the coffee Liam brought me. “This is beautiful coffee, Liam. Thank you.”

He nodded, “But it’s not like you have plans for tonight, right? I mean, we can get a rain check for our date, but I figured-”

I leaned forward and kissed him to shut him up. “You talk way too much, Payne. I didn’t have plans, but now I’m considering calling Harry up and seeing if he wants to have a game of one on one in the park just to get out of our date tonight.”

Liam pouted childishly. “That’s not very nice, Mar.”

I smirked. “You know what else isn’t nice?”

He raised his dark eyebrows. “What?”

“The fact that in my entire time of knowing all you boys, we have only had one match of football. Do you know what a travesty is?” I tore the magazine up and let the pieces fall into the rubbish bin, smiling with satisfaction.

Liam’s face spread into a grin. “Are you challenging me to another football game, Beckett?”

I nodded eagerly. “I am indeed, Payne. When shall we schedule it? I’m off on Friday and Saturday. We could do a sleep over with all the boys at Niall’s place since his flat is the biggest. We could have a movie marathon and order take out.”

Liam nodded and looked off into the distance. His profile was illuminated softly by the light afternoon sun and I saw the strength of his jaw. I leaned forward and captured his mouth with m own. I pulled myself closer to him over the front desk. We parted slowly, breathing heavily. “What was that for?”

I bit my lip. “I’m not allowed to kiss my boyfriend?”

“Not like that, you’re not.” Liam grinned at me and kissed my, pressing his lips tightly against my own.

I blushed. “But you’re allowed to kiss me like that? So not fair.”

I pulled him back to me by the collar of his navy blue polo and kissed him back hard. Our lips met and and I moved my hands into his gorgeously curly brown hair, his hand hooking under my chin. He sighed against my lip. “So, football, then?”

I nodded, dizzy. “Friday night.”

He chuckled a low and throat sound. “Friday night works for me. We’ll talk to the boys later.”

“So what’s happening with our date tonight?” I asked curiously. I flattened the collar of his shirt and smoothed out the creases I created across his chest. His hair was disheveled, but I let him run his fingers through it.

He shrugged casually. “You know. Stuff. I can’t tell you, it’s a secret type of stuff. Oh, and I should tell you something. Louis and Harry were too scared to tell you themselves, so I volunteered. Actually, they recruited me.”

I frowned. “Well, it must not be good.”

“We’re leaving for tour in two weeks from today.” He leaned forward to kiss me, but I lifted my hand in front of my lips. He looked pained. “What?”

I closed my eyes and turned my face away. “So you spring news like that on my and expect me to let you kiss me again? You don’t give me time for a reaction?”

He sighed and stood straight. “I thought it’d ease the pain of the blow.”

I sighed. “While the thought is nice, I need to go kick Louis’ ass. Pick me up for our date at six? I’ll be at Harry’s by then.”