Two Way Street

I held Liam’s hand tightly. Probably tighter than necessary, but I just wanted to make sure that I could feel the warmth of his skin against mine. I wanted to be able to feel the thrum of his heart against mine just to savor the feeling. I felt his lips against my forehead. “Do you have to leave?”

He sighed. “Yeah, I do. It’s kind of too late to back out now. I couldn’t back out even if I wanted to anyway.”

I frowned at him as we stood in the center of the airport terminal before security. I sighed and hugged him tightly, breathing in the scent of his cologne. Savoring it, I pulled away and stared up into his brown eyes. “I think I’m going to miss you, Liam.”

“You think? God, by now I thought you’d definitely know you’ll miss me. Because I know I’ll miss you,” Liam whispered quietly.

I groaned and rolled my eyes. “So the roles are reversed, eh?”

“How do you mean?” he squeezed my hand.

I shrugged and grinned at him snottily. “Because you’re the one getting emotional when you’re the male. I’m the girl and I, traditionally speaking, she be the one in tears, weeping at your feet and begging you not to go. instead, you’re the one being all sentimental and melancholy.”

He let out a soft laugh. “Just because you’ve got the emotional capabilities of a Q-tip doesn’t mean that the roles have been switched. I just don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”

“The same thing you were doing before me?” I asked quietly. “Come on, Liam. You’re a world famous pop star in the world famous boy band going on tour. There’s no way you’ll be distracted or even have time to consider thinking about me. I’ll be fine.”

Liam frowned. “I’m not so sure I believe you, Mara. I’m not sure that you will be fine.”

“Are you saying that I’m lying?” I hissed. I drew away from him and I knew immediately that he was hurt by my accusations.

He shook his head vehemently. “No! No, I’m not calling you a liar, I swear. I just think you’re hiding something from me. Something dark and macabre. I can’t help but feel like if I do leave for this tour, you’re just going to...to fall away, I guess. I don’t really know, but it’s hard to explain.”

“And you’re clearly not doing a very good of explaining yourself.” I folded my arms across my chest and huffed angrily. He made me sound insecure when I wasn’t. I was so confident it made me sick sometimes. I didn’t need Mr. Liam Payne to tell me that I might fall into some dark put of despair. I was completely positive I would. It seemed that my fall into darkness was inevitable and fast approaching.

Liam frowned. “It’s kind of like that looming shadow in those horror movies? When the scary music starts and everyone just...freaks out because they know something bad is going to happen but no one knows what or when it’s going to happen. I have that gut feeling that when I’m gone something really bad will happen.”

“What’s the worst that could happen? Seriously, I’m going to work and then straight home every night and that’s all.” I slapped his arm playfully as we meandered around the airport terminal.

Liam stopped walking suddenly, holding my hand even tighter. “Do you really want to ask that question now? You’re not being very tactful, Mara.”

“I don’t think ‘tactful’ is the word you’re looking for. I think you mean gentle, Liam. But seriously, what’s the worst that could happen? I could be walking down the street and I break my ankle when I step off the curb. I get sick because I forget my jumper at home. Calm yourself, Liam. It’s no big deal.” I brushed my hand up his shoulder and smiled faintly at him.

He let his head drop and he sighed. “You’re still not helping my nerves, Mara. I don’t want to leave when I feel like something awful is going to happen to you.”

“Nothing bad is going to happen to me. How many times do I have to tell that to you?” I muttered. I stuck my hands into my trouser pockets and stood in front of him. “Whatever. Just go get on that plane and make some noise.”

A faint smile spread across his lips and he leaned down, placing a small and gentle on my lips. “I love you, Mara. I’ll call you when we land wherever we’re landing.”

I smiled and touched his cheek, kissing him in response. “I love you too, Liam. Kick some major world ass for me.”

He nodded and we turned our backs on each other, taking steps to go our separate ways.

And thus, the falling began.