From the Streets to Luxury Hotels

Miriya POV

“Let’s wait a while, before I give you more water okay” he said when he heard my whimper at the loss of water. He sat down on the bed next to me and put an arm around my waist to make sure I sat straight.

“Why don’t you tell me about yourself” he said quietly trying not to startle me. I sat quietly, to embarrassed and nervous to tell him anything, my inner shy self stayed true and I felt my cheeks heat up in embarrassment under his gaze. I kept my gaze on my lap as I wringed my hands over and over again.

I jumped slightly when he placed his hand over my hands, stopping them from their movement. “How about I tell you about myself first, then you go, okay?” he said quickly when he caught on to my nervousness.

I nodded quietly and lifted my gaze slightly to stare at his eyes from behind my unruly tangled dirty blonde hair. It was then that I noticed my hair was slightly wet, I quickly moved my hands to grip the blankets and move them to find my body squeaky clean.

I quickly brought my panicked gaze to his face when I realized I would have to have been naked in order to be this clean. He must have connected the dots because his eyes widened quickly before he began to blurt out things rapidly. “N…n…no…no, I didn’t…. I mean…. I wouldn’t…. Eleanor, my friend’s girlfriend was over here last night so I had her give you the bath. I would never…I mean I would because your really pretty but I wouldn’t…I mean no! I’m going to shut up now,” he said quickly, before turning to stare at anything but my face, blushing after his rambling episode.

I laid my hand over his cheek and turned his face to look at me once again, I nodded to him letting him know I understood before I finally spoke. “It’s okay, I understand. Thank you?” I said the last part coming out as a question from his not so much yet still a compliment.

“Your welcome, umm…let’s see. Okay, my name is Liam Payne. I’m 18 years old but the guys like to joke that I’m older then that – “

“Like an old soul?” I interrupted him. I blushed when I realized I had spoken without thinking, I tend to do that a lot. I glanced up to see him smiling at me, surprised.

“Yeah, like an old soul. I uh, I’m in a boy band. Four of my friends and I make up the band One Direction” he said smiling slightly, a small chuckle escaping his lips despite my involuntary interruption.

“One Direction? I think I’ve heard girls talking about them before, I’ve never heard your music before though so…” I said ashamed of myself, sometimes I wish I had it easy like those girls shopping with their friends.

Liam must had noticed my facial expression because the next thing I now my face is buried in his chest, with his arms around me; holding me tight, one arm around my waist and another in my hair holding my head close to him. I pull back slightly with tears in my eyes as I stare at him slightly confused by his sudden hug and because of the flurry of strange emotions running through me. Every part of me he touches tingles slightly making me want him to touch me more.

“What about you? Tell me about yourself…but only if you want too” he said quickly when he saw me hesitate, which you can always tell because I tend to bite my lower lip when I’m hesitant or anxious.

“Well, my name is Miriya Nandino, and I’m homeless. My, um…my parents were killed in a drive-by right outside of our house when I was six. Ever since then I was moved around by different foster homes but no one would even spare me a glance when it came to being adopted, when I turned eighteen a couple of months ago, the foster home I had been staying in gave me a hundred dollars and all but tossed me out into the streets.

I used the money for food, but I would always eat only a little bit like usual. And somehow you found me, and saved me. Thank you” I said whispering the small part to him before I shocked the both of us by lunging forward to hug Liam.

I jumped back when I came to my sense, and started to stutter out an apology. “Don’t worry about, it’s okay” he said wrapping his arms around me to bring me in for another hug.

“What now?” I said when I found myself lying down in Liam’s arms as he laid down beside me to relax as we continued to ask each other questions.

“Well, Paul our manager said until further notice, you are allowed to stay here with us. But Eleanor, the girl I told you about, wants to take you shopping tomorrow to get you some clothes”, he saw the expression on my face and rushed to take it back. “Unless you don’t want to, I mean, I don’t mind letting you borrow my shirts and stuff” he said quickly.

“No, it’s just. I don’t have money, and I don’t feel comfortable taking your money after everything you’ve done for me already” I said quickly to let him know he hadn’t disappointed me.

“It’s okay, I have more then enough money to share, and so it’s okay. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll let you pick out whatever you want despite the price, so if you want to shop cheap we can do that” he said quickly, trying to compromise or negotiate with me.

“O…O…Okay, but you have to give me a low price range, so I don’t go over board, like a hundred dollars or less” I said to him, a hundred was the highest I would spend. To him that would seem like a little bit of money, but to me it meant more then a months worth of food for me.
“Sounds like a deal, so why don’t you tell me more about yourself over breakfast. I’m starving” he said quietly as I snuggled against his side, I love that while in his arms I feel safe, and warm. I was confused at my actions, as I didn’t hesitate to grab the hand Liam had offered to me to help me out of bed, as he stood waiting for me. I grabbed his hand with no hesitation, this is the first time I’ve ever trusted a person as much as I’m beginning to trust Liam.

I clenched his hand and snuggled up against his side, hiding partially behind him after recalling him say that there were others outside of his room. I whimpered slightly pulling him as he reached out to grab the doorknob.

“What’s wrong?” he asked quietly, he must know how fragile I am right now, and its true. If someone were to scream at right this moment, I would start crying suddenly. I was always like this, the people at the foster care would always comment on my sensitivity, harsh things would make me burst into tears. I think partially, it came from the abandonment from my parents at such a small age, and because of the countless bullying I suffered for being the crybaby orphan girl.

“There are others, I’m scared” I told him honestly, I felt like I didn’t have to pretend to be brave anymore with Liam, I felt safe as long as he was here.

“Hey, its okay. They won’t hurt you, they want to meet you and become your friends too. Besides, as long as I’m here no one will ever hurt you again” he said, practically cooing, as a parent would do to a frightened child. But I knew he wasn’t doing it to mock me, he was honestly just that gentle and caring.

I nodded hesitantly, before snuggling deeper against Liam, pulling my hand away from his to wrap them around his middle, then was when I noticed the big difference between our heights. My head barely reached his shoulders; he had a good couple of inches on me. I honestly felt like a child standing next to him.

Liam grabbed the doorknob again and slowly opened it, the door opened into a living room of some sort, which had five people sitting down...