Beneath Your Perfect

“Hey,” Liam smiled gently at me the moment he opened the door. I eyed his tight black jeans and white button down. He was fairly dressed up for a night to watch movies.

“Hi,” I responded before walking into his flat. The aroma of food filling the place, I glanced around and noticed that his apartment looked the same, except for the pile of movies placed on the coffee table and the blankets piled neatly in the corner of the couch.

“I made dinner. I haven’t really cooked in a while so I’m not really sure how it’s going to turn out. But I hope you like pasta.” I spun around in surprise to look at a nervous Liam as he bit his lip and his eyes shifted from mine to the wall behind me.

“I’m sure it will be great.”I said kindly. He sent me one of his small genuine smiles before slipping into the kitchen. I took a deep breath, willing my beating heart to calm down.
Liam walked back in his living room with two glasses of wine. My eyes widened in shock.

“I wasn’t sure if you liked wine but...” He trailed off and offered me one. I took it and thanked him which then led to an awkward silence between us.

“I uh made sure that I was photographed walking in.” I told him at loss of words. His smile fell from his face as his eyes hardened slightly before looking away.

“Right, well you can get comfortable. I’ll just check on dinner.”He mumbled suddenly before stalking out of the room. Frowning I wondered what on earth I had said this time to make him act negatively. Sighing I placed myself on the edge of the couch before taking a sip of the wine. It tasted extremely good and also very expensive. Not that money was an issue for Liam. After a moment of boredom, as there was nothing to look at in Liam’s flat, I moved towards the kitchen.

“Need any help?” I asked Liam from the door as he piled pasta onto two plates. It smelt really good. He glanced to me and shook his head before placing the used pot back into the sink. Then picking up both plates and headed out into the living room. I grabbed his glass of wine and followed after him.

“Did you uh mind sitting on the couch? I don’t have a table since it’s usually just me.” Liam said looking away embarrassed.

“Using the coffee table is fine.” I told him as he placed both on the table. He sat on the couch while I placed both cups on the table and took a seat on the floor in front of one dish. Liam looked at me amused as I tucked my skirt down so I wasn’t flashing while I crossed my legs.

“What? It’s more comfortable down here.” I told him honestly. A small chuckle fell from his lips before he took a seat on the floor with me.

“You always surprise me.” He muttered taking a sip of his wine. I bit my lip and eyed him for a moment.

“Is that a good or a bad thing?” I asked him.

“Definitely good.” He said turning to me. I blushed lightly before focussing on the meal and taking a bite. The food was amazing.

“Do you like it?” Liam asked tentatively.

“This is really great Liam!” I exclaimed to him before taking another larger bite. Liam smiled, happy with himself before digging into his own meal. He started to ask me questions about the day, if I liked Eleanor and Perrie. I answered happily enjoying seeing his eyes brighten a bit more as the conversation carried on. His small smile graced his lips throughout our conversation. I couldn’t help but comment.

“You’re really happy today.” I stated bluntly. Liam froze as his fork hovered between his dish and his mouth. He turned to me for a moment before he smiled a little larger.

“You can be really blunt sometimes. I’m not sure if I like it or not.” He stated. I didn’t reply to his statement, instead I waited for his reply to my statement. “I went for a run.”

“That’s why you’re happy? Because you went for a run?” I asked confused.

“I used to do it a lot. Before, well before everything. I was a really good runner. So it felt good to do it again.” He told me earnestly before moving the fork to his mouth. I studied him for a moment before smiling at him happily.

“That’s good then.” I nodded at him before taking the last bite of my meal.

“Do you want more?” Liam quickly offered. I shook my head instantly and patted my stomach.

“No thank you! I am so full of this food that I might explode.” I told him stretching my arms over my head. Liam smiled at me again making me laugh. “What?”

“You’re just so different. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten with a girl whose finished the whole meal.” He told me. I looked at him confused.

“You will have to have a meal with Sarah and Aria then. They eat theirs and then start on yours.” I laughed with him.

“I really want Sarah and Aria to like me.” Liam said quietly as he finished his meal. He didn’t meet my eyes.

“Why?” I asked him curiously as my hand tingled the moment he brushed past my fingers to grab my plate and headed into the kitchen with me following.

“Well we’re spending a lot of time together. And they’re your friends.” He shrugged and placed the plates in the sink before leading back towards the living room. I placed myself on his couch and hugged a pillow.

“What movie did you want to watch?” He asked holding up a few choices. My eyes scanned the ones in his hand.

“Iron Man.” I finally decided on happily. Who gives away the chance to stare at Robert Downey Junior?

I watched Liam as he placed it on and turned off all the lights before making himself comfortable on the couch next to me. I shuffled slightly as Liam sat surprisingly close to me.

He offered me the blankets he placed over himself that I happily accepted. However this meant that I had to move closer towards Liam. Not making eye contact, I moved over and smiled happily at the warmness that instantly spread through my body. I snuggled into the blanket deeper and focused my eyes on the movie that began to play.

For the most part of the movie I was able to ignore Liam’s presence however the fluttering in my stomach continued to distract me. The moment Liam’s arm came across the back of the couch I could no longer focus on the movie. His arm gently touched my shoulder, instantly my head snapped in his direction. My eyes connecting with his warm brown eyes.

“Are you okay?” He asked softly, leaning in closer so I could hear him better. I nodded at him, feeling my mouth go dry making me unable to express any words. His eyes stayed trained on mine for a moment before slowly wandering down as my own wandered to his full pink lips. I stayed completely still as Liam’s face came ever so slowly closer to mine. My heart began to hammer against my chest, my nerves were on fire.

A loud noise erupted from the movie making me lose focus of the handsome face in front of me and my body jumped forwards breaking the tension between us as a squeal left my mouth. Liam blinked at me in surprise as his hand came up to stead my shoulders as I fell into him.

“I’m sorry, really I’m so sorry.” I said quickly. Liam laughed softly and pulled my chin up so I could see his face. A smile laced across his features.

“It’s okay.” He assured me before standing up and pausing the movie. “I just have to use the bathroom.”

I nodded and watched him leave inwardly cursing myself. I still wasn’t sure if I was cursing myself for letting the moment happen or interrupting the moment. I leant back against the chest and blew a piece of hair out of my eyes. I needed to get it together. I wasn’t normally the one who had butterflies in their stomach. I was acting like this was my first relationship.

I glanced towards the hallway as a noise came from the bathroom. I stood up and moved around the room glancing at the few books that sat on Liam’s barely covered shelf. My eyes moved past towards the records before the familiarity of a book hit me. I spun around back to the books as my eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

My hand reached and slid across the familiar cover before I pulled it out. My notebook instantly fell open in my hands. My eyes widened in shock as confusion swept through my brain. Liam had my notebook. This whole time Liam had my notebook. Why did he have it?

I glanced up when I heard his footsteps returning to the living room. He appeared and smiled at me, I didn’t reciprocate the action.

“What is this?” I asked him slowly as my confusion was soon mixed with anger. His eyes flittered towards my notebook as I raised it up. I watched as the guilt flashed across his face.

“I can explain.” He said stepping forwards.

“Yeah you better. Fast.” I hissed at him unable to keep the anger from my voice. I didn’t understand why he would take this. Why he would think that it was okay.

“When I woke up at your house the morning after we met and you weren’t there. Well I was confused and I searched the apartment looking for someone who lived there. And well I noticed the book on the table and it was open.”

“So you thought you would take it?” I asked incredulous.

“It was stupid of me okay. But I read a few lines and it was good. Really good and I wanted to read more. But I didn’t want to stay in case you came back...” He trailed off lamely. My eyes narrowed in on him at his explanation.

“I can’t believe you! I was kind to you. I let you stay at my place when you were so drunk that you fell asleep in the gutter and this is how you repay me? By stealing my stuff?” I screeched at him.

“I was going to give it back. I just didn’t know when.” He tried to reason, taking a step forward. A strangled noise of disbelief fell from my lips as I moved away from him and towards my bag.

“Please don’t go.” He said, following close behind me.

“No you know what! Everyone was right. You are a complete waste of my time! Decent human beings don’t steal Liam!” I screamed at him. I saw the hurt flash across his face but I was too angry too care.

“It’s just a book Jade. I said I was sorry.” He growled at me. Anger instantly appearing in his voice, a defence mechanism. I shook my head at his words.

“It’s not just a book to me Liam. But you’re too selfish and caught in your own misery to bother caring about other people to even realise that. Goodbye Liam.” I turned and stormed out of his flat, slamming the door behind me.

It didn’t open after I slammed it. Liam didn’t yell things and follow me down the hallway. He didn’t ask me to come back or tell me he loved me. Because this was real life and we weren’t together. He was a jerk who didn’t understand me. He didn’t know me and I certainly didn’t know him.

I stormed out of his building and towards my car making sure the paparazzi got plenty of photos of me along the way. If Liam wanted me in the spotlight then that was what he was going to get.