Don't Let Me Fall (A Liam Payne Fanfic)

CHAPTER ONE: Landing in London

CHAPTER ONE: LANDING IN LONDON

I stepped off the plane at Heathrow, sucking in a deep breath. This was it; I was in London, England. This was the new step in my journey. I stretched my muscles after my seven hour flight and followed the mass to baggage claim. I grabbed my two large blue suitcases off the carousel and headed toward Customs, yawning. It was about 9:30 in the morning and already the airport was filled with people. I pulled out my phone to call Celeste, one of my friends who lived in London, as I waited in line. "Hey Celeste," I said as soon as she picked up. "Yeah I got here okay," I slipped my phone to my shoulder as I maneuvered a cart. I grunted as I hauled my suitcases onto the cart and dropped my backpack on the two suitcases. "Can you give me your address?" I asked, pulling out a sharpie. I scribbled her address on my hand. "Thanks girl, I'll see you later. I don't know how long customs is gonna take though. Don't tell Kristie, it's a surprise!" I laughed and said goodbye. Ever since I got the swimming scholarship from Oxford, I've been trying to find friends in the UK. I knew Celeste lived in the UK and she told me Kristie had moved here too. Celeste and I came up with a plan to surprise Kristie, since I haven't seen her in years. And to be honest, I missed her like crazy. There's nothing like having friends in a foreign country. I yawned again as I stretched out my back. The line at Customs wasn't very long but it somehow took an hour before I was finally met with a blue uniformed TSA agent. I presented my passport, my student visa, and my Oxford scholarship letter. He stamped my passport and examined my letter thoroughly.

"Impressive Miss," he told me, smiling, as he handed my things back to me. "Have fun," I grinned at him cheerfully as I wheeled my cart toward the airport entrance. My twenty-one-year-old heart was fluttering with excitement as I examined the stamp on my passport. I was really here! London, England of all places! Finally I was able to leave America! I was feeling rather bouncy and the cloudy weather did nothing to dampen my mood. I called over of the black cabs queuing outside and gave the cabbie Celeste's address. As we sped through the streets of London, I stared at everything open-mouthed and wide-eyed. The old-fashioned façades and the narrow streets and everything that screamed European. I took everything in wonder.

"Is this your first time here, Miss?" The cabbie inquired after seeing that I had taken pictures of everything.

I blushed, embarrassed to be caught looking like a tourist "Yes," I admitted.

"Ah" The cabbie nodded, "Are you staying here long?"

"Very long," I replied, gazing at the London Bridge as we sped past the Thames.

"Well then you have plenty of time to explore London," the cabbie winked at me. "You don't have to hurry then. There's lots of exciting things around here. Take your time," he told me.

"I will," I promised.

"I'll just put on a bit of music, do you mind?" he asked me. I shook my head. He turned on the radio. My ears suddenly perked up to the sounds of "Little Things" by my favorite band, One Direction. I smiled to myself as it hit Liam's part.

"I know you never loved the crinkles by your eyes when you smile, you've never loved your stomach or your thighs..." The radio crooned softly. Despite the fact that I had just gotten off a seven hour flight listening to One Direction, I never get tired of hearing their lovely voices.

"You like One Direction, Miss?" The cabbie asked me after the song was over.

I nodded eagerly, "I love One Direction. They're my favorite band and I-" I had to stop myself from spewing out verbal vomit like a silly fangirl. I blushed, "I love One Direction," I added lamely.

The cabbie laughed, "So do all the girls in the world, Miss, including my own daughters. They wouldn't shut up about them."

I shrugged, "I don't blame them."

The cabbie laughed again "Here we are, Miss," he said, pulling up in front of a large luxurious-looking apartment complex. I paid and thanked him profusely as he pulled my suitcases out and set them on the curb. "Enjoy London, Miss," he tipped his hat as he drove off. I glanced at the directions on my hand and I wheeled my suitcases toward the elevator, or in this case, the lift. I pressed the button for the seventh floor and waited patiently.