Escaped

Chapter 19

Escaped: Chapter 19

A/N: I wrote this in my sixth period! I hope you like! :)

I stayed up with Liam that night.

Everyone was going up to bed but I sat by the couch in the living room.

I felt a hand on my shoulder.

I looked up to see Niall beside me.

"You going to stay here?" He asked.

I nodded.

"Alright. Thanks for staying with him, Charlotte."

"Of course," I said it like it was the obvious thing to do but in reality, a week ago, I would've let Liam Payne bleed out.

I heard him go up the stairs and my eyes went back to Liam's unconscious figure.

I slipped my hand into his limp one.

I didn't end up drifting off for several hours. In that time I studied his bare chest, which was very toned but also covered in scars. I studied his face, which was much less menacing when he was sleeping. He features were softer.

Finally I looked at his arms and all his tattoos. I began to trace them with my index finger.

"Liam," I murmured. "You scare the shit out of me, you know that?" I chuckled to myself.

"But there's something about you. Like, the way you are with the guys. You're almost like that protective older brother. There's something in you that cares."

I continued to talk to him, myself really, for a little while longer.

"My life makes no sense. With my dad-" I choked up for a second.

"And being plucked out of my normal - ignorant - life, I just.. I almost wanted to thank you. Because there's so much I didn't know about it. About you. I thought I knew you, who you were, where you came from.. But I didn't. I only saw what they wanted me to see."

I sighed.

"I still don't know you, Liam. I guess the only one who could fix that would be you..." I trailed off, now staring at my lap.

"I'd like that."

I jerked my head up when I heard him speak. He was looking at me, his face looked tired but his eyes sparkled.

My cheeks flushed.

"I'm sorry," I stammered. "I didn't mean to wake you."

I got up to leave but Liam grabbed my hand, stopping me.

"No, Charlotte," he croaked. "Stay."

I hesitated but then I sat back down on the floor, next to him.

A smile tugged at his lips. He intertwined our fingers and that's how I fell asleep: his hand in mine.