Escaped

Chapter 43

Escaped: Chapter 43

"What is this?" I heard a voice cry.

Liam and I looked up to see two people on the shore.

Harry and Louis stood there both in their swim shorts.

"Yeah, why didn't you mention you were coming out here?" Louis asked.

"Oh yeah," Liam chuckled. "You always want to invite Louis because he plays a mean game of Marco Polo."

Soon we were joined by nearly everyone.

Zayn couldn't swim so he stayed up in the grass with Eleanor who was just going to work on her tan until Louis and Niall decided to dump her in the water.

"I'm gonna kill you both!" She spat out water.

They were laughing hysterically from the edge of the lake.

"You're like children," she tried to hold back a smile.

"Oh trust me," Gemma said. "I've worked with children; these guys are much worse."

-

I had my hoodie on and my wet hair pulled into a pony tail.

It was getting dark but we stayed in the backyard where Louis had started a bonfire and Gemma had brought out some cheap beer.
Niall, of course, had grabbed his guitar and soon we were all singing and laughing and listening to Harry's cheesy knock-knock jokes.

I was leaning up against Liam, a crotchet blanket over my lap.

"Something is wrong," I said, interrupting the punch line to Harry's yodeling old lady joke.

"What's so important that you had to cut me off at the best part?" Harry pouted.

"S'mores," I said. "We need s'mores."

"I agree," Niall said. "Liam, your girlfriend's a genius."

"I try," I grinned, getting up.

"Here, let me help," Gemma offered.

"It's okay," I smiled. "I've got it."

I walked back into the house, via the back door which led directly into the kitchen.

I left the lights off because the light from the campfire coming through the window was enough for me to see.

I stood there, in silence for a minute, watching everyone from the window.
The thought of my mother was nagging at the back of my mind but seeing everyone here and now, I felt so content.
Perrie was sitting in the grass braiding Eleanor's hair while Harry and Louis were having a competition to see who could chug a beer faster.
Niall was showing Gemma something on his guitar and Liam and Zayn seemed to be talking quietly among themselves before Liam got up and came into the house.

"Hey, babe," he said.

"Hey," I smiled. Looking out the window, I chuckled.

"What?" He asked as he reached into the cupboard for marshmallows.

"Nothing," I grinned. "This just feels perfect, you know? Like this moment in time is just ... I don't know, untouchable."

He smiled and put a strong arm around me waist.
"It'll be even better when..." He trailed off.

I looked at him, confused.
"When what?"

He shook his head.
"Nothing. I'll tell you later, okay?"

I shrugged.
I walked over to the counter and grabbed the chocolate and graham cracks.
"Hey, Liam?"

"Hmm?" He seemed distant. Again.

"I was thinking about writing a letter. To my mum. Because, I never got to ... to say goodbye, I guess."

He looked up.

"You don't want to see her? Tell her in person?"

"We could?" I asked in surprise.

He walked over to me and grabbed me hands.
"If you wanted to." He smiled.

I looked at him for a minute before leaning up to kiss him, softly.
"Thank you. But I'm not sure," I said. "I don't think I could handle it.."

"Well whatever you decide," he said. "I'm right here."

He cupped my face in his hands.

"And I don't intent to go anywhere."