“Hello?” I grumbled into the phone, not even opening up my eyes.

“Jade?” An unknown voice spoke through the phone. I pulled my bed covers tighter around myself as I pulled the phone away to glance at the caller I.D. It was unknown.

“This is Jade.” I replied confused.

“Uh this is Zayn.” I stayed silent for a moment racking my mind for anyone I knew who was named Zayn. I came up empty.

“Zayn Malik. Liam’s well uh mate?” He said the last part like he wasn’t sure. I opened my eyes though as realisation dawned on me.

“Oh hi,” I said sitting up.

“Sorry to call so early but uh the boys and I need some help...” He trailed off. I rubbed my tried eyes and glanced at my clock, it was almost 7am. I guess it wasn’t extremely early.

“How did you even get my number?” I asked him.

“Management gave it to us, just in case. Listen I’m really sorry but we have an interview in an hour and Liam’s not here and he’s not answering his phone. We can’t leave the place now we’re here. So would you be able to get him?” Zayn said quickly through the phone. I groaned and flopped back down on the bed, considering hanging up on him.

“Are you kidding me?” I muttered at him.

“I’m really sorry.” He said again. I could hear talking in the background now as Zayn said something back.

“I didn’t sign up to be a baby sitter.” I told him angrily but nevertheless knew what I would probably say. There was silence from the other end. “Look, fine I’ll do it. By the time I get to his place I should have him there within the hour.”

“Thank you.” Zayn said quickly.

“Yeah,” I mumbled back before throwing my phone down next to me and growling at my roof. Biting my lip, I braced myself for the cold and quickly jumped out of my warm bed and ran to my closet. I quickly ran a brush through my hair before heading down to my car.

I glanced at the time before making my way to Liam’s. There was still a fair amount of traffic but not as much as I first would have thought. I made it to Liam’s in good time and practically ran up the stairs, wanting to get this over and done with.

I knocked on the door and waited. No answer. I knocked a couple more times before beginning to call out his name.

“For fuck’s sake Liam. I have more important things to do then get your ass out of bed!” I growled at the solid green door in front of me.

“Here you can use my spare key.” A female voice said from beside me, making me jump in fright. I turned to her surprised as she dangled a key in front of me; it was connected to an expensive looking pink butterfly key ring.

“Uh thanks?” I muttered to her taking the key cautiously. Not really wanting to know why she had a key to Liam’s flat. She shot me a smile before walking off, obviously not even caring who I was and why I wanted to get into Liam’s flat.

I watched the girl walk back into her flat before pushing the key into the door and walking into Liam’s flat. I glanced around to see it dark and empty. I opened up the curtains before calling out Liam’s name. No answer.

Growing more annoyed, I walked into his bedroom. I stopped and stared at the sight in front of me. A half naked Liam lie sprawled out on his bed, a bottle of some type of alcohol hanging from his hand. Two more empty bottles already lay on the ground. I shook my head at the sad excuse for a human being in front of me. I never understood how people thought drinking their problems away was a good thing.

“Liam.” I said moving forward. No response. “Liam get up!” I said more forcefully.

I nudged his shoulder slightly. He grunted before rolling over to lie on his stomach, spilling the rest of the contents of the alcoholic bottle he had been holding. The bottle then dropped from his hands and rolled the few centimetres to clink with the other empty bottles. I had had enough of this.

“Liam get your ass up now!” I growled loudly and shook him. I smiled in satisfaction as grunts came from him and he tried to swat my hands away.

“Get up now! You have an interview you are supposed to be at. And I have a life, this is the last thing I want to be doing today.” I grumbled at him and tugged on his arms before I finally had him in a sitting position.

“Jade, what are you doing here?” He groaned at me. Resting his head in his hands.

“Your friend Zayn called me and asked me to come over and get you to your stupid interview.” I told him.

He glanced up at me bleary eyed, surprise evident in his face.

“He did?” He asked. I nodded.

“Yes for some strange reasons your friends still care about you and apparently they think I care about a drunk too.” I growled at him.

“You’re so kind.” He growled back at me.

“Go for a shower, you stink.” I said to him pushing him onto his feet. He stumbled slightly before walking slowly towards his bathroom door. He paused in the doorway and turned back to look at me.

“You’re wrong you know. That don’t care about me, they just don’t want the group to fall apart.” He told me softly. I looked into his sad, lost and red eyes to see he thought it was the truth. I stayed silent. He shot me a look before turning and walking into the bathroom.

I glanced down at the bottles that lay on the ground. I picked them up and dumped them in the kitchen before grabbing some paper towels to wipe up the mess Liam had made in his room.

“You didn’t have to do that.” Liam’s voice came from the doorway as I stood up and turned around. A blush rose to my cheek as I stared at Liam’s body.

He wore only a loose towel wrapped around his waist. I knew Liam had muscles, I could tell that by his arms and some of the shirts he wore. But to see him without a shirt, was a whole other matter.

I glanced up into Liam’s slightly sober eyes to see him staring at me confused. My cheeks darkened slightly before I realised what he said.

“Thank you is the more appropriate phrase.” I told him before storming past and back out into the kitchen. I grabbed my phone and keys off the bench just as Liam walked out of his room fully dressed.

“Thank you.” He said softly, not meeting my eyes. I scrutinised his defeated posture for a moment before sighing.

“You’re welcome. Now let’s go. I promised Zayn that I would get you there in time for the interview.” I said motioning for him to head towards the door.

“How did you get into my flat anyway?” Liam asked me curiously.

“Oh your neighbour gave me spare keys. Lovely girl.”I said motioning to the ones I left on the counter. Liam glanced at them before looking back at me.

“She used to feed my turtles while I was on tour.” He told me quickly. I shrugged.

“Is that what you call it?” I smirked at him before walking past. He grumbled something under his breath but I ignored it.

-

“Could you hang around for a bit?” Liam asked me as I stopped outside the building the interview was taking place. Apparently it was a radio interview which was a good thing because no amount of make up would hide the fact that Liam was extremely hungover.

“Why?” I asked perplexed.

“Because I’ll need a lift home and I can’t drive. I also left my wallet at home so I can’t get a cab.” He admitted to me. I sighed and glanced around.

“Can’t one of the boys take you home?” I pleaded with him. His eyes shifted away from mine for a moment before glancing back into my green eyes.

“Please?” He asked softly, I saw the desperation behind his eyes. I sighed and gave in.

“Fine.” I grumbled before opening my car door and climbed out. Liam was instantly by my side the moment I locked the car. I followed him into the building. We were instantly met by workers who directed us to the area we were supposed to be.

Liam surprisingly grabbed my hand and kept me close by him as he manoeuvred his way through the buildings many hallways and workers before stopping in front of a door and instantly walking through. He pulled me through the door and shut it behind him.

I held onto his hand tightly as many different pairs of eyes fell on the both of us. I felt extremely under dressed and out of place. That was until Niall appeared in my vision.

“Hey!” He said happily. I smiled back softly, surprised at his happiness so early in the morning. I was not a morning person.

“Hi Niall.” I said slightly shy, not use to these people.

“Thank you for bringing him. Sorry about the early phone call.” A boy with black raven hair appeared next to Niall. “I’m Zayn by the way.”

I let go of Liam’s hand to shake Zayn’s outstretched hand.

“Are you alright mate?” Niall asked Liam curiously. Liam shrugged.

“Fine,” He muttered before taking a seat on the couch near the wall. Not even acknowledging the other boys. I eyed him in annoyance. What the hell was his problem?

“He’s extremely hungover.” I said loud enough for Liam to hear. He shot me a dirty look.

“Sorry that you have to deal with that.” Zayn said softly. I shrugged at him.

“Come here I’ll introduce you to the other two.” Niall said leading me over to the other two boys. The both smiled charmingly at me.

“I’m Louis.” The brown haired boy said shaking my hand.

“Harry.” The curly dark haired boy said, pressing a kiss to my cheek.

“Jade.” I introduced myself to both of them.

“You don’t have to stay for the whole interview you know? I’m sure you’re busy.” Zayn said to me.

“I told Liam I would give him a lift home.”

“One of us can do that.” Harry said quickly.

“No it’s fine. Jade and I have plans.” Liam said from behind me making me jump in fright. I glanced back at him and the moment his eyes met mine, I knew that he needed me to agree. Knowing that nothing good would come out of fighting him all the time. I nodded in agreement.

I watched as the other boys looked at Liam sadly. He avoided their gazes.

The boys were soon called into the booth and I was told to stay on the couch, I would be able to hear the interview from here.

I sat and watched the boys for the next hour. I watched as each boy constantly checked on Liam making sure he was okay. There was not one second where one boy was not at least looking at Liam. I could see Liam was squirming in his seat. He obviously found it annoying. But if he saw it from where I was I could see only worry in each of his band mate’s eyes.

Every time an interviewer asked a question that was hard for Liam or made Liam uncomfortable in any way the others would instantly jump in to help him. Liam would only look away frustrated and zone out until he was asked something again.

I shook my head and debated whether or not to tell Liam that he was in fact wrong. These boys didn’t just care about One Direction. They cared about Liam. He was their friend and they were doing everything they could to protect him without pushing him too far.

He however was too oblivious and self absorbed to notice how much his behaviour upset them. You could tell they were like brothers and when one was hurt, the whole group just wasn’t the same.

I think that’s why management wanted me to stay with Liam. They wanted to the world to think Liam was okay. Because I’m sure the world could in fact see that Liam was damaging the rest of his band mates as well. They weren’t the same fun loving and careless One Direction they used to be.

Something happened to Liam that destroyed that.

Notes

I love this chapter because you can see how much Liams behaviour has hurt the others!!

Hope you enjoyed it :D

xx