The Secrets in a File ★

Characters

Aleyna (you), Liam Payne

Description

Single-chapter-one-shot I wrote as part of a competition, which I surprisingly won. Comment if you would like more of them to be posted. :)

Foreword

"Ow!" Jake hissed through gritted teeth and though my warm smile a small chuckle escaped my lips. His green eyes squinted in slight pain. I ran my fingers carefully over the fabric of the plaster, getting rid of any air bubbles caught when I placed it on his knee. 

"There you go, all better!" I beamed at him as he quickly jumped and ran across the playground towards Liam, who was sitting underneath a tree reading to Lily, a 3 year old with chocolate ringlets and bright blue eyes. Jake sat next to Liam under the oak, and I saw the most beautiful brown eyes look to Jake's knee then over to me. He grinned and gave a simple thumbs up, telling me he's fine, then returned to reading the story Lily and Jake.

I smiled to myself; I loved working here, at the Wolverhampton Childrens home. Despite the depressing thought of children in care without homes, I felt like I was part of an amazing family. Even though it was my job as a care worker for young people, every time a child was fostered or adopted, the whole house was quiet for a day or two since we had lost a family member. But at the same time, i was happy that i was able to help a young person find a family they would be loved in and have a childhood they deserve.

I've always loved helping people, even at a very small age. I'd always be the first to help a new classmate around school, offer to do charity work or do some fundraising. I was the charity rep in all my year group, year after year. My dad has always said he could see me being a mother.... But I guess I screwed that up.......

Re-tying my wavy dark hair into a messy bun and walked though the back door to the kitchen, slipping on oven gloves and taking out the roast chicken and potatoes I had prepared earlier, just as Charlie walked though the door with Jamie in tow, Charlie's auburn hair tied in a loose side plait and Jamie in sweats and a hoodie.

"Smells great as usual Ally!" Charlie enthusiastically chimed.

"Bet it tastes better though." Jamie lent over to take a potato but recoiled at the heat of them on his fingers, earning a playful slap from Charlie.

Charlie was almost like a friend as well as a child I looked after. She was 16 and I was 20, I only just out of training in the last 5 months. I guess I was like a sister to her and I often forgot how old she really was. I was sourly reminded everytime I filed the forms needed to move her on to another home in a matter of weeks. She wasn't one of the lucky ones, she was moving to a home for older kids not a foster home.

Jamie just took things as they come. I almost admired him for being so casual about the situations he's in at just 14; however I know how hard it has been for him; Liam told me how when he was training here, Jamie didn't trust the care workers to listen and not judge him, so it was Liam he spoke to if anything happened. They now had a brotherly bond just like me and Charlie had a sisterly one.

"Serves you right Jamie, can you go a round up the guys while I go get the others..."

"Why me!" Jamie pouted at me, fake tears coming to his eyes.

"Because I know Charlie won't eat anything while I'm gone, and I need to find Liam." I said simply, his and Charlies eyes now changing into gossip hungry....

"Oh, so you are finally going to ask him out!" I looked up from Jamie and Charlie towards the sacrine voice of Ellie, a sweet seven year old with blond ringlets that bounced with her hyper mood.

The kids had always teased me and Liam about getting together one day. It normally brought on blushes for both of us since we are pretty close friends. I mean having to work here 24-7 at a job we love and sleeping here every night, we have become brilliant friends. But I can't push back the amount of times I imagined he could be more than that, so everytime it was brought up around him, I would chuckle and give the kids something to laugh about. everytime I was asked about it alone, I would smile to myself, think how it could possibly be and then give a gentle, sad shake of the head.

"He really likes you, you know? And I'm not just saying that..." Charlie put her hand on mine in an almost motherly way. I smiled and just shook my head.

"Look, me and Liam are your care workers, we can't go out, if we weren't then I would consider it but I don't want to lose my or Liam's jobs here." I saw Jamie's and the girls face look down in disappointment. It was so sweet how they cared about me and Liam. "Anyway, enough on this, Jamie go round up the other and ill get the guys outside, and Charlie, you plate up yeah?"

Jamie and I walked in separate directions and just before i got out the door, i stopped hearing his voice again, but now quiet.

"Give it a chance, think of you as well as us."

I froze for a second but shook it off as I got outside.

"Get inside dinners ready! Charlie's dishing it up now!" I called over the garden and a mass of kids from age 3 to 9 came running at me. Jake and Lily came right up to me being the youngest and I scooped Lily in my arms holding Jakes hand and leading them inside.

"What's for dinner Ally?" Jake asked, jumping about at my side.

"Roast Chicken! Now do you know where Liam went?" I put Lily down next to the long table in the kitchen and knelt in front of her and Jake.

"He went to the office!" Lily smiled, looking at me with her blue eyes.

"Thank you Lily. Now go eat both of you." I ruffled their hair and got up standing next to Jamie and Charlie. "You guys are in charge, so Charlie makes sure Jamie isn't too bad."

Jamie mock glared at me and Charlie winked. I chuckled and exited the kitchen, down the hall towards the office.

Liam stood in front of the file cabinet with his back to me, most likely holding a blue folder for one of the children, probably Charlie with her moving in the next month or so.

"The kids are just eating now so.."

I stopped, coming inside the office and round the other side of Liam, looking up from the desk at him. He held a green folder open in his hands, one that was meant for workers here. It was fairly new and only had a little wearing to it and printed in block letters on the front....was Aleyna Huntsman....

"Ally-I..... Why didn't you tell me...."

I paled as his eyes met mine, chocolate brown with his slightly curly hair skimming the top where it was styled to the side. he looked shocked and serious. Shit no... he hasn't looked at.... No.....

But he had. Placing my file on the desk in front of me I held my breath and felt whatever blood was still in my face leave. The open page was a simple event report marked with a purple sticker in the corner stating it was old and already been through the system before I worked here. On it was papercliped 3 photographs, one of me aged 15, another of..... I couldn't even say it. Her rosy cheeks and stormy gray eyes just like mine cut deep, but I still couldn't move from the spot...

It was Stephanie. Baby Stephanie. The only picture I had of her copied in my file.

"You never told me..... Why?" Liam still looked at me but I never met his gaze. my eyes were on the photo of Stephanie, a toothless smile on her lips.

"Cause it was the one time I couldn't help someone...." I choked out the words and closed my eyes feeling a tear escape my eye and fall down my cheek.

"Aleyna...."

"No Liam. It was my fault and I could help her. I was stupid and it ended up ruining her life. I was the one who got pregnant at the age of 15. I was the one who decided on adoption..... It's my fault she doesn't have a real mother...."

I finally met his eyes with blurred vision. My tears came rapidly now and still I didn't sniffle or sob. I didn't even shout at Liam when I told him. I kept my voice level and even without letting it break. I know what I did, it was a playing factor of why I applied for the job; I wanted to look after people that had parents like me.

"Stephanie..... I loved her, and I just..."

"You gave her a chance to have a better home."

I looked again at Liam who had now picked up the final photograph in my file. It was a copy of one of my scans; her small fist and head outlined white on the black background.

"Ally, you did better than you ever could have done. You wouldn't have coped if you kept her." he looked back to me and gave a half smile, but he still wore the sad expression. He walked round the desk and took me in an embrace whispering in my ear "why didn't you tell me?"

"i-i never wanted you to hate me...." I closed my eyes and buried my head into his shoulder. I felt him rubbing slow circles across my back.

"I could never hate you online... i-i...." He pulled away slowly, still keeping a hold on my waist and he looked in my eyes. The chocolate eyes swirled and tiny bits of green and gray sparkled and moved in and out. I didn't hide my stare and I took the chance to drink him in.

His brown hair was higlighted golden under the light of the office lamp, he eyes a similar colour but richer, like coffee or silk. His hair skimmed his eyes and his lashes framed them, making him look ever more beautiful. A small smile graced his lips and I felt my heart flutter.

Liam took me back into a hug, squeezing me tight and I wrapped my arms around his neck, his muscles strong under my hands. I felt his lips near my ear and his warm breath against my neck. I closed my eyes again, my tears gone and I heard him whisper, his lips grazing my cheek.

"I- I love you Aleyna..." His lips pressed to my temple and pulled away, the grip on my waist still there and my arms still around his neck as his muscles tensed.

"Liam, what did Jamie mean, when he said think of me not just them.." I felt the warmth of his eyes and bit my bottom lip. Liam frowned slightly, and confusion washed across his face.

"My- ugh- I don't know, what do you think?"

I smiled and dared myself to say it, finally say one thing to Liam that scared me as much as my past.

"That I should do what makes me happy as well as constantly looking out for them." I smiled brighter, not even doubting was I was doing is right or not, I already knew the answer.

"And what does make you happy..." Liam's grin from his confession had turned to one of disappointment, but now a slight curiosity glinted in his eyes.

"You...." I leant forwards and closed the gap between us, feeling a brilliant spark when our lips touched. I pulled Liam closer with my arms around his neck and cupped his face with my hand. He resisted for a second out of shock, but I felt a smile against my lips and he molded into me. It was feathery light but still loving and passionate. The kiss was all I ever dreamed of and I lost complete sense of where I was until Liam pulled apart a little too soon.

"I had asked Jamie yesterday what he thought of the idea of us going out really. he asked if I thought you liked me back. he said that the way we look at each other when they tease us is so loving, but I never believed it." he grinned, obviously thinking of the smart 14-year-old, brushing his thumb across my jaw. "What else did Jamie tell you?"

"To give it a chance." A gave a lopsided smile and took his hand from my face to clasp it with my own.

"And will you?"

I gave Liam Payne's hand a gentle squeeze, and with my other hand brought his lips back to mine again, where i never wanted them to leave.