Liam was revealed to have done a lot of shitty things recently. They were the actions of someone who was deeply unhappy, likely because he was forced to grow up far too fast and face a lot of adult truths and situations before he was ready for them. I didn't like who he'd become, but I respected the way that the other boys sometimes seemed to try to protect him through their silence. Because I think they all knew that but for luck and fate, any of them could have been Liam.
I believe victims. I can condemn Liam's actions and support his victims without fully writing off Liam the person because Liam the person was likely also a victim in a lot of ways. I had hoped he'd fade from the spotlight and we'd start hearing about him again in ten years. That he was doing better, that he had genuine friends and relationships, that he'd kicked the drugs and drinking. But that's not going to happen. This dark chapter of his life will always be the last. He's dead at 31 and I find that so incredibly sad. He was a dad. He was someone's son, and friend, and brother. He warned us about snake habitats and couldn't spell and had to shave off all of his hair because only one person in the band could have dark curls.
RIP, Liam Payne. One Direction was this surprising, luminous, insane thing that crash landed into my dark little world in 2014. So, thank you, thank you, so much for being a part of that. I hope you've found some peace.
