Room 317

Chapter 8

Sometime mid-week of the 2nd week of December

“Louis? Why do you have a rubber chicken taped to your head?” Harry asked, attempting to sound nonchalant rather than incredulous.

“I’m trying to engage with my inner spirituality,” Louis replied calmly, cracking one eye open. He was sitting on the floor in the middle of the living-room with his legs crossed, eyes closed and hands in some kind of Buddhist prayer position. His bare feet were almost purple so God knows how long the idiot had been sitting there.

Harry’s eyebrow rose even higher, nearly touching his hairline, “By taping a rubber chicken to your head?”

“I didn’t have a feather,” Louis shrugged, as though this was an obvious explanation, “Now shush, you’re harshing my mellow.”

“Harshing your mellow…?” Harry repeated faintly, wondering if his friend had finally cracked, “Louis, you have been watching way too much TV. Get up; I’m taking you out before you do something that’s crazy even for you.”

Louis’s eyes snapped open and he suddenly grinned, like a maniac, “Okay!” Then he was up on his feet and dashing for his shoes, leaving Harry standing there feeling like he had just been conned.

~*~

Twenty minutes later…

It was the first time Louis had really been out of the house in three weeks. In fact, it was probably the first time since the kidney infection that he had been out for anything other than official business (not including the walk that ended with him back in hospital or the trip to the hairdressers). The sheer joy on his face made Harry feel a little guilty. Louis must have been feeling some level of cabin fever what with being housebound for so long – but he had never complained. Then again, Louis didn’t like to complain and, if he did, you knew it was something worth complaining about. His positive shield was one of the things Harry both loved and found incredibly irritating about his best friend.

Harry had insisted that Louis wear a coat and boots. It was the middle of December now and icy cold outside. Louis, for some reason, always seemed to dress as if it was the height of summer with rolled up trousers and colourful espadrilles. Thankfully, he had given in very quickly to Harry’s demands, probably just so Harry didn’t revoke the invitation of going out. He’d even pulled on a black beanie and a set of gloves and the Liam part of Harry’s head had nodded in approval. They weren’t going anywhere special – just out for a walk through the nearby woods. It would be a taste of freedom for them both as it was one of the few places they could go without fans turning up. They could relax and enjoy something as simple as a walk in privacy and just chat, something they really hadn’t done much of recently despite Louis being housebound.

Harry had pulled on his charcoal G-Star parker and his favourite Chullo and locked the front door behind them, jogging to catch up with his friend. Then they had set off down their drive, nearly losing their footing on the icy paving stones in their haste. Giggling like idiots, they had hurried along the street, occasionally ducking behind parked cars, James Bond style, to avoid being spotted by the locals. The next road was a main one, which they couldn’t avoid, with a reasonably heavy flow of traffic. However, it wasn’t a main walking route, as such, so they kept their faces away from the cars as they walked along. Their pace, set by Louis, was too fast for any talking and, although it was only a 700m stretch, they were a little out of breath by the time they reached the secluded shelter of Stable Lane. The lane was a long, narrow road, winding past some large farms and down through typical English countryside into the woods. Around them the hedgerows and trees were barren and glistening with frost. Underfoot, the potholes were frozen over and crunched noisily under their boots. It was only about eleven in the morning but the sky hung overcast and wintry dull. They slowed down to a more sedate amble, now that they were alone and walked side by side – their sleeves occasionally brushing. Louis was the one to start up a conversation - about Pandas of all things. He’d been fixated on Pandas for around six months now, ever since they had all visited Edinburgh Zoo, while on tour, and saw the two new Pandas on loan from China. For some reason, Louis had been absolutely fascinated with them and it had taken Liam and Harry over forty-five minutes to drag him away from their enclosure. In recompense, Zayn had bought Louis a Panda hat from the gift shop. Louis had worn it everyday for two months until Liam had thrown it in the washing machine, declaring it hazardous to human health. Unfortunately, the panda hat didn’t take too kindly to being washed at 60°C and disintegrated upon removal. Louis had made a small funeral pyre out in the back garden, cremating it like it was once a living thing – because that was just the way Louis was – and he didn’t speak to Liam again for a week. Four months later and Louis was still talking about Pandas, this time about a documentary he’d watched yesterday on the Discovery Channel. Harry listened indulgently, occasionally making a comment or a confirmative noise. Sometimes he just liked to listen to Louis talk away – about anything really – Louis had a way of making even the most boring of topics entertaining.