Ignorance ➵ h.s. au

ninety fourth

"Happy Birthday!" Dani chimed in with a smile, doing her best not to choke.

"Dani, what the fuck where have you been? We've been looking for you for two days, I thought you weren't going to come!" He bombarded, letting go of the door and stepping in, pulling Danielle into a tight hug.

Her eyes widened in surprise, caught off guard from the sudden gesture. "Are you kidding me? You think I'd miss this?" She chuckled, hugging back, breathing in the familiar scent of perfume from his shirt. She won't miss it. Not by Milla's words, not by anyone else's. They've had a couple of misunderstandings here and there, nonetheless, he's still one of the only people who treated her like an equal instead of a child, and she'd forever hate herself if she lets it pass.

"Where have you been?" He questioned, releasing her from the embrace but still holding her hands, "You were absent yesterday! I had to fight with Blinchè while we were setting the place up because she wouldn't shut up about you!"

She won't? She could just imagine the scene of them arranging everything, Louis bossing them around and Belinda throwing shades at him just for the hell of it whilst Niall has to suffer through it all. "I just . . Had to take care of some things." She looks at Harry.

"Well if it isn't the Harry man." Louis greets, a sincere smile taking over his visage as his gaze averted to the person next to her. The last time they saw each other was by the dinner table at Carter's birthday, when Milla was questioning everyone over what happened, and he had to break it to Danielle they needed a break. It was weird almost, having him there, his bruises barely healed with the dried cut on his lip. "How've you been, mate?"

"I'm doing good," Harry returned. "You look like you've been doing good as well. Happy Birthday!"

"Oh god, barely." He playfully rolls his eyes, not breaking his grip on Dani's hand. "Come on in, there's plenty of food inside if you're hungry, we ordered a shit ton because apparently no one in this damned house knows how to cook!" He drags her along as he walked back into the house, her arm falling away from Harry's.

The previously faint beats echoed across the inside of the house along with chatter, a handful of people scattered around the living room, talking, drinking, the distinct bubble of anxiety starting to grow inside her stomach. It was nothing compared to the last time she was at his house when they ended up fighting, but there was just something in the air she couldn't shake off as she stood there and scanned the room. The familiarity of it all. Her grasp tightens on his hand, "Is this everyone you invited?" She queries, not trying to recognize any of them, for she's sure they won't recognize her either. And perhaps that's for the best. Speaking of which, Carter was no where near to be seen. She didn't expect him to come at all, nonetheless, part of her wanted to see him there.

"There's still five more people coming I think." He mumbles, taking a few chips from the large bowl on the coffee table, throwing some into his mouth. "Blinchè strictly narrowed down my friend list, I can't really stop her because I don't know any better - Hey you guys, this is my cousin Danielle. Carter Matthews' sister?" He suddenly announced, Dani's spit getting stuck in her throat. He had to be specific. "Dani, these are my mates from school."

She stood frozen, just like that time when he first introduced Niall and Blinchè, in the same fashion, in the exact same place. And just like then, she didn't know what to say. "Didn't know Louis had a pretty cousin." One of the boys commented, sitting by the couch with a phone and a glass of punch in his hands. "Seems unlikely. She's definitely adopted."

"All you had to say was Hi." Louis stated, feigning offense. "I thought Blinchè is the only one going to harass me at my own party." He turns away from them, still pulling Dani alongside of him, Harry towering next to them in silence. Parties weren't new to him. The real estate company he used to work at practically does them every month whenever someone sells the most properties, and he's been bribed enough by his co-workers to attend several of them. Nonetheless, perhaps that was different because they were all adults, discussing money and rates over expensive wine. This was more like the high school parties he dreamed of attending when he was a teenager himself, and it almost brought him nostalgia.