After The End: Book 2

9. Field Trip

Harry's POV

The day before my birthday started with rain. Louis sofa was becoming uncomfortable to wake up on each morning, but it's not like I could complain considering nobody had actually invited me to be there. Oliver was starting to wake me up too. The flat was pretty sound proof but that kid had lungs. Clearly he was beginning to sense the weird tension. Louis didn't seem to notice or at least he wasn't acting like he did, but it was there. Naomi had stopped talking to me almost completely all at once, which was hurtful considering Lux was gone and I was effectively forcing my presence on them for comfort. Suddenly she was being totally cool with Louis again too which was freaking me out. And Louis was following me around like he thought I was about to explode.

Lux had been calling me everyday. I was trying to call her frequently to avoid making her worry but our calls were short and weird. I just tried to keep the focus on her. She wanted to know what I was up to but I was literally just staring at the walls in my flat or playing music with Louis to prove I wasn't spiraling out without her. Louis was staying pretty busy supporting her from afar. She seemed to be out living her best life in Paris between meetings. I noticed she was drinking in one of the photos she'd sent me. I assumed she hadn't meant to include that. I tried not to be jealous.

Don't ruin things.

When I woke up that day it was because of yelling. Louis was yelling about something but it wasn't necessarily angry yelling. It sounded more panicked. I sat up and immediately took note of the pouring rain outside the window. I checked my phone and noted one missed call from Lux. It was almost  10 am.

Naomi appeared in the doorway of the living room and and glared at me. "Congrats," she said narrowing her eyes. "You flooded the entry to the balcony."

Maybe it was angry yelling after all. I rubbed my eyes and pushed off the couch. At the arm of the sofa, Birdie opened her eyes for a moment, regarded me curiously and them rolled over back to sleep.

I walked in the direction of the flood zone, past Naomis annoyed face. and found Louis on the floor with a towel trying to sop up water. There wasn't actually enough to justify calling it a flood. More like seepage.

"How did I do that?" I asked casually.

He stopped what he was doing to glare at me. "You left the balcony door open after your midnight smoke."

I nodded. Then I shrugged and went around him out through the balcony doors for a breakfast smoke. I huddled under the cover, not that the wind kept much water off of me anyways and called Lux back. She didn't answer. I wondered if she was in a meeting. I hadn't actually looked at the schedule she sent me. I expected Louis to show up and lecture me about my behavior but he was uncharacteristically pacified that morning. Shame.

When I came back inside the entryway was dry. Louis was back in his office and Naomi had Oliver in her room with her. I made muffins that probably weren't that good. Muffins were my go to when I was having an off morning. I didn't think I was having an off morning but I never thought that until it was too late. I didn't eat any of the muffins, instead yelling from the living room to the rest of the house that they were there. I didn't wait for their response before grabbing Birdie and heading up in the elevator to change. It was a support group day. I had plans to stare at Cory's head pointlessly. I had realized now what I was waiting for. I wanted to see her share and I wanted her to mention her child. I wanted confirmation that she cared. I wanted to know that I hadn't been alone in that suffering. It was stupid to hope for. Almost as stupid as the way I was going about this weird quest for validation from a woman who never gave a single shit about me.

Still, I showered and pulled clean clothes onto myself, lacing on some stupid boots that Lux liked and grabbing the woman's cardigan that I liked to wear. Then I looked out the window and saw the rain again. I also remembered that this cardigan had been photographed on me multiple times and was becoming something that made me identifiable to the prying eyes of strangers who followed me in the tabloids. I hated the idea that when I liked things too much, it meant I couldn't wear them anymore but still, today wasn't the day for this particular comfort item. I grabbed a darker colored coat and buttoned the buttons, before tucking my curls under my hood.