You like to preach with a vodka in your mug

Chapter five

The gentle ticking of Harry's clock is the only thing Louis hears when he wakes up to sunlight beaming on his face. He could have sworn he shut the curtains. He rolls over and sees no signs of Harry but a post-it note falls off his forehead and flutters onto the pillow.

Gone out. Had to prove to my parents I'm not hungover. Mum said you could take some cake for your family.
Love you xxx

Louis flops his face into the pillow and groans. He doesn't know how Harry doesn't feel like death every morning because Louis only had a few drinks and his throat feels dry and his head is teetering on the edge of aching. Louis checks his phone and texts Harry back saying he hopes that he enjoys his day out and that he loves him.

Two days later, he still has no reply. Apparently he'd gone Christmas tree shopping with his parents (according to his mum's facebook at least) on Sunday and then skipped school on Monday.

Tuesday, he shows his face again.

Louis nearly shits himself when the chair next to him scrapes loudly against the floor. Harry flops down in it heavily as Louis takes his earphones out.

"Hey, baby," he says quietly. "Didn't know you were coming in today."

Harry shrugs and grabs his water bottle out of his bag. He drops most of the contents on the floor and doesn't bother picking it up. Louis points out some of it is homework due in soon.

"Don't care."

Louis watches as Harry almost misses his mouth with his water bottle and takes a moment to consider that everyone on the table is staring at him.

"You got water?" Louis asks. Harry snorts. "H. You're in school."

"I know where I am," Harry lazily puts the lid on his water bottle, but it slips off quite quickly. Louis doesn't believe him.

"Harry," Niall frowns, "erm, are you okay?"

"I am," Harry pauses; Louis wants to apologise to everyone because Harry is practically shouting, "yeah, I'm fucking fantastic. Life is great."

Niall frowns even more and shares a look with Zayn and Liam as Louis groans into his hands.

"I think you should go home," Louis sighs calmly. "How'd you get here?"

"Dunno."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I just sort of," Harry pauses in order to stare off into the distance. He obviously gets distracted because he doesn't finish his sentence. Louis tries prompting him to talk but his eyes drift closed and his head begins to dip. Louis goes to grab the bottle from his hands but Harry has a vice grip on the thing.

"Come on, H. Don't go on me."

Harry twitches awake a few times, only to droop again, and eventually he passes out against Louis' shoulder. His water bottle is spilling all over the floor but Louis is more focused on Harry being blackout drunk in the middle of school and doing it in front of their friends. His face flushes red as his skin begins to prickle and every hair on his body stands on end.

"Louis," Zayn hisses, "what the fuck is this?"

Louis buries his face in his hands. Harry's cheek has fallen against his thigh so he takes one hand away to comb through Harry's hair and prays a teacher doesn't walk past.

He shrugs silently, tears building up in his eyes.

"I don't know what to do," Louis weeps. "I've gotta get him home."

"Is he pissed?" Louis nods. "What the fuck? What's wrong with him?"

"He's got a problem," Louis admits, shoulders shaking and tears rolling down his face. "I don't know how to help him."