There's A Reason - A Larry Stylinson Love Story

Chapter 14 - Keeping It To Himself

I’d already checked Louis’ room, and it obviously couldn’t be in there. As I lay back on my bed, I tried to think of other places he might’ve left the journal.

Wait a minute; in the vacation house he’d had a thinking room where the journal had been. Was it possible that he had a quiet place like that here and I hadn’t noticed?

It wouldn’t be another of the boys’ rooms. It also couldn’t be somewhere we went often, like the kitchen, bathroom, living room, or game room. With that in mind, I began walking around the house to look for a room that he could’ve used to be alone.

Passing the laundry room, I almost took a look but stopped as I decided Liam uses that too much. Same with the studying room, which was basically filled with books and learning material that only Daddy Li would ever bother to read. There were no more rooms on the first floor, so I climbed the stairs. The only rooms here were our bedrooms and the guest room. That might be worth a shot.

I checked under the mattress, where he’d hid his journal before. No luck. Scouring the space as I had done earlier to Lou’s room, I found nothing. Where else could it be? I was about to give up when I remembered the little attic room.

There was a tiny little room that was technically part of the attic. It had a small window and could only be reached from a little drop-down ladder that Liam had installed. I’d thought none of the boys used it, so I almost forgot it existed. Reaching up, I pulled out the ladder and entered the room.

Immediately I knew that this was Louis’ thinking room. There were random striped shirts and TOMs lying around and a Boo-shaped indent on a comfy looking red beanbag chair. The blinds on the window were open just enough to let in light without exposing the room to the outside. Only Lou would have a room like this. I could feel the peace and understood why he’d kept this place a secret; it was something to be experienced alone. I felt the tension in my shoulders release as I sighed.

Suddenly feeling as if I’d forgotten something important, I racked my brain. Right, the journal! Scanning over the room, I saw two blue and white striped shirts but no book. I picked up the beanbag and crawled under the little table and even wiped my hands between the blinds. Nothing. Maybe he took the journal with him and only thought he left it home.

Deciding I may as well check everything while I was up there, I flipped over the shoes and shook out the clothing. As I was shaking the first striped shirt, I heard a small thump and looked down. There, right in front of my toes, was his journal. Smiling, I dropped the shirt and grabbed the book tightly. I hoped it was worth the long search.

I headed back down to my room and shut the door behind me. Sitting down, I laid the book in my lap. I had two days until Louis returned, and I planned to use that time wisely to determine what the problem he spoke of writing about was.

As I opened the cover, I saw he’d scrawled out a title on the first page. Louis William Tomlinson’s Journal, very creative. Smiling gently, I flipped the page and took a deep breath. I was finally going to read Boobear’s journal.

He wrote fairly well for a boy who didn’t pay attention in school. I chuckled as I read. It appeared he’d started this journal the day he got put together with us other boys, so I got to read our whole journey from Louis’ perspective. It was a nice change. I giggled at his pranks and rolled my eyes when he didn’t understand how he could be considered immature. Only Boo.

I looked at the clock and realized I’d been poring over the journal for a good four hours now. The other boys were likely wondering where I was, or maybe they just thought I was asleep. I shut the journal and stuffed it under my mattress, copying Louis’ idea. Sliding off the bed, I changed into fresh sweats and tossed the old ones on the floor; Liam would come get them for me later.