Hello, Hello, No Goodbye

Chapter 15

Friday

19:45.

Louis loves driving alone in the evenings. The ease of the slight darkness allows his mind to drift into lazy daydreams. His thoughts usually become crisp when his eyes concentrate on the road, and his body operates the car on smooth muscle memory.

He glances at the passenger seat beside him. Two packages carefully placed. The big one is wrapped in bright pink shimmery paper. He doesn't know what's in it. Ivy brought it in a few hours earlier.

It's for Hanane. It's her birthday today. That's where he is heading right now. But there is one more box.

Golden. Way smaller. Louis reaches and picks it up. This one, he wrapped himself. This one is for Harry. Louis brings it to his lips and kisses the box. Lad, you are such a sob. He smiles at the thought. He places it back carefully, running the plan through his head again.

He will arrive at Hanane's at 20:00.

He will leave at 21:30.

He will have 30 min to get to Niall's bar to meet Harry at 22:00.

He smiles. This is a genius plan. Be done with the annoying part first, and then enjoy the rest of the evening.

19:58

Louis pushes his body into the house, carrying the bigger gift and smiling, knowing so well that this crowd records and puts everything on social media. He makes his way through until he sees Hanane. She looks gorgeous in a skin-tight dress, with her make-up and hair perfectly done. Louis' heart aches. She really deserves better than this. He puts the present on a table and pulls her in a surprise hug from behind. Not missing the phone cameras pointed at them.

"Happy birthday, Hanane!" His words are sincere. Almost as sincere as the kiss he placed on her lips when she turned around. "You look so gorgeous!" he complements her, picking up the gift. "This is for you."

He watches as she opens the gift, happily commenting on all the designer things Ivy put in there, pretending he knew it all. He quickly looks at his phone while she tries on some Gucci sunglasses. The brand name reminded him of his love. 20:15. Gosh, time is really dragging here.

He was trying to put together some words for when he would give Harry his present– Suddenly, she grabbed his hand and dragged him to the stairs. They had to stop and chat with a couple of people on the way. Louis always feels under the spotlight when he is with her. He hates that. Especially now that he knows how he feels when he is with Harry. His heart nugs for that soft, homey feeling that fills his universe when Harry is around.

I should ask him to move in with me. It makes perfect sense.

Harry is renting his apartment. And Louis has enough space in his house for Harry to even have a separate work area! Louis smiles, thinking about the little things he has at home that he got for Harry. Some weird herbal tea, cute mugs, and warm slippers... He is roughly zapped back to reality with a loud slam of the bedroom door.

"You have to be kidding me, Louis!" Hanane starts abruptly.

"What?" Louis does not know where this is coming from.

She continues in a mocking voice,"Harry is very special to me, blah blah blah?"

Oh, he knows what she is on about.

"You brought him to the interview!"

"Oh, Hanane, don't start."

"You never brought me to an interview!" Her voice is high and hurting Louis' ears.