After Life

36

"Happy now?"

"Marginally," he agreed. "Now I just need food. Fucking airline food is shit."

"We just had Chinese," I informed him with a hint of teasing.

"Any left?"

"No,"

"Well that's just bloody rude, isn't it?"

I laughed at his expense, pulling my legs under me to curl up on the couch. "Mia and I are trying to study for finals."

"How is that going?"

"Its going," I admitted, glancing around the mess of papers around me. "Not particularly well, but its going."

"Hmm," was the only response, and I wondered what he was doing. "Hang on, Niall just walked in,"

I heard the shuffle of his phone, before the distant voices of the two men muffled through the phone.

"Just get in?" an Irish voice said, barely audible.

"A minute ago," Harry said. "Fucking starving, want to order something?"

"Don't I always?" Niall laughed. "Why you holdin' your phone?"

"Talking to Lane,"

"Aw, barely in the door and gotta call the girlfriend, yeah?" Niall pestered. "This girls got you hooked, man,"

"Shut up, Horan," Harry threatened, as I heard his phone move again. The voices were now barely audible, and I could tell he had tightened his grip over the receiver.

A few more moments passed, muffled voices I could no longer hear, before Harry came back on the line.

"Sorry, we were just talking about food,"

"Typical men," he teased, trying to ignore the comments from Niall and the way they made my stomach flip.

"Would you rather me say we were talking about sex?"

"Harry, for God sake,"

He laughed loudly, the laugh I knew would have his head leaned back, his face scrunched. I could only tisk at him in reprimand, until he calmed his laughter.

"So, do you want to shoot tomorrow after your project class?" he asked.

"Are you sure you'll be up for it? Not too tired?"

"I am," he admitted. "But I kind of just want to get this last shoot done, you know?"

I nodded, feeling a little dejected at his comment. He wanted the shoot to be over, whereas I felt like I was holding on to it as a tangible connection between us. The last definite link to ensure I didn't lose him yet.  So long a I didn't finish this project, our relationship didn't come to an end.

"Any new ideas for theme?" he asked.

"No, not yet."

He was quiet for a moment, before continuing. "Still thinking about the one you told me?"

"No!" I lied quickly. "No, I know that's not going to work. I just haven't found something that will yet. Been too wrapped up with finals coming," I knew I was a horrible liar, and was probably failing miserably, but I didn't want him to think that I had spent the last week clinging to the idea of showcasing his scars to the world.

He was silent, neither calling me out for my lie or making a suggestion of his own, until I heard Niall's voice in the background again.

"Lane, I gotta go, Niall and I are gonna go grab a pizza,"

"Okay," I said, feeling on edge suddenly.

"I will swing by tomorrow after my American lit class, okay?"

"Sure. But if you're too tired..."

"I will be there," he interrupted, and I could hear him shuffling around. "See you soon,"