Change Your Ticket Home [Elounor]

3. Half A Heart

"And being here without you
Is like I'm waking up to
Only half a blue sky
Kind of there but not quite
I'm walking round with just one shoe
I'm half a heart without you
I'm half a man at best
With half an arrow in my chest
I miss everything we do
I'm half a heart without you"

-Half A Heart (One Direction)

~

Eleanor never picked up the phone or called back and Louis got caught up with convincing Zayn to not leave. Zayn already had sorted out everything with Simon, their boss and signed off three nights of the tour.

"Do you really have to go?" Niall asked. They were all gathered around Zayn's room, watching him pack his clothes.

"I screwed up bad, mate. If I don't go I might just lose her," Zayn's husky voice answered.

"But you'll be back right?" Harry asked glancing up at him.

Zayn didn't answer, maybe because he wasn't sure if he wanted to return. The tour was stressing him too much. At that moment, Louis knew he knew Zayn wouldn't be back. Anger flashed through his eyes, "Stop trying to escape from everything, Malik."

"I am not trying to," Zayn spoke maintaining his posture.

"Oh yes you are. You always have been," Louis bluntly accused him.

"Atleast I have my priorities straight," Zayn shot back and Louis froze on his spot. "Unlike you, I know what I want or rather whom I want."

That hit a spot. Louis glared and walked out.

He didn't know what was happening, everything seemed perfect two days before and now everything was falling apart. Eleanor wouldn't talk to him. His best friend, who was supposed to be there for him, was leaving. He had just screwed up bad.

Louis always had given his family the first preference but he wouldn't betray One Direction for anything in this world. He had his priorities straight, it was One Direction. It always had been. Fans had done so much for them, he couldn't just let them down, even if he had to sacrifice his own happiness. He only hoped he wouldn't regret making a choice.

Liam had followed him outside, trying to keep his pace. Louis was expecting him to lecture but they just walked in silence until they reached the corridor.

"Go ahead and tell me I shouldn't have done what I did," Louis spat. "Tell me it's all my fault that Zayn is leaving. Tell me."

"No, I am not here to tell you that and this isn't your fault," Liam spoke back calmly.

Louis didn't reply.

"You are old enough to know what's right and what's not. But I just think you could handle situations better than this," Liam squeezed his shoulder before walking away and Louis didn't know what to say back. He always had sassy replies but with Liam's niceness he always was left speechless.

No matter how annoyed he was, he was there when Zayn left. Zayn hugged Harry and Louis chuckled, "Harry's going to have high time singing your high notes, bestow him the powers."

Niall laughed out loud, Liam nodded satisfactory and Zayn chuckled too.

"Why don't you sing them then?" Harry challenged and Louis just flipped him the finger.

"I am surely gonna miss this arguments," Zayn smiled hugging Liam.

"I'll miss you too much Zayn," Liam sniffed.

Niall buried his nose into crook of Zayn's neck and wrapped his hands around his torso. When Zayn came to Louis, his hug was a quick one. He was not too happy with Louis or what he said earlier.

"Come back soon," Louis forced out trying not to cry. Zayn nodded and took off.

While others returned to their own business, something inside Louis was so sure that this would be the last goodbye. But he just shrugged off the thought and convinced himself that Zayn would eventually provide a shoulder for him to cry on. But for now his sister was doing that job. Lottie, was touring with them and as much it was annoying for Louis to have his sister on tour he quite enjoyed pranking her with the boys.

Later that night, Lottie found Louis drowning wine bottle in his room. So she sat besides him and then talked about anything and everything. Lottie knew Eleanor and their relationship very well and provided advice to Louis from time to time. She and Eleanor had grown into best friends. She wasn't too happy about the split.

"So are you going back to London and try to clear things up?" Lottie spoke careful not to mention Eleanor's name.

"I am on tour, I can't just go back," Louis pointed.

"But Zayn's - "

"Exactly, Zayn's not here, if I leave too. I am not sure that would be a good impression on fans."

"What about her then? Are you sorting out things on phone?" Little did Lottie know that Eleanor wouldn't answer his calls or texts.

"She'll understand. She always has," Louis' mind was open book for Eleanor, she always knew what he was thinking, maybe that's why he was so into her.

"Louis, not this time. She's really heartbroken," and Lottie knew the fact that no matter how much Eleanor loved Louis, she was a girl. She wasn't insensitive to all this.

"I know, fuck. I can't wait to get her in my arms but what about tour, what about loyalty," Louis grabbed a handful of his hair and lowered his head.

"Why do you always think about others first?" Lottie couldn't figure out why her brother who had been sassing anyone and everyone was so selfless.

"Because that's what she taught me, to care about others first. To be grateful to those who are there. Always."

"Then shouldn't you be caring about her? She was there, for four years. Her loyalty was impeccable."

"Fans were here for five years," Louis muttered.

"Okay then, atleast break up with her properly," Lottie was losing her patience but she took a deep breath.

"I can't, I love her," the idea of not having her was terror and though world thought they were not together, he knew losing her was nightmare.

"You are the King of mix-signals. I don't know how she handles your ass."

Louis chuckled because he has been thinking about the same thing for four years, "She's the only one who can handle the sass and my ass."