One Direction Preferences✔️

Soundtrack Series • Midnight Memories • You & I

Harry: "You going to answer that?" Syd inquires, looking down at your phone buzzing on the coffee table for the third time in a row. You look at the phone and then up at her. "You should really answer it," she tells you. You know you should, but you just can't find the motivation. You lean down, reaching towards the table, but the phone stops. "You really shouldn't be ignoring his calls. I don't think he's been drunk all day yesterday and half of the day today." She's been paying close attention to your phone. You can't really fault her though. You've had it sitting out, and he hasn't stopped calling since the morning after the run in at the club a few days ago. That's what it felt like at least. "You clearly don't know him very well," you admit, even though you know she's probably right. "You're just making excuses. Next time he calls, if you don't answer, I'm answering for you." She was so brash sometimes. It hadn't taken you very long to catch onto that trait of hers. You brush off her comment just in time for your phone to light up again. She reaches for it from her end of the couch but you smack her hand away. "Give me time, Jesus," you scold as you pick up your phone and stare at the screen. Do you really want to do this? Do you really want to talk to him? If you didn't, Sydney would, she's already giving you the look. You get up from the couch as you answer the call. "Hello," you say calmly into the phone, walking into your room and closing the door, this conversation was private. "It's about fucking time," he barks, and you know he isn't drunk. Harry after a couple of drinks would never talk to you like that. "What do you need?" You ask politely, trying to keep your composure. You have so many things to say to him but they weren't getting out in this conversation. There is a long pause after your question. You have no idea what he is planning right now. "I guess I have some explaining to do," he admits, and you take a seat on your bed. You weren't expecting any sort of explanation. You were sure he was just going to yell at you for not answering the phone for the last few weeks. "Go on, I guess," you muse as you wait for him to continue. "It's no secret that I was in LA last week. I mean I kind of wish it was, but I can't really hide it from you because somehow the world brought us together that night." He was getting philosophical now, this should be interesting. "I was out with people I know you didn't want to be out with, so that's why I didn't stay with you." Oh, this is his 'Reason number, whatever number you are on now, I blew you off' explanation. "I'm also sorry that I didn't talk to you that night either; I should have. I shouldn't have just walked by you knowing that you saw me. I'm such a dick sometimes." No kidding. "Why are you telling me all of this?" You question honestly. "Is it because you think it's what you should be doing?" "No, it's what I know you need. I shouldn't be acting like this. You're my best friend. I should not be trying to sneak around you, no matter what reasoning I think I have for it." You could feel all of the emotions of the last few weeks welling up in your eyes. "I shouldn't have let anything change us; that is all on me. You have always been one of my top priorities, and nothing should ever get in the way of that. I love you way too much to allow that." He is telling you everything you need to hear from him in this moment. "I promise I'm going to try harder. I want you to be able to-" "Hey, Harry?" You interrupt, wiping the tears from your eyes. "Yeah?" "Shut up," you choke out with a slight chuckle. He was going to step on his soapbox any moment, and you didn't need to hear any more of his speech.
Liam: You can barely hear what Mark is saying through the door he had closed in your face only moments prior. He knows you are right outside the door which explains why he has lowered his voice, making it nearly impossible to eavesdrop. You aren't like this with all of his phone calls. Most of the time you could care less who he was talking to. This call was different. It was one you weren't expecting. It was Liam. Yes, he was talking to Liam in the other room, and you weren't allowed to listen in. You had looked over at his phone as it started to ring, and the name that showed on the screen was surprise enough. Mark had only laughed as you followed him back through the house only to be shut out of your own bedroom. "That isn't fair!" You had shouted through the door. You hadn't said a word since, in hopes he would think you had walked away. Of course he hadn't, though. So your ear was practically glued to the door. "Yeah, I'll try man," you hear Mark say as he gets closer to the door. You quickly sprint towards the living room. You collapse onto the couch and pull a magazine off of the floor. "You don't think I heard you storming off down the hallway?" Mark inquires with a smile once he reaches the living room. You bring the magazine down from your face with innocence. "What do you mean?" You are trying your best here. "Oh don't give me that," he counters, pulling the magazine from your grasp. "You had it upside down." You take a look at the pages he was showing you. "What?! I'm sorry! I just wanted to know what you were talking about." He shakes his head. "Why won't you tell me? He's my friend, not yours!" "Just a few days ago you wanted nothing to do with him. Why is it so different now?" Had that really just come out of your mouth? Had you really just called Liam a friend? "I just don't understand why you are so concerned with him all of a sudden," you admit, turning around and leaning on the back of the couch to face him. "He is concerned with you which means he is concerned with me. He was here before I was, and I have no plans on getting in the middle of the two of you. He and I have talked, and I know that's what his original thought was, that I was going to get in between you. But I have told him repeatedly, before and just then that my intentions will never be to do that. My focus is on you, and so is his. We have a common interest, what is so wrong with that?" You hadn't really ever thought of it like that. But you still find it very difficult to believe that Liam is so ready and willing to accept everything Mark had just explained to you, not after everything that had happened. Maybe you weren't giving him enough credit though. If Mark didn't seem to be worried about him anymore then you shouldn't be either. "What did he say to you when you told him that you weren't trying to take me away from him?" You question, desperately wanting to know the answer. "I'm not going to tell you everything he said. We spoke in private for a reason. There are things he didn't want to talk about in front of you, and I told him that I would make sure you weren't around." Well now they have officially driven you crazy. What was going on with Liam that was so secretive that you couldn't know? And why did Mark get to know?
Niall: Paperwork, so much paperwork. Your desk was covered, and as the morning hours went on it only seemed to grow. They are reopening the Washington Square next week, so every little end that needs to be tied up is sitting in front of you. You are deep in a file about bed sheets when the front desk rings your phone. "Yes?" You answer, putting the call on speaker so you can continue working. "There is someone here for you, (Y/N)." Perfect timing, of course. There's someone here for you when you've got so much work to do. You think back to all of the potential clients you had talked to this week and wondered which one of them it was. You get up from your chair, staring down at your work, not wanting to leave it. You take the lift down to the front desk, it was a short ride, but this was a policy of Kati's you weren't very fond of. Why can't clients just come up to everyone's offices? Why do you have to go pick them up like a child at daycare? The lift chimes, and the doors open allowing you to make your way to the front desk. The lobby is big and open, with people constantly walking around. But there's a guy in particular standing at the reception desk. The blonde hair gives him away immediately. You stand in shock as the lift doors close behind you. The receptionist says something, and he turns around to see your reaction. "What are you doing here?" You say with a surprised smile. "I can't tell if you're excited or not," he admits and opens his arms. You quickly walk into them. "I just wasn't expecting to see you so soon. I didn't even know there was a break in your schedule yet." You hadn't really had time to play 'Where in the World Is the Boyfriend' lately. "It's just a small one, but I figured I would spend it with you. Going back to London just isn't the same without you there." This isn't exactly what you need to be hearing. It had taken you long enough to get over him not wanting the two of you to see each other as often as you used to; he was acting like that conversation never happened. You ignore his comment as best you can and take his hand. "Come on, I've got to get back upstairs." You smile at the receptionist and thank her before heading back up to your office. "Jesus," he says, looking at your desk, once the two of you were in your office. "Tell me about it," you respond, taking your seat as he relaxes on your couch that had somehow missed the paper explosion. "Is all of that the Washington project?" You're surprised he can even remember what you are working on; you certainly haven't made the time to keep up with what he's been doing. You nod in response to his question and continue with the files. You are sure this isn't how he imagined he would be spending his time with you. You're certain he thought you would take the rest of the day off, but after seeing your desk he knows that isn't possible. He can only watch you work for now. He's thinking about how everything between you is different now. He can't help but see you've been too busy to keep up with his life. He misses it, and he misses you. If you could hear his thoughts you would stop him right there. You don't want him thinking about how everything is different. You did that, and it almost broke you. He is your strength, if he breaks, there's no way you can make it. You continue to work though, and his thoughts continue to wander.
Louis: You've seen the link several times. The fans have been sending it to you ever since the concert ended, you're sure. You're hesitant to open it though; lord only knows what it will actually show you. You click on the link and push the laptop back, precautionary measures. "Cape Town!!" You hear Harry shout right at the start. Always so energetic that one. "Are you finished?" Louis inquires, turning around on the runway to address his bandmate and friend. Harry holds his hands out to allow Louis to continue. You can't help but smile. You missed the banter on tour. "Right, this next song, is a special one," Louis begins. You aren't sure what part of the show this is because it doesn't seem like any part where Louis would introduce a song. "You got this?" Liam teases, bringing a glare from Louis and another smile from you. "Yeah, I got this," he says between his teeth. This was definitely something new, and the boys were giving him hell about it. "This next song-" "Louis, are you sure you've got it?" Niall questions, not being able to hide his smirk. "Shut the hell up!" Louis shouts back, and they all can't help but laugh, you included. What was he even on about? The rest of the boys cover their mouths in promise to keep quiet and allow him to proceed. "Okay, now, as I was saying," he begins, turning around sharply once he looks over at the screen to see Harry opening his mouth. "I dare you," he threatens, and Harry quickly tightens his lips with a grin. "This next song is one that I have always enjoyed. I think it is special to us all in some way or another. But now more than ever it means the world to me. I want you all to sing with us as loud as you possibly can and just take in the words and this moment." The band begins to play the music and he walks back up the runway to join the rest of the boys at the mic stands. The crowd screams as they recognize the melody and Louis takes his place behind his stand, putting his mic into place. Niall begins to sing and the crowd does exactly what Louis asked of them. This is the loudest you've ever heard a crowd sing with them. They are swaying and singing, and you are sure there are a few tears. This song brings it out in most everyone. The second verse comes and you can feel your heart beating faster as Louis's solo approaches. You take in every word he is singing, sharing in the emotions of the moment they created for the fans last night. You miss this so much. You miss him so much. You want nothing more than to get out of this depressing house and be on the road with him, watching him do this every night in front of you. Watching him perform via a shaky YouTube video is not at all how you had planned for this tour to go. You can't change how the cards fall though, and you know you are stuck here. You can tell Louis is singing his heart out during this one. He is meaning every line and he is sending every word to out to you. The fans know it too. They wouldn't have sent you the link to the video if they didn't. You're surprised at the response though. You had experienced so much negativity at the beginning of your relationship, but they were showing you compassion now. You aren't sure whether it is the situation you are in at home or if they finally realize that everything between you and Louis is real and that you have no intention of taking his love away from them. The video ends, and you sit and stare at all of the suggested videos. Most of them are of the same video you had just watched, but from a different angle. Louis had shared this moment with over 64,000 people, and now they were sharing it with the world. You haven't felt this kind of happiness in weeks and it's all because a boy with messy brown hair and a sensitive heart wanted to dedicate a song to you.