The Little Shop

The Bit with the Monkey and the Ripped Skirt

"We can't just leave it here, Li," Louis is saying, pointing down at the animal. "It could die!" 

"It's a wild animal... in a zoo," Liam says, crossing his arms. "It's not going to die."

"Animals live shorter lives in captivity," Louis smirks, crossing his arms.

"Our flat counts as captivity, genius," I say, rolling my eyes. "Besides, you only want it because AJ's leaving," I say. 

"Untrue! I've wanted a monkey for ages!" Louis says, pointing at me. 

"Lou, we're here to spend a nice night with AJ, not to adopt animals that aren't domestic and force them to live in our flat and wear a diaper so they don't soil our carpets," Harry concludes. "Now, let's go home. It's really late."

"I'll be back for you," Louis whispers, patting the monkey's head through the bars- which, by the way, the sign specifically says for you not to do. 

"No he won't," I call to the monkey. Niall trudges along behind me, staring down at the screen of his phone intently, as if it was the only thing in the world. I figured he was playing that racing game, so I left him be. 

"We can adopt a monkey that doesn't already have a home, Lou," Liam says, patting Lou's back as they walk, ahead of me. Louis likes to lead. He always has, and he always will. 

The trip back to the flat was a long one. I just kept thinking, this could be our last car ride with AJ and, what if we never see her again after tomorrow morning? Liam and Louis were somehow able to dance along to Suit and Tie by Justin Timberlake when it came up on the radio. I don't blame them, because it's such tune... but how could they feel so carefree at a time like this.

Watching Niall play Temple Run 2 only further proved the fact that I was the only one freaking out. Harry and AJ were asleep on top of each other, so maybe he was freaking out in his sleep. We never really told AJ she'd be going home. I guess we'll tell her when we tuck her in.

"Merry little flat," Liam singsongs, unlocking the front door and flicking on the lights. "I can't wait to put you in your bed, good looking," he sings to AJ. I laugh at him as he rocks her in his arms. 

"You sound like chocolate when you sing," AJ says in a tired voice. Liam titled his head sideways and thought for a moment before he grinned at her. He decided he liked sounding like chocolate, I guess, because his grin only grew the more he seemed to talk about it. 

"Pyjama time, everyone," Niall announces, clapping his hands. "Whoa," he says, pausing in the doorway to his room, where he was probably going to get pyjamas. 

"What?" Louis asks, walking up behind him. His eyes look like they're going to pop right out of his head, and his lips are slightly parted, like his jaw has dropped, but not to the point where he dislocated it or anything. 

"AJ... I think somebody got busy while we were dancing the night away," Niall chuckles, entering the room. After sharing some looks, the rest of us join them in Niall's room, where sure enough, at least twenty shopping bags, overflowing with pink and white and blue and yellow clothes. Cute little skirts and denim jackets and sweater sets, all of them AJ's size. 

"Marcy bought her an entire wardrobe," Liam says in disbelief, letting AJ wiggle out of his arms and over to a bag of clothes. She pulls out a little navy blazer, identical to one that Harry owns. She's tossing the clothes all over the floor- lace and pink and purple and Mini Liam flannels and varsity jackets and suspenders and high tops and cardigans and band t-shirts are littering the carpet by the time she's emptied all the bags. She's even got a few tank tops, like the ones Nialler often wears.