Neighbors ☹☻ narry ✔️

xviii. a ziam story of irony

"I love you Z." Liam whispered, kissing his nose once before backing up so that the doctor and several nurses could help him into a wheel chair.

"And I love you Liam Payne."

☹☻

Great, Liam thought. He was crying again.

"Liam! What's going on?" Josh called running to where the small congregation had formed; Louis trailing not to far behind.

"Zayn, might have cancer." Liam said. The words still didn't register all the way, it was like saying that your a millionaire after winning the lottery; you're still to in shock to believe it.

"Oh, Li, I'm so sorry." Josh said, throwing himself into his younger cousins arms. Louis watched from afar a bit awkwardly, not exactly sure of what to say.

"What are you doing here?" Niall asked suddenly, turning his head to look at Louis. The look in his eyes suggested that he wasn't mad at Louis, just hurt.

"I'm not soulless." Louis said with a shrug, although he sort of felt as if he were soulless. He had thought about it, and maybe he was a bit wrong to get back at Harry by being awful to Niall. That wouldn't bring back his step-sister.

"Ok." Harry muttered sarcastically, causing Niall to giggle.

"No fighting guys. This is not the time." Josh said, still comforting his solemn cousin.

"You're right. Sorry Li." Louis said melancholy, trying to keep his face normal, and not allow any of the emotions he was feeling escape.

"S'ok Lou." Liam muttered, his voice ruffled in Josh's shirt. Liam had known Louis the longest out of him, Josh, and Niall. He had went to high school with Louis, but they never talked until he applied at his fathers' cafe, so he had an undeniable soft spot for the boy.

"Niall, Harry, could you go get Liam a cup of water?" Josh said suggestively. He knew that he had to keep Louis separated from the other two boys, so no fights broke out. No one wanted a fistfight on a night like tonight, Liam and the other patients especially.

"Sure." Niall said, gesturing with his head for Harry to follow. They went off in the direction of the cafeteria, leaving Louis, Josh, and Liam alone in the suddenly vacant sitting area. Louis sat down in one of the blue plastic chairs, hoping that maybe he could disappear into the wall before Niall got back. He felt like such a major prick for being so mean to Niall, but he was too much of a coward to apologize. Louis had never been the best at being nice to people, mostly because of the constant teasing and bullying he received all of his life for his height, his looks, his voice, and his "twinkish" style. He had been criticized his whole life to the point where he just broke and began beating the hell out of anyone who messed with him. Louis wasn't tough be nature, but he learned that he had to be.

Josh sat down beside Louis, who was randomly staring off into space, his eyes swirling with emotions like a billion tiny infinities.

"What are you thinking about?" Josh asked. Liam had went to the restroom, and Harry and Niall had yet to return with water, leaving them alone in the quiet room.

"How awful I am. How much of a bloody git I am to everyone. I don't have the slightest idea why you didn't walk out of Bean's earlier with the rest of the lot, but it means a lot to me that you didn't." Louis admitted. He had trouble expressing his feelings, but Josh made him feel like he could open up and be himself; someone he hadn't been in a rather long time. He barely remembered who he was before he was this bitter, hateful person. But, if he thought about it, it came back to him. He was a shy, sweet boy who hid his bright eyes behind his brunette bangs. He listened to music by the Fray, he danced around his room without a care, he sang at the top of his lungs because he could. He lived inside a small dreamland, where everything was ok. Where he was ok.