One Collision ✔

Chapter Eighteen - Everything You Need

Chapter Eighteen – Everything You Need

***

You’ve got everything you need, but you want accessories.

***

It was a good thing they had finished recording the album, because Liam was on bed rest for about a week. After he had come out of his high, he could barely look at Victoria. He couldn’t believe how much he had told her, or how much she had told him. Things were awkward between them for a long time.

But, one day while Harry and Victoria were arguing about sports, Liam had plopped down on the couch next to her, slung his arm over the back of the couch, and joined in the conversation. Victoria and Harry had been frozen in shock for a short amount of time before the debate picked up again.

Afterwards, when Liam went to the bathroom, Louis cornered him.

“You’re being nice to her?” Louis asked, betrayal flitting across his face.

“Yeah, Lou, I am.” Liam crossed his arms.

“Why?”

Liam sighed and leant against the wall, “I realized I hated her for the wrong reasons. I’m not that guy, and neither are you.”

“We have perfectly valid reasons for disliking her!” Louis cried out quietly. He didn’t want Victoria or anyone else to hear this conversation.

“Oh really.” Liam lifted an eyebrow casually. “Tell me some.”

“She’s a girl!”

“That’s sexist.”

“She has no talent.”

“That’s bullshit, and you and I both know it.”

“She’s a complete bitch.”

Liam’s fists clenched, “Really? How so?”

“Do you hear how she talked to me?” Louis said triumphantly. “No respect.”

“You mean, how you talk to her? Or just about everyone else?” Liam said lowly, and Louis was speechless. “You verbally abused her, and she was defending herself. On top of that, she had loads of opportunities to slander you during interviews, and she hasn’t. She hasn’t said anything bad about any of us no matter how much we deserve it.”

“But!” Louis protested.

Liam pushed himself off the wall and turned his back on Louis. “She’s honest. About all of us. I don’t think you dislike her. I think you dislike the you she’s finally showing you. You don’t like the you, you see in the mirror.”

Louis stood there for a good five minutes after Liam left, wondering why those words rang so true.

***

Lo burst into the door of the flat, carrying six garment bags. “Hey! Tall people! Show me chivalry isn’t dead and fucking help.” She growled, her voice muffled under the weight of what she was carrying.

All of  the boys rushed over to her and grabbed the bags that had their names on them, Victoria remained reclined on the couch.

“What?” She asked in response to their outraged glares, “She said tall people. I don’t qualify.”

Lo still held onto Victoria’s garment bag, “It’s alright. I don’t want these morons to see until you put the dress on.”

Scratching her head, Victoria looked up sheepishly, “Um… could someone please remind me why exactly Lo is here, please.”