How's everyone doing?
This chapter is kinda shitty, but next one is going to be great. ✨
Promise.
Mag 🦋
FIVE
After Ed's wedding I couldn't stop replaying that night for the whole week.
I had that reminiscence of an almost perfect night still tingling in my mind.
Louis' flower was still in a vase in my living room, just waiting to shrivel up.
Sometimes I look at it and think about its meaning. Readiness.
What did he mean by giving that to me?
What was his reason?
Something just kept feeling odd about it, but extremely right at the same time.
I snapped out of my thoughts, remembering I had a place to be.
After choosing a perfect outfit to go out, picking my stuff and doing my hair, I was ready.
I quickly took my car keys and my wallet, going out of my flat. Ready to spend a great night with my friends.
Today was Saturday and it was Zayn's bachelor party. Nothing big, we were just going to a bar and getting drunk.
Of course Liam had told me to invite Louis too.
But I wouldn't. I just needed to come up with an excuse.
All of my friends kept going on about how great William was, and how much they liked him.
What a pity he is fake.
They didn't make me feel any better though.
Lying was hard. And they got attached too quickly.
Of course the first thing they asked when I arrived was about William.
"Where is he?" - Liam asked.
"Why is he not coming?" - Zayn asked.
"Did he not like us? He was so funny." - Roman added.
"He even made Mitch laugh." - Ed said.
"Yeah, he is a keeper." - Liam added.
"He is not coming, guys. Put up with it." - I answered.
"Why?" - They all said at unison.
Okay, I was overwhelmed. They really liked Louis.
"I don't know guys, he said he had some things to do. He will go to the wedding though." - I said and Niall, who was surprisingly quiet, raised an eyebrow at me.
"He is so gorgeous." - Nick said and Meshach, his soon to be husband, hit him in the arm.
"It was really nice to meet him, he is lovely around you." - Ed said.
"You make a really hot couple." - Roman said.
"Okay, guys that's enough. Leave Harry alone." - Niall interrupted.
"What? Niall, you're always the first to ask everything about our new partners." - Roman said.
"Yeah, what's wrong with you? William is our new favorite topic of conversation." - Ed said.
"Yeah, but tonight is about Zayn." - I said.
"True." - Nick said.
"But Zayn is boring." - Roman said.
"Oh, shut up!" - Zayn replied.
At that moment the waiter came to take our orders. All of us asked for beers to start. We didn't want to be that drunk just yet. The night had just begun.
"So, How is Gigi doing?" - I started, trying to change the subject.
"She is stressing me out. She never stops doing things." - Zayn answered.
"I guess that's normal."
"Yeah, I can't wait til next Friday though."
"It's awesome mate." - Ed said.
"Yeah? How's married life treating you?" - Zayn asked.
The waiter came back with the beers for all of us.
"Thanks." - We said at unison.
"We are really happy. It's really great." - Ed replied to Zayn's question.
"I bet it is only the honeymoon phase." - Niall said, sipping on his beer.
"I bet you're going to propose to Amelia sooner than you think." - Liam said.
"No, I won't."
"Yes, you totally are." - Zayn agreed.
"I like being free."
"You're so smitten with her that we are sure you're next." - Nick said.
"No! It's just as unlikely as Harry proposing to William." - Niall said.
What?
"So if Harry proposes to his boyfriend you will marry Amelia?" - Ed asked.
"He is not my boyfriend." - I said.
"Sure, man." - Roman said, and tapped my shoulder.
"So, here's the bet." - Nick started. - "If Harry and William are engaged before Niall and Amelia are married we all win what? Fifty pounds from Niall?"
"Sure, yeah." - Niall rolled his eyes.
"If not, we all pay Niall." - Roman added.
"I'm listening." - Niall said and I snorted.
"Leave me out of this." - Mitch said.
"Booooring." - Nick said and Liam hit his arm.
"So, Harry, it's up to you now." - Zayn said to me.
"No guys. No way. I just met him."
"But you're keeping him. We won't let you break up with him." - Liam said.
"Yeah, we want him on the squad." - Roman added.
"We already approved him." - Zayn said.
"I really like him." - Mitch added.
"Well, guys sorry to disappoint you, but I'm sure Harry is not going to keep him." - Niall said.
"Why do you say that?"
"It's clear that they are going to end up together. You saw them."
"Guys, please stop talking about it." - I said.
"Harry, you should be proud. Why are you so tense about this?" - Nick said.
"Just, stop please."
I was about to sip on my beer when a notification of 'rent a date.' showed up at the screen of my phone.
From William T.
"Curly, I need to confirm that you want me to work next Friday in your other friend's wedding, so I can save the day."
I smiled to myself while reading it.
"Look, guys. Harry is smiling."
"Who would that be?" - Roman wiggled his eyebrows.
"Let him talk to his boyfriend." - Ed said.
"He is not my boyfriend." - I said sharply.
"Whatever, just answer to your man." - Roman said.
I rolled my eyes and stood up from the table, going outside to avoid my friends staring at me while talking to Louis.
I looked back at my phone and quickly typed a reply.
"Yes, please. It's before lunch. It's a daylight wedding."
"Dress code?"
"It's outside, so casual."
"What are you going to wear?"
"Pink trousers and a flower buttoned up."
"What? Is that a joke?"
"No, why?"
"You're bold. Aren't you? I was thinking about doing matching suits, but there's no way I'll match that."
I laughed out loud at his reply.
"Maybe you can wear a pink tie?"
"Nope."
"Pink belt?"
"Nope."
"Pink shoes?"
"Nope. No Pink."
"Well, you're boring."
"I'M NOT BORING."
"Agree to disagree."
"I dislike you, Curly."
"I don't care. You're still working for me."
"Where is the shy guy I met last week?"
"I'm just messing with you."
"Ok, I'll pick you up at 11 am next Friday then."
"Great :)"
"Wow, are we on a smiley faces basis?"
"Does it bother you?"
"Nah. See you, Harry."
"Bye, Louis."
"I'm William for you."
"Sure."
":)"
An smiley face.
That 's good, right?
I sighed, still holding a smile on my face, not noticing Niall standing by my side.
"Was it William?"
"Mmm, yeah."
"How much money are you going to spend on hiring him? I thought it would be only for Ed's wedding."
"It was. But they all liked him so much that I had to hire him again."
"You can't lie to everyone much longer though."
"I'm not planning to. I'll say I broke up with him soon. Besides, I can't afford paying him much longer either."
"Yeah, do it before it gets out of your control. Liam just asked me if I could get Williams' number because he wants to invite him to play football tomorrow."
"What?! No! I don't even have his number."
"I know you asshole. I told him to respect your privacy. But still. You can't keep this going much longer."
"I know, I know."
Niall tapped on my shoulder.
"Let's go back inside."
I nodded and we both got inside of the bar again, sighing in defeat.
I really didn't know how to get out of this now.