“Lou, here’s your dinner.” He winced as he sat up. “How are you feeling? Better?”
“A little. It hurts and itches but I’m managing.” He mumbled. I set his food on the small table next to his bed.
“Your pulled muscle itches?”
He shrugged, “I don’t know my back just itches so much but it hurts when I scratch it. It’s terrible.” I rest my head on his shoulder.
“I’m sorry you’re hurting Lou Lou.”
“It’s no big deal. Just an itch.” I hate when he plays things off like it’s nothing. He’s obviously in pain. “Why were you yelling?”
I sighed, “Chip is having a party.”
“Figures.” He snorted. I frowned; he’s usually quick to defend Chip but now he seemed fed up.
“Are you two fighting?”
He dipped his spoon in the soup, “I guess you can say that.”
“What happened?” Chip and Louis have never gotten in an argument that made they stop talking. They always got along, aside was the occasional bickering over me.
“He thinks I’m faking my injury to get out of training.” I gasped. “He thinks I couldn’t handle the work outs so I faked this injury to stop doing them.”
“That’s bullshit! Has he seen how much pain you’re in? The medicine you take? What the fuck is wrong with him?” It looks like something is about to break out from under his skin! How can you not believe that?
“I don’t know.” He slurped his soup before looking up at me. “Enough about me and Chip. Tell me something about you. I need my weekly Hunter update.”
I looked away from him, “I don’t have anything to tell.”
“Now I know that’s not true. Girls’ are always hiding something.”
“That generalization is a little wide isn’t it, Lou? Like, what’s Mom hiding?”
He smirked, “Mom is hiding that she hates getting old.” That seems right. Sometimes Louis is crazy smart.
“And…Brice?”
“That she thinks I’m hot.” I rolled my eyes. Louis can also be such a boy sometimes too. “Tell me what you’re hiding.” I played with the ends of my hair as I stared at my knees. “You like Niall don’t you.” I looked up at him confused. How did he know that? “I was eavesdropping on you and Brice.”
“Louis,” I groaned. “That’s not cool.”
He shrugged, making himself wince a little. “I wanted to know what she was shouting about.” He paused. “So it’s true then?” I sighed and nodded. “Why are you so ashamed?”
“Because he just—he makes me so confused. He has a girlfriend that he apparently likes, but he says he doesn’t like when I go a day without talking to him and he’s really flirty with me and it’s like…every time he looks at me his whole day has brightened up. He doesn’t even look at his own girlfriend like that and it just…confuses me. Like, if I make him that happy why isn’t he…” I trailed off.
Louis stayed silent as I rambled, listening intently as he always does.
“I don’t want to make him break up with Eileen…but I don’t want him to be with her either. I want him to—I…” I stopped because I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to say. “He’s such a nice guy; Eileen isn’t nice at all. He deserves someone like him—that can have fun and be weird with him—not Evil Eileen who is using him to keep her vagina filled.”
“Whoa,” Louis gasped, thrown off by my harsh tone and language.
“Well it’s true! She’s probably only dating him just to ensure that she’s the only one he’s fucking. She probably cheats on him all the time though.” I angrily ran a hand through my hair. “Why would you date someone in the summer anyway when you live across the ocean from them? How is that going to last? It’s obvious she’s only dating him for his dick! She doesn’t care about his feelings or wellbeing like…well like me.” My voice lowered at the last part as I realized when I was admitting.
“I actually care about him.” I whispered. “Eileen doesn’t.” Louis was silent for a long time processing my rant as he stared in his soup. He always takes a while to fully think about what he’s going to say in these situations.
“Well, personally I thought you two would be together from the start. But since you’re not,” he twisted his mouth up and leaned his elbows on his knees. “I don’t think you should just tell him to break up with Eileen because that’s kind of rude…but show him that you care. I don’t mean start making out with him on random occasions”—whoops—“but like…be there for him. He’ll see that you’re real and Eileen isn’t. Honestly, it’s refreshing to know a girl likes you for more than your body.” He smiled to himself, thinking about El I suppose. “You have to tell him about that part.
“I know you have problems with that—and I understand—but I think if you want him to come to you, you’ll have to push your insecurity away….instead of him.” I nodded knowingly. “And I agree; he does look at you kind of funny—in a good way.” He shifted on his bed so his leg was under him. “Before the tournament he asked me if you were mad at him. The kid looked distraught.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I told him I didn’t think so, but he started going on about you ignoring him.” He glanced at me. “I take it you were ignoring him because of Eileen?”
“Yeah.”
He chuckled, “Don’t give her what she wants.”
“She called me and told me she doesn’t want me to be alone with Niall because she doesn’t trust me.” He frowned. “She said I steal guys from her.” His face hardened.
“Seriously, I genuinely hate that girl. I’ve always kept my mouth shut because you chose to forgive her, but I never did. I always saw her as a snake. Don’t listen to anything she says, Hunter. That’s an order.”
I smirked. “Yes sir.”
“I’m serious.”
“I know, Lou.”
“Good—”
There was a loud, drunken chant from downstairs. “GREEKS, GREEKS, GREEKS!” I rolled my eyes.
“He brought those idiots over here?” Louis grumbled. I gave him a confused look—I thought they were his friends too. “I’ve never liked hanging out with them. I always brought Zayn with me.” Wow, I’m just figuring out all sorts of new things right now.
“Oh.”
We fell into silence as he finished his dinner. My motherly instinct took over when he complained about being too full. I had to force him to eat everything before he could lie down. Once his plate was cleared I offered to give him a massage since that’s what Mom suggested I do if he was in pain. Louis was resistant at first, but I’m not going to lie—I give pretty good massages. He told me to stay away his lower to middle back because that was ‘the itchy part’ and I did as he said. Soon he fell asleep under my hands, snoring lightly with his hair fanned over his head.
I grabbed his plate and bowl, walking out of his room and closing the door behind me. As I turned around, I was surprised—to say the least—to see Niall just coming up the stairs. I stared at him wide eyed as I looked him up and down. He had on a pair of grey sweatpants and nothing else, not even socks. He must’ve gotten out of bed to come over here. Jesus, help…
“Hey babe.” He greeted with a smirk. He was so right—I love when he calls me that. “Chip said you wanted me to come over?”
My mouth popped open. “I didn’t say that.” His face fell slightly. “But you can stay if you want…” I quickly added.
“Oh, cool.” He walked closer to me and my heart sped up. “Want some help with that?” Without waiting for my answer, he took the plate and bowl out of my hands. I walked with him downstairs quietly, keeping in mind that Chip didn’t want to hear me. “Why aren’t you and Louis joining the party?” He questioned as he put the dishes in the sink.
“Louis’ sleeping and Chip doesn’t want me around.” I said simply.
“So he called me over to keep you occupied?”
I shrugged, “I guess so.” I peeked into the living room, glad to see Chip corralled his friends into the basement. There are fewer things to break down there. Maybe Chip does have a considerate bone in his body. I turned back to Niall to find he was already intently watching me, I flinched a little. “Can I tell you something?” I mumbled.
“Yes.” He didn’t even think before he quickly replied. “Anything.”
“Since we’re such good friends, we can trust each other to always tell the truth, right?” He nodded. “Well, I want you to know I’ll be there to listen to whatever you have to tell me—no judging or anything…because I feel like you’d do the same for me. Like…I’m here for you if you need me…you know?”
There was no space between our voices. “And I’m here for you too.”
I sighed, not expecting it to feel so good to get that off my chest. “Good…so…that’s all.” He stepped too close to me, as usual. “So um…” I moved away a little. “Do you want to watch a movie?” He shook his head. “Um…we have like…board games…”
“Since we’re being honest, can I tell you something?” I tensed but nodded. “Your boobs lookedreally good in the top you wore earlier.” With a gasp, I looked down at myself. Do they look good now? He laughed before moving the conversation along.
“Can we sit on the patio?” I nodded and followed him out the sliding door and onto our back patio. It was cool and refreshing out and the air felt good in my lungs. Niall and I flopped down in chairs across from each other, both of us putting our feet on the small table. I smiled at him as he kicked my foot and I retaliated by kicking him back.
“So,” He mumbled running his big toe along my instep. “Brice and Liam, eh?”
“They’ve liked each other forever—I’m glad for them.”
He smiled, “I did a three-way phone call with them. They’re…cute.”
“Yeah, they are.” We faded into silence, our feet rubbing against each other. “Tell me about you and Eileen.” He foot stopped moving for a second before resuming its motion along mine.
“Um…She’s really jealous.”
“Hmm.”
He glanced at me, “She doesn’t like that I’m friends with you.”
“I know.”
“In private she’s normal…like I actually think I like her…but as soon as other people are around she gets clingy and touchy. And we always go out…so we’re not in private often.” I stayed quiet as I stared at our tangled feet. “I didn’t really want a girlfriend.” He admitted.
I looked up at him, my eyes blazing with the obvious question that he read immediately. “She cried to me about how much she loves me and didn’t want emotionless sex anymore.” He paused. “I didn’t think our sex was emotionless to be honest…like we cuddle and stuff afterward.” I don’t want to hear this Niall. You’re a fucking idiot…but I have to listen; I just told him I would. “I just felt bad…”
“You know that’s bullshit, right?” I uttered almost angrily. “That love shit…and the crying. She can make herself cry, you know.”
“She can?” I rolled my head to the side, in frustration. He doesn’t know anything. “Well I don’t know; it’s pretty convincing.”
“That’s the point.”
“Can you do that?”
I shook my head and looked at my legs. Shit, I should’ve shaved. “I try not to cry in front of people.”
“You cried earlier.”
I frowned at my knees, “I know.”
“Why though?”
“I was…over whelmed. Sometimes I over think things and I get so caught up in my thoughts that I—” I stopped, trying to think what I was actually trying to say. “It just engulfs me…and I freak out.” He was silent for a while, pressing the soles of his feet to mine. I heard him snicker.
“You’re feet are tiny.” It’s crazy how he knows just the right time to change the subject or keep pushing. I like that he can tell I don’t like to talk about certain things.
I flushed, “I know.”
“Eileen has big feet.” He laughed. I giggled too.
“You’re so random, Niall. Your train of thought is probably all over the place.”
“Like yours?” He retaliated smugly.
I bit my lip as I smiled. “Yeah.” We went into silence again but this time staring at each other. I tried, successfully, to keep my eyes on his face and not his still-pale-compared-to-everyone-else, half naked body.
“Can we go in your room?” I gave him a confused look.
“Why?” He shrugged. “No.”
“And why not?”
I smirked at him, “We both know it’s a bad idea.”
“Is it? I just wanted to see your record player thing. I didn’t get to carefully look around the last time I was there.”
“Too bad, Niall.”
“You’re so difficult.”
“I thought I was cute?” I purposefully pouted and made my eyes big and sad.
He snorted and folded his hands behind his head. “You’re both.”
“You also said I was hot. So which is it—hot or cute…or difficult?”
“You pull off all of them somehow.” He paused and lifted an eyebrow. “Are you flirting with me?”
I gasped dramatically, “I would never! And when you have a girlfriend? Oh no.” I put a hand over my chest, “I am no home-wrecker.” He rolled his eyes, but I knew he didn’t know what to say. “Have you been in Eileen’s room?”
“Too many times.” He mumbled his mood drifting. “Better than her being in mine though…”
“Why?”
“Because, as I guessed, Greg doesn’t like her, and she and Denise didn’t get along.”
My eyes widened, “What happened?”
“I don’t even know. I think there were dirty looks or something—I know how that starts deep shit for girls.”
“It certainly does.” I crossed my legs and Niall mirrored my action so the bottoms of our feet were still connected. “So what, Denise told her to get out?”
“No, Eileen left.”
“Does Ana like her?”
He rolled his eyes, “I don’t think Ana likes any girls except you, Denise and her mum.”
“She only likes me because I bought her ice cream.”
“Maybe she thinks you have pretty eyes like I do.” I stopped breathing. “But maybe not because she’s two and doesn’t notice those things yet.” I laughed to cover up how thrown off I was. “You’re really easy to talk to.”
I shrugged, “I try to be.”
“Can we take a dip?” He pointed his chin toward the pool behind me.
“Nope, that’s also not a good idea, and neither of have a swimsuit.”
He flashed his cocky little smirk, “That’s why I said dip—its short for skinny dip.” My eyes widened as he laughed at my reaction. “You’re the only girl whose house I’d go to in the middle of the night and be okay with not getting any.” I took a short second to think of something smart to say back—to throw him off like he did to me.
“You’re not getting any of this, Horan.” He narrowed his eyes at me. Nailed it.
“That sounds like a challenge.” His voice was low and smug. “I like a challenge.”
“It’s not. You have a girlfriend; you have to remember that.”
He groaned and threw his head back, “Is it obvious that I keep forgetting?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe you should stop temping me and flirting and stuff.”
I shrugged even though he wasn’t looking at me. “Okay.” His vision snapped to me with a frown. Oh no—another mood swing. I braced myself for how he would respond.
“I was kiddin’.” He gasped.
“You…want me to make you want to cheat on Eileen?”
He was silent as he thought. Tension grew between us as the seconds ticked by. “No, I guess not…” He finally mumbled, glaring at our feet.
“Niall,” He looked up at me. “You know, no one is forcing you to date her right? It’s not like you’re married and have to do a bunch of paper work to break up with her.”
“I know…but…I actually like her sometimes…but then there’s other times when I want to kick her in the stomach.” I laughed loudly. Just that image left me basically falling out of my chair. But when it faded I realized that he actually admitted to liking Eileen to my face—and that isn’t funny at all.
“Whatever, Niall,” I said catching my breath. “Whatever makes you happy I guess.”
There was a moment of silence before Chip and his rat pack came running out under the patio and towards the pool. I noticed the one girl that was with them and realized I’d seen her many other before. I wondered what she was like. Honestly, I never paid much attention to the girls Chip brought home, because there’s no point. Chip apparently liked her enough to introduce her to Mom though, but what about Dad? I don’t even know what her name is.
Louis only brings girls over, strictly to hang out—he has El back home. He doesn’t even take them in the pool, or have them here very long. Chip lets girls roam around the house while my parents are gone, and Louis doesn’t even let girl visitors leave the kitchen unless they’re going to the bathroom. Just another reason for why Louis is better than Chip.
I watched as Chip threw the girl in the pool then jumped in after her while the rest of his pack either shouted loudly and drunkenly around the deck or jumped in too. His friends get a little too rough for me when they’re drunk. They push each other around and shout and have no filter when it comes to reaching out and touching their friend’s sister.
One of them, Tucker, was always trying to get me to hook up with him and each time Chip was too preoccupied in being an idiot to protect me. Louis would never let any of his friends do that—the difference is I’d actually let Louis’ friends do it. Like Zayn? Wow he can do whatever he wants to me…
“HEEEEEEEEEEEY HUNTERRRRRRRRR!” Tucker shouted from the pool.
“Oh god…” I stood up and put a hand over my face as I grabbed Niall’s wrist. “Let’s go inside.”
“Who is that?” He questioned. I dragged him in the house.
“Chip’s friend Tucker. He’s a fucking creep ass.” I closed the door behind us. “Do you want a drink or something?”
He shook his head, “No.” I flinched when I felt his hand moving down my wrist and yanked it away to push him. “Be nice!” he laughed, reaching for me. When I moved away again his face darkened with a smirk. “Is this a game?”
I held back a smile. “No, I’m trying to save your relationship.” He stepped towards me and I moved back so he stayed further away than his arms could reach. “Niall…” I warned. He smiled and lunged towards me making me squeak as I starting running from him. I ran into the living room and around the couch before his arm looped around my waist.
“No!” I giggled struggling to get out of his hold. He brought both of us down on the couch, our bodies tangled together and wiggling against each other. I tried to push myself off of him, but before I knew it, I was under him with my wrist pinned above my head. I huffed in frustration; he’s so much stronger than me…
“I win.” He said triumphantly.
I rolled my eyes, “You must be so proud of yourself.”
“Well yes, this is the second time today I’ve pinned you.” He smirked, “And I didn’t even have to cheat.” I opened my mouth to speak, but I was cut off by the phone ringing and Niall willingly released my hands so I could reach behind the armrest to answer it.
“Hello?”
“Honey, how’s everything going?”
Shit, “Oh, everything’s fine Mom. Louis’ asleep and Chip is…in the pool…”
“He’s in the pool by himself?”
“Uh…no—yes. He said he was hot so he’s take a dip.” Niall snorted and I slapped him in the chest to shut him up.
“What was that?”
“There’s an annoying mosquito on me.” I grumbled. Niall smiled and started poking at my face and stomach. “Stop!” I mouthed, smacking his hands away. “Mom, I’m gonna go to bed. I’ll see you when you get back tomorrow.”
“Hm, okay. Tell Chip to get out of the pool; he’ll drown.” I rolled my eyes.
“Okay, bye.” I hung up and glared at Niall. “You can leave too.”
His face dropped, “You’re kicking me out?”
“No, I’m gently placing you out.”
“Why can’t I sleep h—” He was cut off by the ring of another phone. He fished it out without checking the caller ID. “Yo…oh hey.” He paused, glancing to me. “I’m at Hunter’s house…” he climbed off me, sitting in his own space on the couch. “We’re not doing anything. We were just sitting around….What do you mean?…. Eileen, no. You’re over reacting….She’s kicking me out anyway.” He looked at me through at corner of his eye and squeezed at my side, making me giggle.
“Relax, I’m going home now.” He stood from his seat and grabbed my face in one hand. Is he going to kiss me while he’s on the phone with his girlfriend?! I squirmed to get out of his hold, but he just gripped my face tighter. He leaned in and, both to my relief and disappointment, he turned my face to kiss me firmly on the cheek. “Mhm,” He hummed again me, still talking to Eileen. He pulled away, “Yeah, oh by the way, you want to ride with me to Brice’s dinner?….Yeah I guess…”
He walked out of the front door, distracted by his phone call, and was gone in seconds. I flopped down on the couch and looked up at the ceiling. That actually wasn’t that bad. I got to just talk and mess around with him—like I want—and I completed the mission of telling him that I’m here for him. But of course Eileen had to ruin it by checking up on him.
But I can live with that—with every night being like this. I just wish he didn’t have to leave.