Louis
“There's no way anyone knows we're here” Preston says. “You'll be safe. Still, don't leave the house today.” I nod grimly.
Another death threat was not exactly what I wanted to see in my Twitter feed.
I look around at the other lads, and they still won't meet my eyes.
“If I get brutally murdered today, you'll feel bad” I point out. I can see Niall trying not to smile, but the others don't react. Damn. That always works in films.
“You hear me, Louis?” Preston asks. “Don't leave the house. Don't even step onto the back porch.”
“I know” I say. “Unless I've got a death wish-”
“No, not 'unless' anything” Preston says, cutting me off. “Even if you do have a death wish, stay inside. 'Cause I care about you, and I think the lads do too.”
They all mumble a sort of half-hearted agreement.
“Fine” I snap. “I'll stay inside. Don't worry. I know my mum would cry if I died.” I spin around and stalk out of the room.
I can't help but wonder if they'll ever forgive me.
-
Niall
“I feel bad” I mumble, once Louis' out of earshot.
“Don't” Harry advises me. “He scared the hell out of us, only thinking of himself.”
“He didn't mean to” I protest.
“I thought he wouldn't come back” Harry says, his voice low.
“But he did” I reply.
“Luck” Harry spits. “He was just lucky.”
“Can we talk about something else?” Zayn asks. “You're just depressing me.”
Liam grins.
“Anybody want a pancake?”
-
“-and then he screamed so loud I thought-”
“Oh, shut up, Niall” Liam says.
“I didn't think gerbils were that scary” Zayn remarks thoughtfully.
“You should've seen its teeth” Liam says. “That thing could've chewed its way through a concrete wall.” Zayn laughs.
It's nearly dinnertime, and Harry's cooking, so Zayn, Liam, and I are just sort of relaxing in the living room. None of us have seen Louis all day, but Preston's been checking on him every ten minutes, so he's not going anywhere anytime soon. Unless he jumps out a window . . .
“What are you thinking about, Nialler?” asks Liam.
“Climbing out a window” I answer truthfully. “From the second story.”
“How to or why?” Zayn asks.
“How to” I reply. “If there's a balcony, you're set, but how do you do it if there isn't?”
“You jump” Liam says.
“You'd break a bone or something” I point out. “Then your getaway is blown.”
“Where are you getting away from?” Liam asks suspiciously.
“Nowhere” I answer. “It's not important.”
“Well, if there are bushes there, they'd break your fall” Liam says. “Then you're set.”
“I'm planting bushes under my window” I decide.
“Why?” Liam asks, suspicious again. I shrug.
“They'd look pretty” I say.
“Nialler, we don't have enough time” Zayn points out. “For them to grow, I mean.” I sigh. That's a shame, there.
“Maybe when we get home” I decide.
“There's nowhere to plant them at home . . .” Liam says, looking from Zayn to me. Before he can say anything else, Harry calls us.
“Dinner!” he shouts. I'm in the kitchen before you can say 'blink'. Or actually blink. Liam and Zayn join me a bit more slowly.
“Someone gonna get Louis?” Zayn asks.
“He can come if he's hungry” Harry replies. He puts four plates out on the table. “Dinner is served.”
I'm halfway through mine before I even know what it is.
“Hungry?” Harry asks, grinning.
“Nah” I joke. Liam laughs. “Seriously” I say. “The food just disappeared. I don't know where it is.” Zayn pokes my stomach.
“I do” he says, grinning. I steal a piece of chicken from his plate.
“Hey!” he shouts, grabbing for it, but I jerk it out of reach. And then Liam grabs it and hands it back to Zayn.
“That's enough” Liam says. Harry and I both stick our tongues out at him.
I hear footsteps behind me, and I look over my shoulder. Preston and Louis are standing there. And Louis' looking like he'd rather not be.
“I got a call” Preston says. He pushes Louis towards the empty chair, and Louis sits. “The tour's canceled” Preston continues. “You're not leaving the house until we catch the guy.” We're all silent. I expected this, but hearing it makes it real. And I get the feeling the others feel the same way.
“So we're just going to disappear for however many months it'll take?” Louis asks angrily. “I might as well streak naked through the streets of London shouting 'here I am', at least the rest of you'll have lives.”
“Don't even joke” Harry says, his voice low.
“Eat, Louis” Preston says. “You haven't had anything since breakfast yesterday.”
“I'm not hungry” Louis says. Harry sets a plate in front of him.
“Eat, or I'll make you eat” Harry says. Louis sighs, cuts a small bite of chicken, and eats it.
“Happy?” he mumbles.
“More” Harry insists. Louis pushes his chair away from the table.
“I'm done” he says, and he leaves. Harry watches him go, but doesn't say a word.
“I don't want him to starve” I say softly. Liam gives me a small smile. Harry makes an exasperated sound, and storms out onto the back porch. Liam, Zayn, and I all look towards Preston. He just sighs, stands up, and heads upstairs. I look back down at my food.
“I'm not hungry anymore” I say, and I stand up and retreat upstairs.
-
Preston's sitting outside Louis' room, talking softly at the door. I don't know if Louis is answering or not. I walk over.
“Can I talk to him?” I ask Preston.
“Good luck” he replies. “He hasn't been answering me.” I knock softly on the door.
“Lou?” I call. There's no reply from inside. “Lou, it's Niall.”
“Go away” he croaks.
“Nope” I reply. “I'm not leaving.” The door flies open, and Louis' standing there. His eyes are red and watery.
“What do you want?” he asks angrily.
“I want to tell you that I care about you and I don't want you to starve” I reply. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Preston stand up and leave.
“Harry doesn't” Louis says softly. “Harry doesn't care about me.”
“Harry does care about you” I tell him. “That's why he's so angry. He thought . . . we all thought . . .”
“I know” Louis says. “I was an arse and I'm so, so sorry.” He's about to cry again; I know him well enough to know that. I pull him into a hug.
“I forgive you” I tell him. “I forgive you.”
-
Louis
I wish the others would believe me as easily as Niall does. He promised to work on them, but I don't know how well that'll go. I fall backwards onto my bed. I can see the moon from this position. It's full tonight.
I haven't eaten much in two days. Strangely, I'm not that hungry. I'll think I am, and then I'll imagine the looks on the lads' faces, and I won't be hungry anymore.
Preston keeps trying to talk to me, but I don't want to hear it. He's just trying to make me feel better, but I won't feel better until Liam and Zayn and Harry forgive me. Especially Harry.
I don't quite know why, but Harry's hatred hits me so much harder then the others. Maybe it's just because I get mad at the others all the time, but Harry and I never fight.
I wish we weren't fighting now.
I keep staring at the moon. Maybe the moon is like a shooting star, and if you wish hard enough, it'll work. But I know it's silly to hope. The only person that can grant this wish is me. I have to convince Harry and the others that I'm really sorry. But I don't know how to do that.
Preston bursts in the door. He's holding his mobile in one hand.
“What?” I ask, a bit angry.
“She woke up” he says. My heart leaps. “Callin woke up.”
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A/N: Hi!
I got so many votes on the last chapter, I decided to update :D
See what happens when you vote?
I'm instating a vote count :)
I've already got the next three chapters written, so whenever you get the right number of votes, I can upload. Pretty sweet, right?
I want 100 votes on the WHOLE story :)
Don't freak, you guys can do it. I believe in you.
I might update before then but don't count on it.
I feel so bad for Louis in this chapter. It made me sad to write :( But it's interesting at the same time.
Comment! Do you feel like the lads are being to harsh, or do you think Louis deserves it?
Love you guys :) <3
~Brook