Louis
-
I entertained the thought of getting ready for Niall's party for two hours before I realized I had no idea where he lived.
Gran turned in early. I think physical therapy today really wore her out. Getting her in from the hospital van took longer than usual and she was out before I could put a blanket on her. And there went my only chance of having a semi-fun night.
I took a shower and combed my hair just because. I pulled on one of my rattiest t-shirts. One I wouldn't even walk to the corner store in, and parked it on the couch.
I spent about an hour tuned to the channel that aired the Simpsons pretty much twenty-four-seven before I heard a knock at the door.
It was Harry. Of course. If Gran knew anyone who didn't mind stopping by at this hour, then I couldn't see her needing her grandson to fly all the way down from England to look after her.
Harry smiled when he saw me and I remembered again that I was secretly hoping he would show up some time tonight.
He had shorter hair now and it fit him really well. It looked more curly.
He was wearing a short-sleeved black button up with all these types of flowers printed on it. Short black boots instead of wellies. I looked down at the rag I once called a shirt.
"You look nice," he said to me.
"Lie to me again."
He blew out a laugh. "You ready?"
"For what?"
"Niall's party? Don't tell me you forgot."
"Just give me a second?"
"Feel free to take two."
I scribble a note down for Gran and slipped into her room to leave it on her night stand.
"Do you know if Niall has WiFi?" I asked Harry as I scanned the living room for my jacket.
"He does!"
Sweet, so Gran could get a hold of me if she needed to. It helped me feel a lot better about leaving her alone.
I found my jacket draped over a stool in the kitchen and followed Harry out the door.
-
I expected wall to wall bodies, bowls of pills, people trying to f.uck in the corners of the room - even though Niall and Harry didn't seem like the type. I saw nothing of the sort, but it didn't settle me at all. I was still freaked out about being at a party where I didn't know anyone.
It didn't help that Harry tried to leave my side just seconds after we stepped in. Well, he did leave me. I watched him walk up to Niall and they quickly started up an animated conversation. At least I was pretty sure it was Niall. The living room was dark and kind of blue, like someone threw a blanket over the only source of light.
I took another look around the room, squinting, and spotted the only thing I could trust that wouldn't leave me stranded tonight.
I wasn't much of a drinker. And by that I meant not a drinker of much else than beer.
I scored a can of Budweiser from the alcohol table and looked for a comfortable seat. I figured sitting alone looked less sad than standing alone.
I found a Bridgewater couch weirdly with only one person sitting on the end of it. I took seat on the opposite side.
Harry and Niall were still together, and still talking, but two other people had joined them.
I wondered what Niall meant to him. Meant to Harry. What anyone in this place meant to him. It wouldn't have surprised me if he were friends with all of them. I felt weird for staring, but there was something sort of compelling about him. Harry. I think it was how easy he made it look to just....talk to people. For him it seemed effortless.
And I guess I was creeping so hard that I hadn't noticed someone sit down between me and the person on the other end who I was giving space to. But now I could see a lad next to me was staring a hole into my face.
"I'm sorry?" I said, blinking at him.
"I'm just trying to place you," he replied in a smooth voice.
"I'm not from here. I'm just visiting."
"You Harry's friend?"
"Something like that." I took a long sip of my beer. "Who are you?"
"Liam."
I tried to make out his face in the dark. I caught his eye but then he looked away chastely. And with that I could immediately tell that he was gay and that he probably knew I was too. Maybe Harry had caught on as well and that's why he seemed so excited for me to meet him.
"And you're Niall and Harry's friend," I asked him.
"Yep."
"I hear Niall's like the king of throwing parties?"
Liam chuckles. "Yeah. But he won't be throwing any more for a while."
"That sounds grim."
Liam asked me some questions about home. The standard stuff. How far did I live from London? What was my job? Did I miss it?
I lived far enough from London that I couldn't make a day trip out of it. I was doing a whole lot of nothing prior to coming here, so it wasn't like I had to drop anything important.
And I guess I missed home? I actually hadn't given much thought to it. Maybe I hadn't been here long enough. I realized now that I still hadn't called my mum to check in. I was sure Gran had spoken to her but I knew she would want to speak to me herself.
"How do you like it here?" he asked.
"It's fine," I said. And it was. But it wasn't like I wouldn't be home soon enough.
He seemed to be all out of questions soon after that. I knew I should have been asking him stuff too but I couldn't think of anything interesting. I refrained from asking what I wanted to about Niall and Harry.
"I'll catch up with you later?" he asked after a too long silence I couldn't fill.
I told him sure.
A few moments later Harry plopped down in the seat beside me. "What are you doing?"
I shrugged. "What should I be doing?"
"I don't know. Mingling?"
"I don't know how to do that."
"I think you're doing fine."
I smiled at that. I turned my beer can in my hand, swishing around the last sip. I was ready for another. But I wasn't sure if I should indulge myself, seeing as I was practically on call.
"I was talking to Liam a second ago," I told Harry.
"You met Liam?" He beamed. "Isn't he great?"
I nodded. "He seemed nice. I can see why you wanted me to meet him."
"I want everyone to meet Liam. Everyone should meet Liam. He's amazing."
"But I can see why you wanted me to meet meet him."
He cocked his head. "Sorry?"
"Did you, like, guess that someone was gay one time and end up being right, and think you have some kind of "gay-dar" now? Were you hoping to set up the gay guy that you've known for two weeks, with your only gay friend?"
"You're gay?" He smiled big.
"Yes," I confirmed, but this next part was a lie. "But Liam isn't my type. Thank you, though."
I couldn't see Liam all that well because the lights were dimmed so low in this place. But I saw enough to know that he was well lush.
"That's okay," Harry said. "I don't think you're Liam's type either."
I felt heat rush to my cheeks. Maybe I was the one with the f.ucked up "gay-dar".
"He's dating Niall!" Harry said in a way I would have thought was condescending if it came from someone else.
"Oh." I'd met more gay people here in a few short weeks than I ever knew in my entire home town. It was sort of amazing. "Way cool."
"Then why am I here?" I said.
"Because I wanted you to come," Harry said. "I wanted you here."
"Why?"
He made a face. "Do I need a reason?"
"There has to be a reason." My head was spinning a little trying to understand why there had been spontaneous casseroles, ice cream trips, drives to grocery store, and now invites to parties. Now he was introducing me to his friends. I almost couldn't handle it.
"You're here by yourself in a weird city. I don't know. I just want to help you have some fun while you're here."
"I didn't really come here to party," I said. Helping Gran always had to come first.
"I know. But you of all people deserve a break."
So I let myself relax fully for the first time that night. And I let Harry tell me all about his friends.
Niall and Liam had been dating for 3 years. Harry has known Niall since high school and they became close with Liam the summer after graduation. Ever since then they tried to do pretty much everything together. Summer jobs, community college. And they'd managed to stay tight-knit despite Liam and Niall falling for each other.
Niall and Liam were moving to Portland in a few weeks because of Liam's job. Harry wasn't sure what he was going to do without them, but he couldn't bare to think about that now. But he was very happy for them. Like oozing merriment. Only Harry could seem so pleasant about losing his two best friends.
He asked me if I would come to breakfast with them tomorrow and I said yes but then immediately felt bad for not considering Gran first. I told him I would have to make sure that she was squared away first. But for some reason I was really hoping I'd be able to make it.
Harry brought me another beer. He tried a few times to get me to dance with him, but I couldn't fathom the thought of it. Even if it was dark in enough in here to confuse me for someone else.
Liam, not much of a dancer either, or probably because he didn't want me to be alone, ended up back on the couch with me again. And we watched his boyfriend and the curly haired one who I think was becoming my friend.
It wasn't a terrible night. Actually, it wasn't bad at all.