Oh Brother

Whiteboard match

Harper Payne

I had been stuck in this little bedroom for nearly six hours now and I was currently waiting for Miss James to dismiss my class. I was the only home-schooler. It was kind of awkward. "Ok class, you may go." And that's all it took for me to hang up. I closed my laptop and plugged it in before sliding it under the bed so that it could charge and flung my books into my bag carelessly. I huffed and trudged into the living room. "Finished school, Harp?" Louis asked as he looked up from his phone. "How come you guys don't have to go to school?" I whined. "Because we're all older than eighteen." Louis shrugged. "What about Harry? Harry's eighteen." I observed. "It's called dropping out." Harry called from somewhere. "Does that answer your question?" Louis chuckled. "School sucks. My first teacher questioned why I was late and then had a go when I explained that doctors told me to rest." I moaned. 

"Yes, ok, please don't take me back there, Harp. Thanks." Louis replied. "When's the show and WHY THE HECK ARE WE NOT THERE YET?" I exclaimed. "Ooh, someone's moody after school." Niall teased as he walked into the kitchen area where Louis and I had been chatting. "I just need a hug." I pouted my lip. "I'll give you a hug!" Niall exclaimed as he opened his arms. I immediately fell into them as he held me close. I heard a snap from behind me. "Louis, I swear to god if you're taking pictures I will steal your phone and throw it out the window while we're driving." I threatened without pulling away from Niall's warm embrace. "God, Niall's right. You are moody after school." Louis chuckled. "I feel better now that I'm being hugged." I mumbled as I nuzzled my head into Niall's shoulder. He began to sway us side to side which made me laugh lightly. "The show is at eight but we'll be there by four." Niall informed as he continued to sway us. "Niall, if you sway us anymore, I'll end up on the floor." I giggled.

"You get to join us for our mischievous backstage shenanigans." He whispered in my ear. "I am in love with your accent, I swear to god it's like the cutest thing ever." I muttered. I heard him chuckle lightly. I craned my neck to look at him and his cheeks were a bright red colour. I stood on my tippy-toes and slowly leaned up towards him as he leaned down towards me. We met in the middle as our lips collided. We lingered for a few seconds. "Awwww!" Louis exclaimed. I realised we were not alone and pulled away as my cheeks began to burn. "Louis, shut up before I punch you in the nose." I threatened. Niall and Louis both began to laugh when I said this. "Harper if you keep threatening my friends, I'm going to have to send you home." Liam joked in a motherly way. "Your friends? Sorry but I'm pretty sure I know Louis better than you do!" I exclaimed as I finally pulled away from Niall.

"Is that a challenge?" Liam asked jokingly. "I know you're joking but I'm dead serious. I think- no, I know that I know Louis better than you do." I challenged back as I crossed my arms over my chest. "Are you sure about that, newbie?" Liam asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. "This calls for a whiteboard match!" Niall exclaimed excitedly. "Huh?" I asked as I turned my gaze towards him. "It's a game where two people each have a whiteboard, someone asks questions and both people write their answers down and turn their whiteboards around at the same time. Whoever gets the right answer wins!" Niall explained happily. "Sounds good to me." I smirked as I turned back to Liam. "If I win you owe me a tenner." He replied. "And if I win then you have to say I'm better than you, deal?" I asked as both Niall and Louis 'ooh'-ed at my side of the deal. "Deal."

"My birthday." Louis started. Everyone had gathered around. I was sat on one side of the booth with Niall to my left and Zayn to my right and Liam was sat opposite with Harry next to him and Louis was at the head of the table. "That's easy." I mumbled under my breath. I wrote 'December 24th' in capitals on my board. "3, 2, 1." Louis counted down to which we both turned our boards around. "Both correct, point to each side." Louis explained as he drew one line on each side of the paper that he had drawn a line down. "My hometown." He continued. "Simple," I muttered as I wrote 'Doncaster' on my board. We both turned our boards on command and we both earned a point. "Ok, more difficult this time. Name all my siblings, oldest first." Louis instructed. I hissed through my teeth as I thought.

I wrote 'Lottie, Fizzy, Daisy and Phoebe, Ernest and Doris' whereas Liam had written 'Fizzy, Lottie, Daisy and Phoebe, Ernest and Dorothy'. So, not only did he get the ages wrong but he got Louis' youngest sister's name wrong. "Harper is right. Liam, my oldest sister is Lottie and my youngest sister is called Doris, not Dorothy." Louis rolled his eyes. Niall high-fived me as Louis scored me a point. "My eye colour." He spat before squeezing his eyes closed. "How am I meant to know that?!" Liam exclaimed. "Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy." I rhymed as I smirked at him. I wrote 'electric blue' on my board whereas Liam had written 'brown' making us all laugh. "Brown?!" I exclaimed happily. "Well, I don't make eye-contact with my lads unless it's like a staring contest or something." He mumbled. "Nah, you just forgot." I teased.

"And hardest yet, best friend." Louis smirked as I simply wrote 'me' on my board. We turned around our boards and they both said 'me'. "Ah, sorry Liam, but your sister wins that one." Louis smirked as he scored me a point. "The scores on the doors are 2-5 to Harper." Louis read out with a smile. I leaned over the table and high-fived Louis. "I'm the best best friend ever." I stated with a wink. I sat back down. "Well done babe!" Niall exclaimed as he pulled me in for a hug. "Babe?" Liam asked cautiously. "Yes, you heard correct." I replied as I pulled away from Niall quickly. "Why... what? Huh?" Liam asked, dumb-founded. "Liam, Louis calls me babe all the time, what's the big deal?" I asked as I rolled my eyes. Harry huffed and leaned back in his chair. I ignored that. "No big deal, just never heard him say that to anyone before." Liam explained. "Aw, I'm your favourite!" I exclaimed. "Favourite what?" Niall asked with a frown. "Everything!" I exclaimed over-dramatically.

"Anyway, Liam, I think you have something to tell the lads." I said as I smirked at him. "What?" He asked as everyone turned their gaze on Liam. "No, I'm not doing that." He replied as he rolled his eyes. "What is it, Li?" Niall asked teasingly. "Ha, ha. Very funny, Ni." Liam replied. "I like that." I stated out loud. "Like what?" Niall asked. "Oh, did I say that out loud?" I asked. The boys nodded as I leaned back in my chair and covered my eyes with my hands as I giggled. "Spit it out, Li." Harry encouraged. "Harper is better than me!" Liam exclaimed, tired of the nagging. "Yes! I am victorious!" I screamed happily.