Web of Lies

Web of Lies: Chapter Seventeen

The club was too loud for Louis to do much talking with Zayn, but that didn’t seem to matter because Zayn wasn’t offering up much in the means of conversation anyways. The idea, that had been absolutely brilliant in Louis’ mind, hadn’t panned out successful at all.

The boys were seated at a table in the corner, and Zayn looked almost asleep as he lounged against the cushioned couch he was on, his head tossed back so that he was looking at the ceiling instead of the scantily clad ladies who kept looking over at the boys. 

Which was when it became quite clear to Louis how serious the situation had become. 

“Alright,” Louis muttered, tossing back his drink and finally working up the nerve to talk, “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing,” Zayn said without hesitation, and he reached for his drink and took a sip of it, as if that proved his point any more. Louis rolled his eyes, pushing his empty glass aside, and leaned forward against the table.

“Zayn, we’ve been thrown together for two years now. I like to think I know you a bit, and I know that something is up. You aren’t even admiring the fine selection of ladies.”

Zayn snorted and shook his head, draining the rest of his own drink and then lowering his head so that his eyes are resting on Louis, “You aren’t either,” he stated and Louis swallowed thickly, shifting uncomfortably in his seat as he attempted to quickly force his eyes on one of the young blondes who had been eyeing them for the past hour.

“I disagree,” He said, his voice weaker than he would’ve liked, as he continued to stare blankly at the girls at the table over.

“So, what’s wrong with you?” Zayn asked and Louis cocked a brow, because that wasn’t what tonight was about. Tonight was about fixing Zayn before he ended up like Harry. 

“There is absolutely nothing wrong with me,” Louis declared, grinning his prized smile and spreading his arms out wide, “I am fantastic.”

Unfortunately Zayn didn’t seem to agree, because soon Zayn was the one leaning up against the table and Louis was the one avoiding eye contact. “Lou, you’re not.”

Louis lowered his eyes to Zayn’s and sighed, resting his arms back down in his lap and staring at his band mate. “Tonight is supposed to be about figuring out what’s going on in your head,” he replied and Zayn laughed bitterly, motioning to a waitress for another drink.

“I’m pretty sure they’re connected,” He muttered and Louis held his gaze, mind racing as the night was flipped and he was put in the spotlight. Zayn looked at Louis, with a deep, knowing gaze and Louis’ heart stopped.

But there was no way Zayn could know, because there was no way anyone but Louis could know. He’d done everything perfectly, he’d not let it shown, and he’d kept the issue buried down while the entire band went into code-red mode for Harry.

He’d played the game perfectly; he’d dated Eleanor until he couldn’t take the late nights together. Night after night while lying silently next to her, motionless as he blamed stress or overtiredness as the problem, when really he just wasn’t attracted to her.

And after the breakup, where he’d once again used ‘stress’ as his excuse, he kept up the act.

He’d kept on flirting with the girls that were ushered quickly through his life. He’d rated fans with Niall, and hit on Liam’s girlfriend until he was worried Liam might actually punch him.

Harry had sucked up every ounce of compassion from the band and management, and he wasn’t mad at Harry-he could never be mad at Harry-but he acknowledged that he coming out of the closest wasn’t going to do the band any favors.