Far away.

III

Do not just exist. Live!

I had probably sat in the kitchen with Harry until three o'clock in the morning and ate cheesecake before I started to get tired. Unlike Harry, he was still wide awake. Was that so healthy? Probably it was simply part of his daily routine by now. Anyway, I hardly noticed how we moved into the living room when Harry suggested to watch a little something on TV. At some point I fell asleep anyway.

The calm voices coming out of the TV were immensely soothing and Harry next to me so warm.

I woke up again through the sun, which probably shone through a window.

And I didn't seem to be on the couch anymore. The thing under me felt more like a person and a mattress than a couch.

I would have liked to look around confused, but that went badly.

Instead, I had to feel around myself and let my phone (at least seemed to be mine, on the back stuck the little glitter stone that my sister Phoebe had stuck on it) read the time. 8.35 am.

So I was lying in a bed that couldn't possibly be mine, otherwise no warm, seemingly half-naked (or even completely naked?) Body would have been lying next to me.

"Ian?" I asked sleepy into the silence and nudging the warm skin.

"Wrong brother, try again," it grumbled back.

"Harry", I almost squealed now, "Was I asleep on the couch?" "Mhm", he grumbled on, and the bedding rustled as he seemingly turned around, "Dragged yourself to my bed. Don't worry, I left everything except your shoes and the jacket on you." "I'm sorry," I murmured embarrassed to myself and hid in the pillow. But apparently in the wrong pillow, because I felt another head on mine. "You don't have to feel sorry for yourself," Harry said and stroked my forehead, "You didn't snare or anything like that. Can you please stay for breakfast?" "Of course. If you come to the lake later." "I already promised you that last night." "Just wanted to make sure again."

"Please tell me you didn't make out," my best friend's voice broke through this beautiful silence and Harry's room door flew against the wall.

"We didn't, relax buddy," I replied and turned on my back to stare into nothingness as always, "What causes you to bother?"

"The breakfast table is set, by the way, there is no room service here Harry," Ian grumbled to himself.

Wow.

What was wrong with that?

He was still angry with us for some reason!

"I already knew that brother", Harry said of my thoughts, "Seriously, what's wrong with you that you're in such a bad mood?" "Just swing your ass out of bed and leave Louis alone," Ian actually growled at his twin. And Harry should be the ass?

"Ian, I really don't know what's wrong with you right now Bro," I slipped out of bed in no time at all and almost stumbled over my own feet. Embarrassing. "But I'll tell you again. I can sort out my stuff myself! Really, what happened to my best friend?"

"Your best friend is trying to protect you because that's what best friends do! You'll still thank me if he drops you like a hot potato!"

"You know what, I think you just can't stand not being the center of attention."

It remained silent for a while, which is why I said: "Ian, I'm not so good at reading facial expressions, maybe you can..." "He sneaked away from it," sighed Harry behind me, who had probably also gotten up by now.

At that moment, I wished again to actually see something in the literal sense. I really would have loved to see if Harry's hair was muddled from sleeping, what he looked like without a shirt and if his eyes were really as bright green as I imagined. And I wanted to know if he really resembled Zach Efron. But I couldn't do more than continue to imagine as we stumbled down the stairs into the living room for breakfast.