BILLS, BOOZE & BETRAYAL | LARRY AU

CHAPTER 14

BILLS, BOOSE & BETRAYAL | CHAPTER 14

"Louis, to your right, mate!"

"Louis, what's happening with your two lovers?"

I clench my teeth and sink further into my hoodie while I try to manoeuvre my way through the hoard of paparazzi. I keep thinking to myself that the only silver lining is that I'm the only one going through this. I've been drowning in tabloids and magazines and I haven't seen either Harry or Zayn's face anywhere, and neither are my family members having to go through this.

It's a good thing that I moved into my own apartment instead of my parents' place and I keep telling myself to ignore the questions being thrown at me right now.

"Say, who do you love more? Your sexy driver or your upper-class slut?"

I close my eyes to myself from doing something rash but my mind keeps taking me back to the night last week I woke up in my bedroom and Lottie told me everything that was out there. Someone fucking recorded that conversation and leaked it to the press – it wasn't even the paparazzi. It was one of the customers at the restaurant who just saw an opportunity to get some extra cash, I guess.

"Who's got the bigger dick, eh? I bet it's the slut and not the driver, right?"

The one on my right says and my hands work faster than my mind can even comprehend it all. I punch a straight punch to the guy's face and jaw falls slack. The camera shutters go off at an even faster pace, but I cannot be bothered to pay heed to it.

"Watch your fucking mouth when you talk about someone, okay? Pathetic little shit." I spit on his face before internally cursing myself for losing my cool and bolting up the stairs once I'm finally at the building. "Fucking losers." I mutter to myself and storm inside my empty apartment.

Sighing in the silence, I look around at the dull, bland interior and furniture and think why I couldn't just make up my mind about the men in my life. Why do I always have to fuck things up? Things I care about, things that matter to me. People that matter to me.

I think about how Harry must be doing right now. He's already carrying the burden of one scandal on his back and this couldn't have helped matters with his family at all. My heart once again sinks with guilt, but before I can ponder over it and drown in self-pity any further, a knock on the door interrupts my train of thought.

"Who is it?" I shout, annoyed.

"It's me." The familiar voice calls from the other end and I sit up in part fear, part negative anticipation. I just about run to the door and open it to face Zayn. "Hey."

"Hi, umm, come in." I let out awkwardly and I see him holding back a smile as he does and settles down on the sofa. "How, umm, how'd you know I'm here?"

"Well, I didn't think Mark would want you at his place after everything."

"Yes, well that's true. But I moved out on my own. Didn't want the girls or mum to have to face the paps and what not."

"That's nice of you." He says, almost as if he's surprised from it and I gulp down a comeback.

"Umm, what're you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you. I've been seeing the pictures and I saw how miserable you are."

My mind draws a blank at how nice Zayn is being right now, and my heart sinks further.

"I am really sorry, Zayn. I know it's completely my fault, there is no explanation and I don't even deserve to give you a justification, I just – I'm sorry."