Lottie's Brother

Chapter 24

Louis POV

Today was the day. I was moving in to my new flat in the campus of Manchester University. The summer holidays were nearly over and the new school term started in less than a week, which meant I had to move in, know where my classes were and the quickest bus route from my flat to the places I needed to get to, seeing as I was leaving my car at home, it would only be a burden at university.

Mum was working at the hospital, she had had to leave very early this morning so last night we watched movies and had takeaways and enjoyed our last night together.

"You're really leaving." Lottie said, she was standing in the kitchen drinking a glass of orange juice and watching me stacking my boxes up by the door.

"Yeah." I replied.

"I'm going to miss you Louis." she said and she put her glass down on the counter and hurried forward to hug me.

"I'm going to miss you too Lots." I said, holding her tightly in my arms.

"Now don't go fucking anyone at uni, you have a boyfriend remember." she said, suddenly stern, slipping out of my arms. 

"Yeah and don't go getting pregnant or anything while I'm gone." I replied.

We both laughed and I hugged her again.

"I guess I should probably go." I said.

"Yeah. I'll help you load up." Lottie said and she went about picking up boxes but not before I'd seen her wipe her eyes with her sleeve. 

I grabbed a couple of boxes as well and stacked them up in the back of the car, which Harry was going to drive back home, he'd just got his full drivers license. 

"Hey man." a voice said from behind me and Niall took the last few boxes out of my arms and put them in the car for me, shutting the door.

"See you Niall." I said. He held out his hand for me to shake but I pulled him in for a hug. 

"Look after Lottie, yeah?" I said.

"Will do mate." he said and I let go of him, moving on to hug Lottie again.

"I love you Lots." I whispered in her ear.

"Love you too Lou." she replied and she gave me a squeeze before stepping back.

I got into my car and a tear rolled down Lottie's face, Niall wrapped his arms around her from behind. I rolled down my window to say goodbye as I backed out of the driveway and as my car rolled onto the street Lottie turned to hide her face in Niall's chest, who kissed the top of her head and waved at me as I drove away.

I drove down the street and pulled up outside Harry's house. He came running out with his backpack on his back and Gemma and Liam waved to me from the doorstep as Harry got into the passenger seat.

"Hey." I said, kissing Harry.

"Hey." Harry replied and he grinned and I grinned back and started driving again.

---

After about twenty minutes I pulled up outside my new apartment building.

"You ready?" Harry asked, putting his hand on top of mine, resting on the gearstick.

"Ready as I'll ever be." I replied.

Harry leaned forward and kissed me.

"Let's go check it out then." I said and we got out of the car, gathered a few boxes and went inside. The stairs up to my room, which was on the second floor, smelled like beer and weed and vomit.

"Lovely smell." Harry remarked, wrinkling his nose.

I laughed and kept walking until we hit the second floor and my room was at the end of the corridor, number 28. 

I put the three boxes I was carrying on the floor and got my key from my pocket, unlocking the door and pushing it open.

It was pretty basic, an uncomfortable looking bed rammed into the corner, a small cupboard, a creaky desk and a grimy window. There was a small ensuite bathroom with a toilet, sink and shower.

Harry put the boxes in the empty corner and we went down to get the rest. Once all of the boxes were in my room we went along the rest of the floor before unpacking them, checking out the kitchen and the living area.

Zayn was moving into the room next door to me, don't even ask how we managed that, but he wasn't set to arrive until the next day.

There was a girl in the kitchen making a cup of tea and she introduced herself as Eleanor.

"Hi I'm Louis and this is my boyfriend Harry. I'm number 28." I said, shaking her hand.

Then me and Harry went back to my room and started unpacking, putting my sheets on the bed, my books on the desk, my shaving equipment and other toiletries in the bathroom, plugging my chargers into the wall, my clothes in the cupboard and then putting the two suitcases I'd brought that were filled with clothes under the bed.

Then we moved into the kitchen and found the shelf with 'Room Number 28' written on it. Harry helped me unload my plates, bowls, mugs, cutlery and other kitchen things onto my shelf.

"We'll need to go shopping." Harry said.

"Let's go now." I said and so I locked my room and we walked to the nearest Tesco's, which was down the street and around the corner.

We bought cereal, bread, noodles, teabags, milk, a few fruits and vegetables, chips, beer, rice, meats, biscuits, chocolate, cheese, butter, tomato sauce, frozen fish, pasta and condoms (we were a bit short). 

We loaded the food into bags and walked back to my flat, putting the cold stuff in the fridge after writing my name on it and the others on my shelf.

By this time it was half past three so we went back to my room, lay down in bed and watched an episode or two of Friends on my laptop.

"Alright Lou, I'll make you dinner." Harry said at half past five and he shut the laptop, grabbed my hand and pulled me into the kitchen. I watched fondly as Harry sliced potatoes and drizzled them with oil and salt and pepper and put them in the oven with the frozen fish. While they were cooking he sliced cucumber and put some lettuce on the plates.

He handed me my plate twenty minutes later with a fish sandwich, some homemade chips and a can of beer.

"I love you." I said.

"Love you too." Harry said and he clinked his can of beer with mine before taking a sip.

Up until then the kitchen had been empty but in came a new guy.

"Hey, I'm Ollie." he said, shaking Louis and Harry's hands.

"Yeah I'm Louis and this is Harry, my boyfriend." I said.

"You look too young to be at uni mate." Ollie said, looking curiously at Harry.

"Yeah, I go to high school, I'm just here to help Louis move in and stuff." Harry said.

"Ah, righto." Ollie said cheerfully and he went about making a ham and cheese sandwich which he sat down and ate.

He was very funny and friendly and I felt a bit bad leaving him on his own when me and Harry went back to my room but he gave us a friendly goodnight and pulled out his phone.

"He's nice." Harry said, pulling me into bed with him and reopening the laptop.

"Yeah, I think he'll be funny to have around." I said.

We spent the rest of the night watching Friends and at ten thirty Harry disappeared and came back with some chocolate and two cups of tea.

"Thanks love." I said, taking the mugs so he could get back into bed.

"I know you can't go to bed without a cup of tea," Harry said, "and I'm in love with you." 

"I love you too." I mumbled and I pulled him in for a kiss, hoping this could last forever, just me and Harry.