Back to you and me - Larry

CHAPTER THREE

There's a moment once I've woken up where I'm certain "yesterday" was a dream so vivid that I momentarily convince my mind it was real. I'm in my own bedroom—my London bedroom—but there's no one next to me, nor anything that makes me think Harry and I have magically started existing together rather than apart. The only thing that seems strange is Liam's presence when I step into my kitchen. He's drinking tea as though he normally comes over as much as he pleases—he's allowed to, but he never does without my permission. And his hair is wet as though he has taken a shower in my apartment, something that hardly makes sense on a Monday morning—is it even Monday?

"Liam, why are you drinking my tea?"

He snorts. "Since when is it your tea?"

"Since I bought it and put it in my apartment."

"Have you been drinking in your room?"

"I just woke up. I'm only wondering why you're not with Zayn instead."

He noticeably tenses at the name, then places his mug on the counter. "Have you lost your mind?"

"I'm not sure."

"Louis, why are you bringing up Zayn?"

"Because... what date is it today?"

"The fourteenth."

"Right, so you moved in together yesterday."

"Louis," he says, taking a step closer to me to put a hand on my forehead. "Do you reckon you're sick or something?"

"No, I'm just not sure what's going on."

"Do you need me to bring you to a doctor? Or do you need me to bring you up to speed with mine and Zayn's relationship? Because we've never had one, Louis."

"But—"

"How messed up is your memory? Zayn and I never dated, because you and Harry were bullied so much that you broke up. Zayn and I were never going to date when that's how you were treated."

"Not even in secret?"

"Not even in secret."

"But... why were we bullied? I mean... Harry was already out."

He raises an eyebrow. "Being gay was one thing, Louis, but being a gay couple was another."

"But—"

"Is this about the invitation? Are you pissed that he's getting married?"

"He's still getting married?"

"What do you mean still?"

"I mean... nothing has changed, except..."

"Louis, what the hell is going on with you?"

"I don't have an explanation."

"No?"

"Not unless you believe in time travel."

"That's absurd."

"Yeah... well."

I've only changed two things by going back—the reason Harry and I broke up and the relationship between Liam and Zayn, which is apparently non-existent now. I'm not sure why Harry and I would ever give in to bullying, but I suspect it could've been somewhat bad. And Harry has always been sensitive—in a good way—so I can only assume it would bring him down to a certain extent. And I reckon I must've had a rough time as well, because even one shitty comment now makes me want to punch whoever delivered it.