From Everything That Was (Till Everything That Will Be)

Louis (Present)

And this is why I have decided
To pull these old white sheets from my head
I'll leave them folded neat and tidy
So that you'll know I'm out of hiding
- Ghosting, Mother Mother

Louis was exhausted as he unlocked the door to his apartment. He barely got the chance to step inside before a big rumble of fur ran to him, jumping up and down his body.

"Clifford," Louis scolded. "Down!"

Clifford, begrudgingly, stopped his jumping session, looking up at Louis with big eyes. Louis smiled softly at his dog, scratching him behind the ear. "That's a good boy. I'm so glad to see you." He bowed down, placing a kiss on Clifford's furry head.

The dog waggled his tail.

Louis chuckled softly and closed the door behind him. He walked further into the apartment, Clifford at his heels. He placed his briefcase in the kitchen, took his most expensive bottle of wine, and poured himself a glass filled to the brim.

Sitting at his kitchen table with his dog's head in his lap, he let out an exhale. "The fuck, Clifford," he mumbled, taking a large swig of wine. "Why him?"

Seeing Harry for the first time in twelve years was not something Louis ever thought was going to happen. He had started living with the fact that Harry was sometimes just a fond memory brought to the surface of his mind. Louis had learned to live without him. He had moved on. He had to.

But he had been right there. Louis had shook his hand. Louis had had a conversation with him, and even though the tension between them had been thick it had almost been as if Louis had been pulled back in time. To a time he was just a child who had fallen in love with his best friend.

Louis had cut Harry completely out of his life when he had left Doncaster. He never looked back, didn't look up his name on socials, and on the rare occasion he did visit his family in Doncaster, he kept the visits short, a day at most with no sleepovers, and without leaving the house.

Louis didn't have a clue that Harry was a teacher, or that he lived in Cambridge. He didn't have any idea that Harry worked at the exact school where Louis had been hired. If he had, he wouldn't have taken the job—

Or would he?

Louis honestly didn't know. He was confused, and as he always did when he was confused, he pulled out his phone and dialled the number of his best friend.

Zayn picked up on the first ring.

"Sup mate," came Zayn's voice. "How's the flat? Have you begun unpacking yet? Also, how was your first day at work?"

Louis swallowed. "Zed." His voice was serious. Shaky.

"Lou," exhaled Zayn, clearly catching onto something in Louis' voice. "What happened?"

Louis squeezed his eyes shut, exhaling deeply. "Harry... Harry works there. He's the teacher I'm gonna be working with."

Zayn had never met Harry, but he knew about his existence. He and Louis were roommates in London after Louis left Doncaster, and from then they became best friends. Louis had never gone into heavy detail about his and Harry's ordeal, but Zayn knew that Harry had been a big part of Louis' life. Generally, Louis hadn't told anyone new in his life about much of his time in Doncaster. It wasn't a time he liked to think back on, much less share, but he had told Zayn about Harry. 

"Oh shit," breathed Zayn. "Do you want me to come down there? I can take a few days off work." That was a lie. Zayn was a lawyer, and Louis knew he was currently working on a big case. He also knew that Zayn would visit him if needed, still, doing the work from Louis' couch.