Some things change. | l.s.

34

The diner was packed in the evening, a lot of people came there after work to have a beer or grabbing something to eat, just like Louis and Harry who- after yet another conversation of bringing their friends together- took Niall and Zayn with them after work and Liam joined them shortly after. Mallory was soon to drop off Madison as well because she had a date and of course Niall convinced Louis to get her to meet the guy at the pub so they could see how he was like.

"Why did we choose this place again?" Zayn cringed when two tables further a group of men were laughing loudly, the volume of their conversation being just as noisy.

"I think every restaurant is packed at this time of the day." Liam chuckled.

"Don't always be such a whiny bitch." Harry said with an eye roll.

"Shut up and eat your fries." Zayn huffed.

"You both shut up." Liam groaned. "At least be civil when we're in public."

"He started it." Harry complained, but he couldn't suppress a grin when Louis chuckled next to him and he slightly elbowed him. "Stop laughing."

"You're always complaining about everything." Louis defended his laughter, but squeezed his shoulder from where he had his arm around him casually.

"Because he's annoying." Harry huffed.

"Maybe you're the problem." Zayn grinned.

"I didn't know I'm back in kindergarten." Niall piped in.

"Oh, you should see them when they fight over the remote." Liam said amused.

"I rather not." Niall snorted. "The actual question is why the hell you're keeping up with them. They're idiots through and through."

"Hey!" Harry complained.

"Shut it, Niall. If one here is an idiot then it's you." Zayn grumbled.

"To answer your question, someone has to watch them." Liam grinned, hissing but still with his teeth on full display when Zayn kicked him under the table.

Their teasing continued until they switched to a more serious topic and when they were halfway through their meals the girls arrived, Madison's face lighting up in an instant when she spotted Louis and ran over to them.

"Dad, you know what? I got selected for the starting line-up for our match on Sunday!" She said excitedly not even having sat down after Louis made room for her chuckling.

"Wow, that's amazing! See? I told you." He said proudly and threw his arm around her when she scooted over to him.

"And you're gonna kick their asses, right?" Niall grinned.

"Of course!" Madison chirped.

Mallory joined them shortly after and greeted everyone, taking a seat opposite of Madison and next to Niall who bombarded her with questions about her date.

"-and how did you meet him?" He asked and Mallory groaned at his fifth question.

"I didn't 'meet' him..." She said with quotation marks. "...He started working in our law office."

"And he didn't guess you're already taken?" Niall asked with raised eyebrows. "He just asked you out?"

"Calm down, Ni." Louis chuckled noticing how done Mallory was with him when he glanced at her.

"What? I need to make sure he's not a douchebag." Niall shrugged innocently.

"Not that it's any of your business, but a co-worker told him I'm single and yes, he just asked me out." Mallory sighed.