Beanie [Louis/Luke]

Fourteen

Fourteen: The fifth-wheel.

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Louis.

"I hate you!" Louis whisper-shouted into the phone, angrily pacing across the messy floor of his bedroom.

"Babe I think you're over-reacting--" Liam defended himself but Louis cut him off.

"I am? Really? Fine then. I'm going to be the third wheel tonight while you go and have dinner with your stupid friends and not have fun with your boyfriend's friends!"

Louis knew Liam was sort of right and he was over-reacting, but this week had been a shitty one for him.

Nothing was going his way.

Him and Liam were fighting over the smallest things, Louis had flunked two of his major tests which dragged down his average and so now, a small thing (according to Liam) such as being ditched by your boyfriend on a weekend was ticking him off.

"Louis you're being really unfair you know?" Liam sighed, and Louis could imagine him rubbing his forehead as he spoke. "I told you. We're all meeting at Coach's house. It isn't an ordinary dimner and I'm the vice captain, I can't miss out," Liam tiredly explained yet again.

Louis breathed out heavily. "Okay. Alright. I'm sorry. I get it," he said in a wounded voice which made Liam's heart shrivel with guilt.

"Baby I'll-"

"No I get it. I really do. I'll see you on Monday," Louis said softly, tapping the END button without a goodbye. He fell back on his bed, a not for the first time, started having doubts about his and Liam's relationship.

Every couple fought at the start, right? But surely not this much? Liam had been so nice and sweet and shy at first, but now he was so bossy, and mostly always guilt-tripped Louis into believing that his sport was more important than Louis himself, thereby leaving Louis to stay all alone on the weekends while Liam had to attend team-only parties and meetings and shit. And consoling Louis with short dates on their school nights.

But then again, there were also the sweet moments when Liam would surprise him with kisses in the hallways and send him cute texts and give him his jersey and come to his rehearsals and clap for him (making him embarrassed but mostly happy) and the nights when they would just play video games and banter.

The whole thing sounded almost perfect, so why didn't it feel like that?

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Louis was waiting outside the bowling alley located a close walk from the bus stop from where he had arrived, a grumpy frown on his face.

Tapping his foot against the tarmac, he once again pulled his phone out to text Gemma, but decided against it as he saw Gemma's car fish-tail and pull into the parking lot. A few minutes later, an all black-clad Gemma with her arm hooked with a smiley Ashton's appeared, with Harry trailing behind them.

Harry instantly beamed when he saw Louis, bounding up to him and squeezing the smaller boy in a warm hug, who huffed and pushed him away playfully. "What gives?"

Harry shrugged, ruffling Louis' hair. "Missed you, s'all. You've been spending so much time with the Payne, you forgot us," he said accusingly, Louis feeling a pang of guilt.

"That's right," Gemma nodded in agreement, and Louis rolled his eyes at her and waved to Ashton who shyly waved back.

"Well I'm here today aren't I? So let's go and have fun!" Louis mock-cheered, as they all started in the direction of the bowling alley.

"Wait. I thought you were coming with Liam?" Gemma asked, turning back.

"Yeah. Um, guess he was busy," Louis aaid softly and just shrugged, falling into step beside Harry, who looked at his best friend in concern, as he knew how moody Louis got when Liam ditched him, which was often. Liam was a sweet guy, sure, but he didn't know where his priorities laid.