Moments In Time

Chapter 10

The sun was shining through the wondow the next morning, waking Kacey up. She sat up and yawned as she began to try to remember the events of the night before. She glanced over and saw that she was alone, and fully clothed, in a house that clearly wasn't hers. She also had the biggest headache of her life.

"Nice to see you up and sober," a familiar voice said.

Groaning, Kacey looked at the doorway to see Louis, of all people, standing there, looking concerned and amused at the same time.

"What happened last night? Why am I at your place?" she asked hoarsely. "Where's Zayn at?"

Louis smiled a little sadly, holding his hands up innocently.

"First, fluids," Louis said, and she noticed then that there was a bottle of water in his outstretched hand. Kacey took it and guzzled half the bottle.

"Okay I'm hydrated," she said. "Now why am I at your place?"

Louis sighed and sat on the bed, chewing the inside of his jaw.

"Because you told Zayn you've been in love with him for years," he explained. "And, for reasons that are currently unknown, though I have suspicions, Zayn couldn't deal with that. Why, I don't know, because trust me love, the feeling is definitely mutual."

Kacey groaned again and flopped onto the pillow.

"Why am I here, Louis?" she asked, her voice muffled by the pillow.

"I was getting there. Because you called me, drunk and crying," he said, taking the pillow away. "You said that no one loves you, and that you were all alone. Neither of which are true, by the way. Anyway, then you told me about everything that had happened at dinner. So, I sent Preston after you and told him to set you up in here."

"Why didn't you go get me?" Kacey asked.

"I was on my way to Zayn's to kick his ass," Louis simply explained. "I've been bloody telling him for years to tell you the truth, and when he finally did he fucked it up. So I was going to give him a piece of my mind until Harry called me. He told me that Zayn was with him. Upset. Not drunk like you were, but upset all the same."

"At me, probably," Kacey said, trying not to cry.

Louis laughed.

"You know, Kacey, I think you could set the world on fire and Zayn wouldn't be upset at you."

"He was once," she muttered.

"The night he kissed you? He was just mad because his so called genius plan was foiled," Louis replied. "Listen. He's never once been cross with you, angry at you, not even once has he raised his voice to you."

Kacey scoffed.

"The day of my first show after Mom died," she said.

"I know, I know, we just said that but it was your first and only," Louis replied. "Let me finish, Kacey."

Kacey sighed but waited for Louis to continue.

"I think he's upset with himself for ignoring something the rest of us has seen for years," he said. "And he wanted to tell you earlier, and now he's realized that he should have."

Kacey was silent and then laughed humorlessly.

"Is it a bad time to mention I'm supposed to move to New York?" she asked him. "Like, soon? All this shit has happened and now I have to move on top of it all."

"Nah," Louis replied. "I actually think it'll do you some good. Get away from LA and live that New York City life you've always wanted. Do some thinking, clear that pretty head of yours. You also get to do something different for a while."