Niall:
47 missed calls. I snickered happily while ignoring the 48th one that came in at the second.
“What’s so hard to understand about having a day off?”, I mumbled to myself and dug deep into the bowl of popcorn in my lap. I wouldn’t take them today, the calls I mean. Not today. Not while watching the game of the week, and not when I had fresh smelling snacks trailing down my shirt. I’d put my comfy slippers on for heaven's sake! “Not today”, I said to myself again, patting my own shoulder. “Not even if they knock the door do...”,
“Knock knock!”, Louis’ voice shouted through the door. I snorted annoyed to myself. He knew he wasn't supposed to come here.
“Get out Lou!”, I called, glaring straight ahead. I knew he was standing right outside, wanting to talk to me about those 12 of 48 calls that had been his.
“Knock knoooock!”.
“Fuck off!”, I growled.
“Knock knooo...”, I was up on my feet, ripping the door open before he could finish.
“What do you want?”, I snapped at him.
“Nice slippers”, he commented, leaning against the wall in the dark corridor. It was only lit up by the dying lightbulb hanging from the roof. Not the best part of town, but it was at least mine. And mine only. Until now.
“You better have a good reason to come here, or else...”,
“You know why I’m here Nialler?”, Louis sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. My hands were hanging like that lightbulb against my sides, and I just glared at him.
“I bet a pint you’re going to tell me”, I spat under my breath. Really, I was just heartbroken about my date with the couch had been rudely interrupted.
“You know who has called me back twelve times today?”, he continued, ignoring my comment. I didn’t answer. “Not you”, he chuckled bitterly. “But you know who did call me until I went nuts?!”, he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air like he really was nuts. He is a little nuts.
“I bet you’re gonna tell me that too”, I said.
“Don!”, he cried out, and pulled his hair like a person who had gone a little nuts would do. “And he went on about how he’d been calling you, and you never picked up”. I licked my teeth for the taste of the popcorn that was still there and got my argument ready.
“Well, Don can’t just...”,
“And being the good friend I am, I said I didn’t know where you were, even though I did know where you were, because you're always here!". I wanted to tell him to calm down, but that would probably just have the opposite effect. I sighed silently, trying to calm myself down for the sake of both of us.
“Why didn’t you just tell him to go to my flat and left him to it?”, I asked, cocking my eyebrow at him, leaning against my doorframe. My whole body was burning to just run back to the TV set again.
“Because he’d already been there”, Louis sighed, his arms flapping loose against his sides. “So I said I would go out and look for you”, he added in the same given-up tone of voice. All four of the lads knew that I went here on my days off. They also knew I’d smash their heads with a brick of they told anyone. Especially Don. I knew it could be something important, but most likely, it wasn't. They had to understand I went nuts talking to them all day, about signings and interviews and practice.
“Why did you come here then? Couldn’t you just say you didn’t find me?”.
“Because someone else than you is trying to have a nice day as well”. Louis sighed my name and I hated it. Because I knew he was right. He walked off down the corridor, underneath the lightbulb.
“Hey Lou!”, I called. “Where are you going?”. Suddenly I didn’t want him to leave. It wasn’t any fun being annoyed with him when he wasn’t angry with me. When I knew all he wanted was some peace (just like me), and he couldn’t have it because... well because of me. “Louis!”, I growled, hoping it would trig some kind of argument so I wouldn’t have to feel bad.
“What?”, Louis turned with that same given up look at the bottom of the corridor.
“Where are you going?”, I repeated, more pathetic this time. “You’re not going to tell them where I am, are you?”. Louis bobbed his head at me and was clearly disappointed I’d ever think that about him. “Ok, I know you’re not going to tell them”, I said.
“Just call them back Niall!”, Louis called, his voice banging against the naked walls as he turned around and kept on walking.
“But...”,
“Leave me out of it!”, was the last thing I heard before he disappeared. I shut the door and sullenly mumbled the worst words I could come up with. I didn’t feel like watching the game anymore. I wold have to face the reason for those 48 calls sometime.
“Fucking phone!”, I threw it across the room and it landed in the chair in the corner. I bumped down on the couch, kicking the stupid slippers off. “Day off, yeah right!”, I scoffed tasting the bitter fact of how miserable I was feeling.
