Smokescreen (mpreg)

CH 14

"Louis what the hell are you doing here? Do you know what time it is?" Liam said as he rubbed his face, answering his front door shirtless but in sweat pants. "I couldn't sleep" I said, leaning heavily against his doorframe.

Liam looked at the beer bottle in my hand and sighed "Come inside, I don't want you driving like this". I tried to take a step forward but tripped over air; if it wasn't Liam standing directly in front of me and catching me I would have been all over the floor.

"Bloody hell mate, I don't think I've ever seen you like this" Liam said, helping me to my feet "Let's get you to bed, can you make it upstairs?" I nodded but Liam practically ended up carrying me to his room. "You're going to spend the night in my room, I want to keep an eye on you" Liam explained as he tugged off my shoes. "Why did you decide to get wasted on a Monday night?" Liam asked as he pulled off my shirt.

"Because I hate myself! The one good thing in my life and of course I screwed it all up!" I said shouting. "Shh mate, everyone is asleep" Liam said urgently "Lay down and go to sleep". "You're not sleeping in your bed?" I asked as I pulled the blankets to my chin and watched as Liam dropped a pillow on the floor and grabbed a blanket from his closet "Why, do you hate me too? Am I so unlikable that not even my own friend wants to be near me?"

Liam stared at me, if I was sober I would have cared that I sounded like a lunatic, but I wasn't sober. "Mate are you alright?" Liam asked, still staring at me "Loads of people like you, you can literally get any girl in the school just by smiling at her; and every guy wants to be you".

"That doesn't matter because Harry doesn't like me!" I said, trying to get him understand; in my mind a faraway voice told me that I was crossing the line, but ignored it. Liam climbed into bed "You're not making any sense Lou, the drink is talking, try to get some rest ok; you're going to hurting in the morning". I sighed "I will be Liam, but not for the reason you think".

-

"Lou, Lou wake up, take a shower or you're going to be late" I felt a hand gently shake my shoulder. "Leave me to die Liam" I said not opening my eyes; I had an absolutely massive headache, but it wasn't as painful as the hollow feeling in my chest. "Lou you have to go to class, if you don't go the school is going to call your parents" Liam explained. "Like they'll care, what are they going to do? Call me on the phone and yell at me?"

"Lou you also parked horribly, your car is as crooked as a politician; you need to move it or you'll get a ticket". "Take my car today then" I said and Liam audibly gasped "Lou you've never let anyone drive your car before". "Then go before I change my mind; if the teachers ask where I am just tell them I drowned in the English Channel".

I heard Liam get ready for a few more minutes before he finally left and a few moments later I heard the familiar sound of my car engine starting up.

-

I walked from Liam's house to my own a while later, it was just down the block from my house. I spent the rest of the day in an over-sized jumper and sweat pants, getting mildly annoyed that the sleeves of the jumper kept going over my hands so I couldn't get my snacks easily as I watched TV.

I looked up as my front door opened and Liam walked in. "Hey Liam" I said, turning back to the telly. "Mate how you feeling" he asked as he sat on the other couch. "Like I want to jump off the London Bridge" I said casually, fishing out a pretzel from my snack bowl. "Mate do you...want to talk about it?" Liam asked, clearly a little concerned "I've known you for a while now and I've never seen you like this".

"Its fine Liam" I said not looking at him. "Is it about Harry?" Liam asked, crossing his legs and getting comfortable on my couch. "Harry?" I asked, pretending to not know what he was talking about. "You mentioned him last night" Liam said. "Did I...say anything else?" I asked, trying to fake indifference. "Nah, that's why I'm asking". I let out a huge sigh of relief internally before saying "It's nothing, really".

"Louis, you know you can tell me anything right? I won't judge you, you're my friend and obviously you're not fine and you're deflecting. You can tell me anything Louis" Liam said. I looked at Liam, considering before I finally said "Did you return my car in one piece?"