just an act~larry au

{chapter eight}

IM SO SORRY IM NOT DEAD i apologize for the late update lol but enjoy!

p.s. thank you so much for all the love this story has received it means sooooo much

the pic attached is harry on his phone because his hands are adorable but hot and idek anymore okay read on

nialllll: hi

nialllll: hello?

nialllll: i'm sorry about the other night i didn't mean it

nialllll: where r u?

nialllll: r u ignoring me? it's been three days

nialllll: maybe i'm not sorry

nialllll: you know what i was right after all you don't even have the guts to respond

harry's heart wrenched as he tugged the blanket over his head. he hadn't opened the seven unread messages in fear of this exact response.

he didn't even know what to type back, or if he even should respond. he didn't want to forgive him anymore.

harry: ur being so mean

harry: stop it stop stop stop yes i do im replying right now

he saw niall had read his texts, and was responding.

nialllll: you need to realize that you can't handle your life right now

nialllll: sorry for being harsh

nialllll: but you need a wake up call

harry started to reply but didn't know what to say and just kept reading the messages as they came through.

nialllll: i happen to be particularly fond of you no matter how much of a delicate butterfly you can be and i don't want to see you self destruct over some guy

harry: thanks

harry: but i really like him

nialllll: i saw him yell at you

nialllll: no one would be able to handle that

harry: i cant remember anything from last night

nialllll: oh well louis yelled at you after you called him babe

harry: i did what now?

**********

louis knocked on the door.

one. two. three.

"hi-oh, louis! what are you doing here?"

"you know why i'm here."

"no i do-oh, this is about me being in that movie?"

louis nodded and questioned her through clenched teeth.

"why? you aren't even an actress!"

"i know, but there was an open spot and i wanted to try it. you don't have a problem, do you?"

"yes, actually, i do."

she cocked her head to the side innocently and louis realized he didn't really know what it was either.

"you don't understand."

"look, louis, i fit the definition of the casting call perfectly. long, curly, brown hair. pretty fit figure."

"so did harry."

"is that what this about? are you-are you...jealous?"

"n-no! of course not! i'm just saying that harry and i worked together better than you and him ever will!"

"i've stuck around long enough to see when you're lying, louis. it's not like i'll tell anyone."

"i like him."

eleanor nodded in thought.

"and i like you," she responded.

"you-" he pointed to her for emphasis. "broke up with me."

"because i cared about you and it was for the better."

"have you had to kiss him yet?"

"why does that matter?"

"it's a question. answer it."

"not yet. it's the next scene we're filming."

"has he said anything about me?"

"no, he's too nice for that. but laura wanted to see you."

louis gave a mere nod.

"do you want to...you know...come in?"

they had been standing in the doorway for a while now, and eleanor was tired of propping open the door.

"i guess."

he stepped inside. he immediately stopped in the front room, and closed his eyes.

the smell was the first thing he recognized. the warm, honey smell wrapped around him. he looked around. most of the time they had spent together was at his house, since they lived together.

he scanned his view from the left to the right. boxes piled up on either side, some of them open, with the things he had packed up for her.

"i know it's not much, but i just moved in. it was hard to find a place after such a...short notice."

she eyed louis, who was digging through one of the boxes. he pulled out a frayed cord that had been torn off at the base and traced his fingers along it to a microphone.

he gently set it down and turned his gaze to eleanor.

"you weren't supposed to see that."

"this is our mic. you know that. you know how much that meant to zayn."

in college one night, after having a little too much to drink, zayn and louis wandered into an alley and saw a knocked over karoake microphone. it was one of the ones that you hook up into your ipod.

they shoved the dusty, grimy old thing into the back of zayn's truck and took it home. they ended up singing out of tune, but having fun until the sun came up.

eventually, after many hours of using it, the cord snapped. zayn still kept it, and even used it to this day. he claimed it helped him come up with lyrics when he was recording in the studio.

eleanor could tell louis was on his very last nerve, and she knew that if he said anything, he would blow.

"i'm sorry. it reminded me of you."

"so you can just go fucking take it from him? what else is in here?"

he pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. it was a picture of louis, and on the back, she had written things she loved about him. his eyes, his four little freckles, his tummy.

"louis, stop. the rest of that is mine."

he didn't stop. what eleanor called loving and sweet, louis just found creepy.

"if you took zayn's stuff, i can at least look through yours."

"that's not how it works. just take the mic back and leave. please."

"is this-is this the magazine of me and harry kissing?"