when we were eighteen - book one ✔️

Chapter Three

LOUIS // OCTOBER 2016
Song of the Chapter: The Sound by The 1975

The next morning, Louis had a bit of a headache from all the wine and a pit in his stomach. He had no memory of getting home, but he figured out Harry had brought him home due to the text he sent. And it looked like he was staying with Harry, and it seemed rude to back out now. Not that he wanted to back out anyways.

So with a large sigh, Louis looked at the time and saw that it was half past ten in the morning. Louis sent a text to Harry, simply saying, "I'll be ready to go in twenty minutes. Come whenever you're ready."

Harry quickly responded, "I'll be there in thirty minutes."

Niall came over to Louis's room as he was packing the things he took out last night. The Irish lad just barged in, looked at his best mate, and boomed out, "What are you doing?"

"I'm staying with a friend until your house is ready," Louis answered, not looking up.

"Which friend? It's not Harvey, is it?" Niall questioned. When Louis stayed silent, the boy sighed melodramatically.

"What is it, Niall? I can't stay with an old friend?" Louis spat out, bitterly.

"Of course you can. Just not Harvey!"

Louis heaved out a breath of irritation and said in a snappy tone, "It's Harry. There's nothing to worry about. He's got a boyfriend or something and he's pregnant."

"Pregnant?" Niall asked. "Wow, okay... Mate, are you really sure that you're okay with staying with him and his boyfriend? You...you are just getting back into a better place. What if you go backwards?"

Louis zipped up his bag and smiled at his friend. He said, "Thank you, Niall. I'll be okay. It's only for a few days, right? It'll be cool to catch up with him."

"When's he gonn' be here? I want to meet him," Niall sternly said, crossing his arms.

Louis quickly checked the time and answered, "In about ten minutes, but you have to be kind. He's pregnant. Pregnant people are kind of really emotional. And I don't think he would want a loud mouth Irish guy in his face."

"I'm not a loud mouth, you dick. Why can't I meet the guy that you never stop talking about? And, I just want to ask him a few things. Isn't that okay?" inquired Niall.

Louis rolled his eyes dramatically and answered, "If you don't think you can't stop your damn blubbering mouth, then I don't think you should meet him right now. You should give me a few days to feel this all out, then you can meet him. Okay, Niall?"

It was a compromise, Louis knew that his best mate would never stop pressing himself until he finally met Harry. He knew his friend would somehow say something to upset Harry. And if Harry was anything like his mum when she was pregnant the last time, he would be emotional.

"Fine, but please text me or something when you get to his flat. And I want updates, okay? Honestly you have no idea how this person could be. Six years can change people." Niall sighed, walking towards the door.

"I will. I think I know what I'm doing here, Nialler. But thank you, you know, for always looking out for me and stuff," Louis mumbled out awkwardly, he wasn't good at expressing his gratitude. But he was trying to be better at it, and that's what mattered.

Niall just nodded, knowing that Louis would decline his hug. Louis wasn't the biggest fan of hugs, unless it was greetings or something. Niall left the room and Louis quickly brushed his teeth, so he can pack the last few little things.