When We Were Young

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Hello lovelies !!!
I hope you're enjoying the story so far
Song is 'Hit The Ground(Superman)' by The Big Pink
The photos above are the outfits Darcy and Eli are wearing
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#Eli#

The sunlight shining in through the full-length window lit the whole room with a new morning, and annoying shone right in my eyes as I opened them.
The comforter barely covered my ass, but covered the majority of my legs with its fluffiness. I outstretched the arm I had slept on and felt around the bed with my other hand; the spot next to me was empty. I really didn't want to be here when Zayn woke up, so hopefully I wouldn't have to speak to him as I left.
To my luck, Zayn wasn't in the room as I put my clothes back on and searched every room of the hotel suite. I did find a note on a room service cart outside the bedroom that said to treat myself and that I should stay so we could go to lunch when he came back with Zayn's initial.
    My tattoo was sore from having my arm pressed up against it half the night. Zayn tried to be cautious at first, but both of us pretty much forgot about it on account of how fucking horny and drunk we were.
I ignored the dirty looks I received from the tenants I passed while in the elevator and walking out the building. Even the doorman didn't smile at me as he did everyone else while holding the front door open for me. I knew I didn't belong and I most certainly didn't look like it, so I felt indifferent to their lack to feign like I did pretend.
With no clue as to where I was, I texted Darcy the address, knowing she didn't have to go into work for another hour. I leaned against the building, the sun making me sweat under my leather jacket. I held my heels in my hand and made eye contact with anyone who gave me a dirty look or made a comment within hearing distance. It was always the women who act like they've never seen a prostitute or a girl after a one-night stand every time they see one. One of the comments came from a mother walking her young girl, threatening that she'd slap her silly if she ever turned out like me.
I wasn't offended by any of this. I chose to act like this. There wasn't anything wrong with it. Serious, committed relationships aren't for some people, they're not for me. It's not like I have major trust issues or anything like those girls in Nicholas Sparks books. I trust Darcy and Louis, and Sage, and I even learned to trust my father again years after my mothers death. I could be in a serious relationship if I wanted to, but I don't. Give it another ten years when I have a steady photography job and I'm not living off of ramen every night. I'll end up with a badass husband and 4 dogs and Darcy living next door with the love of her life and her kids that I can be the cool aunt to.
After what seemed like forever baking in the heat, Darcy pulls up on the curb in an uber, opening the door for me to get in. It would be easier to just call the uber myself but I get bored if I'm in the car by myself, and Darcy's used to picking me up.
"Morning sunshine," she greets me, handing me a coffee and bagel. I grunt and take a sip.
"How was your night ?" She asks in a sing-songy voice. I glare at her and her childish smile grows. "Anyway, Louis texted me since you weren't answering your phone all late." She paused, waiting for a reaction from me at the sound of Louis' name. "He invited us to come hang out with him and his friends, which means we get to meet One Direction. Or, the former One Direction actually. Doesn't that sound like fun ?"
I look at her blankly as I chew. I'm truly not in the mood to see Louis or anyone else for that matter. I have a photography gig tonight that I would much rather focus on.
"So," Darcy continues. "We're gonna go get ready--and by we I mean you because you stink and I need to brush your hair, then we'll go to their hotel. You spend so much time there you can lead the way," she jokes.
"What's the date ?" I ask her as I strip down my clothes.
"May 23rd."

Neither of us said anything for the rest of the ride. It turns out Zayn's hotel wasn't too far from our building, although it's still in the nicer part of town. I sat in the shower for longer than needed, trying to drag out the time, till Darcy dragged me out. I sat on my bed with a towel wrapped around my body as Darcy brushed out the tangles in my hair.
When we left, I ended up in a plaid shirt with a white shirt and dark shorts, Darcy wearing a flowy light grey shirt with ripped white skinny jeans.
We walked to the hotel making jokes about the people on the streets and having meaningless arguments about nothing. We had to wait in the lobby of their hotel for Louis or one of them to come down before they let us go up. We were waiting for 5 minutes when a tall man stepped out of the elevator. I wouldn't have even noticed him till Darcy pointed out that he was coming toward us.
"Hi, I'm Harry. I'm Louis' mate." I'd overheard teenage girls gushing over the members of One Direction before but seeing him in person, I understand. He towered over us with piercing green eyes and endless brown curls. His accent was as thick as Louis and fit him well. His attire was more formal than Louis' though; he wore a grey patterned button-up with dress shoes and black pants. When I looked over at Darcy, she was more infatuated with him than I was. Something tells me I had to remind her of a certain guy with a weird name that was well known as her boyfriend.
"I'm Darcy and that's Eli," Darcy responded, blushing.
Harry nodded. "Ah, so you're the infamous Eli," he said to me. I nodded silently. "Well, as beautiful as you are, I'm glad you're Eli and not you here," he said, nodding at Darcy. "I was afraid I'd have to fight Louis for his girl." Darcy giggled and I raised my eyebrows.
"One, I'm not Louis' girl. And two, you won't have to fight Louis but you will have to fight her boyfriend." I said the last part to Darcy, trying to snap her out of her trance.
"Oh," Harry said disappointed. "Forgive me." Darcy smiled politely, then looked at me with daggers for eyes. "Well, let's not keep the lads waiting anymore. Follow me."
We trailed Harry to the elevator, Darcy slapping me on the arm for my previous statement, though I just smiled proudly. We stood with Harry in the middle, his cologne making the elevator smell quite good.
"So Eli," Harry turned toward me. "Louis told me a lot about you, he talks about you all the time."
"Why ?"
Harry chuckled. "I'm glad I get to meet the girl who Louis' been pining after."
"It's just sex," I mumble.
"What was that ?"
I turned toward him and spoke up. "It's just sex. If anything, he should be talking about how good it is, not me myself. You must've heard him wrong." I face forward again, catching Harry glancing at Darcy in the corner of my eye but I don't see her reaction.
"Well, 'just sex' isn't how Louis described it." For some reason, his persistence of telling me how much Louis liked me was ticking me off.
I grit my teeth this time and repeat myself. "It's just sex," I say right as the doors open to the floor we need. I walk out in front of Harry and Darcy, ready to go straight to Louis room before I realize I'm not sure if we'll actually be in his room or not. I turn and wait for the two, who are right behind me, to lead. Harry's asking Darcy a million questions, intently listening to each and every answer. Suppose the little fact of her having a boyfriend went past him.
Harry chuckles at Darcy when she tells him how she had to brush my hair and threaten to put me in a time out when I pretend to be a kid as he's sliding the key card in. As a gentleman in the movies, he lets me and Darcy go first.
"Yo Lou, your girl is here !" Harry calls out heading somewhere else, we don't follow. I'm ready to correct him again when Darcy speaks up next to me.
"You didn't tell me how dreamy Louis' friends are."
"No but I did tell you about that one guy. What's his name ? D-devon ? Noooo. Hmmm, I can't seem to remember." Darcy's face drops, she pouts. "Ah yes ! Averon," I fake conclude, smiling proudly.
"I know, I know. I'm a horrible girlfriend. You need to keep me away from Harry, ok." Darcy looks like she's going to cry. It's honestly adorable; we're exact opposites. I sleep with a new person every week, or go back to an old one, and Darcy feels like she should be beheaded if she even talks to another male that's not Louis, Sage, or either of her brothers.
"You're so innocent," I coo, squeezing her cheek. She swats my hand away and shakes her head, smiling.
"Eli !" I hear Louis' voice from behind me. My mood instantly drops. I have no idea why I feel this way toward Louis. Am I mad or annoyed or ? Hormones are stupid.
I turn around and raise my eyebrows at him. He had this big, childish grin on his face as he approaches us. It's cute but at the same time, I just want to smack it right off.
"How's your tattoo feeling ?" He asks, his face full of hope. I completely forgot about it after I left Zayn's hotel, but now that I'm reminded of it, the soreness is back.
"How a tattoo feels when it's healing," I say sarcastically, sliding past him to sit on the couch that's calling my name. There's a fluffy brown throw strewn across decoratively that I want to wrap myself in. Now, I'm in pain and I feel like I could pass out right here.
"Uh," Louis says from behind me. He chuckles,"yeah I bet it's still pretty sore. Don't worry, I have the perfect cure for that," he says suggestively, sliding down on the couch next to me.
"An ibuprofen and a chocolate milkshake ?" I ask, rubbing my hands over the throw. Louis face drops a little, glancing behind me at Darcy probably.
He leans in close so she can't hear, though she's about 5 feet away from us on the matching arm chair. "Is everything okay ?"
I meet his eyes and for a second, I feel guilty for acting how I did when we first met. I remember Zayn and what Harry said in the elevator and the guilt is gone. "I need a smoke," I announce, standing up.
"I don't think there's any smoking in here."
"That's why I'm going to the terrace," I say, feigning a gasp, closing the glass terrace door behind me. I've barely pulled out my pack and my lighter when I hear the door open and close again behind me.
"What the hell are you doing?" Darcy asks, staring at me as I light my cigarette.
"I'm smoking, what does it look like ?"
Darcy huffs, yanks the cigarette from between my teeth, and throws it over the balcony. I stare at her blankly for a second before pulling out another.
I have the pack in my hand when Darcy grabs it and then throws that over the balcony. Again, I stare at her. "This game isn't fun anymore. Unless you throw me over next."
"That is a disgusting habit and you are going to quit," Darcy announces, crossing her arms. I roll my eyes, glancing inside. Harry and two other guys have joined Louis, one sitting next to him, Harry and the other standing over him. Louis looks amused, chuckling at something one of them said.
"Is it what Harry said ? About Louis talking about you all the time and you being his girl ?" My eyes snap to her instantly.
"I'm not his girl."
Darcy scoffs. "Yeah, you've made that perfectly clear. That doesn't mean you have to be a bitch to Louis; we got invited here to hang out so you're going to go in there and be the sarcastic but lovable Eli that Louis and I know, and that his friends can know too." I know Darcy means business when she uses curse words besides 'hell', so I follow her inside, fiddling with the lighter still in my hand.
    "Eli apologizes for being rude," Darcy tells the boys as we settle down on the couch, me next to Louis again. I scoot a centimeter closer, acting like I don't even notice, to let Louis know I'm not mad at him--even though I am.
    "No problem, love," the one next to Louis says. He's got a thick Irish accent; I thought all the members were British except for Zayn. He smiles at me with intense blue eyes that go along well with his flop of blonde hair. "Louis told us you were a feisty one."
    I look at Louis with raised eyebrows while he glares at the Irish one. "You used feisty to describe me ?" I ask, smirking. I'm lazy and slutty and a smoker, but feisty ? I don't think so.
    "No I didn't, I-I said you were stubborn," Louis stutters, blushing. It's kind of cute to see him so nervous, but not cute enough that I forget I'm mad at him. But I don't see why he would be nervous. We're just hanging out.
    "Nah man," the one standing next to Harry stand. This one had a British accent. Are they all just naturally really fucking attractive ? The one next to Harry had rich brown hair and eyes to match. The stubble growing on his jaw gave him a more rugged look, sort of like Louis' did. I'd consider trying to get together with him on a random night, except Louis' friends seemed very protective of him and I'd guess that me trying to get his friend to make a move on me wouldn't end well.
    "Introduce your friends, mate," the Irish one said again.
    "Yeah, I bet she hasn't heard a damn thing about us," the British one next to Harry said.
    "They're too busy making love," Harry joked.  I laughed at his voice when he said this. Louis blushed even harder.
    "Uh, sorry," he mumbled. "Eli, this is Niall," he waved to the Irish one," and that's Liam," he waved at the British one next to Harry. "And you've already met Harold."
    "No offense, Eli," Niall spoke to me," but isn't Eli a guys name ? I mean, I've only ever heard it used as a guys name."
    "I get that a lot," I assured him.
    "Is it short for something ?" Liam asked.
    "Yup."
    "What for ?"
    "A longer name."
    The guys chuckled. "Ok but what longer name ?" Liam corrected.
    "The one my parents named me."
    "She never tells anyone her name," Darcy explained. "It's Elliot."
    "I never knew that," Louis said surprised. I looked at him blankly before turning to glare at Darcy playfully. I'm not one of those people that's ultimately embarrassed of their name; I just don't see the need to explain myself to other people. I tell them Eli because I want to be called Eli. The only ones who call me 'Elliot' are clients because that's the name I give them.
    "No offense again," Niall chuckles. "But isn't Elliot a guys name too ?"
    "Yup."
    "Why'd your parents name you that ?"
    "Why'd they name you Niall ?"
    "Point taken," Niall smirks.
    "You want something to eat ?" Louis asks me, thankfully changing the subject. I nodded even though I wasn't hungry. We stand up and leave the room to go to a bedroom; Louis said he'd order room service for me but he didn't want all the boys bugging him for snacks for them too.
    "My hero," I tell him sarcastically when he closes the door behind us. He smiles and goes to the phone. He pauses when he's dialing and looks up at me.
    "I didn't know your full name was Elliot," he says again.
    I shrug, pretending to look out the window, though it's the same view you'd see out of any window in New York. It's not a bad view, it's just repetitive. "My parents were expecting a boy; the dumbass nurse told them I had a penis."
    He chuckles, then I hear the faint sound of the buttons on the phone being pressed. He orders, ending up getting enough food for everyone.
    "Nice view," I tell him when he hangs up. He knows I'm trying to fill the awkward silence. I don't look at him when I feel his presence come up behind me, and his breathing on the back of my head.
    I don't react when I feel his hand pushing my hair to one side, then his lips on my cheek. Louis places soft kisses on my neck and down to my collarbone. I react when I feel his hand start to slip into mine.
    I whirl around, taking a step back though there isn't a lot of space. "Where's the bathroom ?"
    Louis opened his mouth to say something, obviously disappointed, but closes it again. "The door across the hall," he says quietly, pointing to the wall.
    I smile sweetly and step around him, but he stops me by grabbing my wrist and twirling me around. "Did I do something ?"
    I shake my head. "No." He really didn't, but I'm still bitter toward him.
    "Then why are you acting like this ?"
    I roll my eyes, pushing my hair over my shoulder. "Acting like what ?"
    "Like, like," Louis racks his brain looking for something but comes up empty.
    "I just don't get why we have to be together all the time." Louis looks at me confused. "I don't get why we have to have sex all the time and hang out all the time. We agreed after the first time we slept, this would just be casual. I'm trying to keep it casual."
    I leave before he has a chance to respond. On the short trip across the hall, I hear laughing coming from the living room. After I lock the door behind me, I slide down to the floor and close my eyes. Bile rises in my throat and I squeeze my eyes shut to keep the tears from escaping.
I don't know how much longer I have to be here, but I can feel myself drifting off. Lifting myself to my feet proves a little difficult, but it's easier to go out there & face the music than fall asleep in the bathroom. My hands on the door handle when bile rises again, and this time it doesn't stay down.
    After flushing a few minutes later, there's a knock on the door. "El ?" Darcy's soft voice mumbles from outside the door. "You okay ?"
    "Peachy," I croak, my throat sore. The taste lingers lewdly.
    "What happened ?"
    Using any body strength left, I lug myself up by the counter and drag my feet to the door, opening it with the most dead face I muster. Darcy looks at me with big, concerned eyes. "I'm bulimic."
    Darcy's face drops at my joke, all concern washed away. "Do you feel well enough to stay ?"
    "No," I mutter, creeping past her.
    Darcy sighs disappointed. "I guess we'll go then." We walked back into the living room, my feet shuffling loudly behind Darcy, taking their sweet time.
My eyes immediately scan the room for Louis, and land on him sitting on the couch across from the one he was on before with Niall, who's now having a conversation with Liam. Harry's on his phone but his head snaps up when he hears us enter the room. A smile creeps on his face as he gazes at Darcy.
Louis' eyes are trained on the ground, his jaw set tight, one arm fiddling with the cuff of his jeans of the ankle resting on his right leg, and his other arm draped across the couch. It appears he doesn't even hear us enter.
"We have to be going now," Darcy says in a sickly sweet voice. I'm gonna pay for this later. The boys groan; Louis looks up in surprise, finally realizing we're there. "Eli got sick in your bathroom."
"Yeah," I mumble, lowering my chin. My hair falls around my face, covering my eyes. "Sorry about that."
"Do you need to lay down ? I'll phone down to housekeeping," Liam inquires, taking a step towards us.
"No, we're leaving," I whisper. I grab Darcy's wrist and pull her to the hotel room doors. We almost make it out when my stomach gives out and releases another round of vomit on the expensive beige carpet. There's a light ringing in my ears, along with groaning and someone saying 'Jesus Christ'. A hand rubs my back while another holds my hair back.
"Sorry about your carpet," I grumble, holding a hand over my mouth.
"You should really lie down," Harry says. I shake my head, prompting a long sigh from Darcy.
"Come on, Darce." I step around the puke pile and exit the room. I leave the door open, letting Darcy follow me. I hear her excusing me, apologizing for my stubbornness.
"She really doesn't allow people to take care of her."
"You're just gonna take her home ?" Niall asks with concern. I slouch against the wall, waiting for Darcy to come out so we can leave.
"Let me come," Louis begs. "Please, I'll take her to the emergency room."
"I'll take her myself," Darcy tells him. "She--"
"Please," Louis insists. "I-I want to make sure she's okay."
"I'll text you later ok," Darcy says apologetically. My stomach begins to twist itself in a knot again, telling me it's time to go whether Darcy's behind me or not. Luckily, the elevator comes quickly when I press the button.
There's one other lady on the elevator; someone older wearing a red crocheted jacket and skirt with big white pearls lining her neck. She holds a brown briefcase with both hands in front of her, her shoulders squared back, chin tilted upward.
I slouch to the corner of the elevator, leaning against the metal hand rest that lined three of the elevator walls. On the way down, I get plenty of dirty looks from the lady, her scrunching her nose in disgust and shaking her head before exiting on her floor.
After leaving the elevator and the hotel itself, it doesn't take long to find a cab. The nice doorman waves one down for me, whom I thank before entering.
"Where to ?" The cab driver asks. He has a throaty, bellowing voice.
"Closest emergency room," I answer.
I meet his eyes in the rear view mirror when he looks up in concern. "You ok, kid ?" He pulls into traffic, going as fast as the speed limit will let him.
"I keep puking," I tell him truthfully.
"Yeah," he grumbles. "Don't puke in my cab."
"I'll open the window and try to hit a biker."
He gives me a mirthless chuckle, the end to our conversation. Finally, we make it to the emergency room. Luckily, my stomach stays put till I get out, but only by a few seconds. I hand him the money and stumble out of the cab as I feel the vomit making it's way up.
Dragging my legs into the emergency room, a nurse greets me and helps me to a bed. I learn her name is Samantha. She gets down all my information and pages a doctor.
A few minutes later, the doctor Samantha pages appears. At first, I'm taken aback by his appearance. His triangular jaw--which looks strong enough to cut someone--is covered in dark stubble. I had a strange urge to run my hand through the thick head of auburn hair that flopped freely.
"Hello there, Elliot, I'm--" He cut himself off when taking a second look at me.
"It's Eli."
The doctor blinks and clears his throat. "Right, sorry. I'm Dr. Graham Phillips." He gives me a smile, sending a little twinkle to his russet brown eyes. The dimples and beauty mark next to his right eye make him look much younger than he is. From observation, I would assume early 30's. If I wasn't in a gown that had my butt hanging out the back and didn't have vomit in my hair, I'd pull out my best flirting tricks.
"From your tests, I can tell you that you have appendicitis."
"Wow, you really are a doctor," I mumble sarcastically.
Graham furrows his brow in confusion. "Uh, what ?"
I close my eyes and shake my head. When I open my eyes again, Graham is staring at me with curious intent. "So, surgery ?"
Graham snaps out of his haze and clears his throat again. "Yes, we'll have to get you to surgery as soon as possible."
"So what's the hold up ?"
Graham opens his mouth, looks down at the chart in his hands, and closes his mouth again. He looks almost scared to ask me what it is on his mind.
"Can you die from appendicitis ? Or just impatience ?"
"Uh, r-right, sorry. You just look strangely familiar."
"I have that kind of--" I cough, and open my mouth again to finish my sentence, but a longer series of coughs come out instead. Graham steps forward in concern.
"We'll have to get you in right away. I'll call up to have an OR ready. A nurse will be over soon to prep you."
I hold up a finger, indicating for him to wait till I'm done coughing. "G-get Samantha, please."
"Are you sure you're alright ?" Graham asks, tapping his fingers against the clipboard.
"Yeah, don't worry. This happens a lot," I answer in a raspy voice. "You know, a smoker, bad lungs. It should say this in the chart."
"That's where I've seen you before !" Graham exclaims in sudden realization. I stare at him in confusion. "You might not remember me, but you were in an anonymous nicotine addicts group with my father last year. I went to a few meetings with him. He hasn't smoked for a year."
"Really now ?" I say sarcastically. "I haven't smoked for an hour. We're both doing really well. How bout that surgery now ?"
Graham's face drops a little. "Right...Anyway I will get you Samantha." He gives me another smile then leaves.

The next few hours include Samantha prepping me, Graham explaining the surgery to me, and the actual surgery. As he's finished explaining the surgery, I get in one little bit of flirting before they wheel me into the OR while Graham goes to wash his hands. The anesthesiologist tells me to count down from ten as he places the mask over my mouth.
I wake up some time later, coming to in a comfy bed and the sun blinding me through the window. I spot two people sitting on either of my bed, but it takes a few minutes for the blurriness to clear. When I can see clearly, Darcy and Louis both stare at me with big eyes.
"What'd I miss ?" I croak.
"You dumbass, " is the first thing Darcy says to me. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to the hospital ?"
"I thought I was dying," I said sarcastically. "I wanted to leave things how they were. It ended well, don't you think."
Darcy shakes her head at me and squeezes my hand. "At least you're okay. I'm gonna go get you some water, ok." She gets up and walks out of the room, leaving me and Louis alone.
It's an awkward silence for a few minutes until Louis takes my hand. "I'm glad you're okay too."
I stare at my limp hand in his for a few minutes before deciding it's too much to fight right now. I squeeze his hand back and turn my head away from him, closing my eyes. "Nerd."
His chuckle--and his soft, dry lips on my hand--making my heart beat a little harder is the last thing I hear before I fall asleep again.