Stand Up » 1D

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Jasmine Treader

I fluffed my pillow as I got ready for bed. My neck ached from sleeping on the couch at an awkward angle, but it was an act of defiance that I slept there.

Liam hadn't invited me back into his room since Danielle left, and I didn't plan on an invitation soon. I didn't sleep in Harry's room because I didn't want to make anymore relationships any more awkward then they already were.

Mara and Niall had gone to bed sometime ago, and I hadn't seen Zayn or Abby in a while. I figured they were in bed too. I giggled at the thought.

"I'm going to bleeping kill Zaylin when she gets back," Louis grumbled as he stomped into the living room.

"What's up with you?" I asked. "And what did Zaylin do?"

"Everything!" he exclaimed. "Okay, that's a lie, but she snuck out again! I have no flipping idea where she is! She has got to stop doing this to me."

"Maybe Harry's gone," I offered calmly. "That could explain why she's gone."

Louis snapped his fingers. "That's a good idea," he said in realization. "Be right back." He rushed off.

I rolled my eyes and pulled myself under the many quilts and blankets that lay on the couch. I rested my head back and felt my neck tilt upward again at that weird angle. I readjusted myself. Now my neck was lower than usual. I sighed. It was impossible to get comfortable here.

I heard a strangle gargling noise, like somebody was being choked as they struggled to speak. It was either my imagination, Abby and Zayn having sex, or Louis killing Harry. I was thinking the last option, although the second one sounded pretty reasonable.

I forced myself up and dragged my feet to where the strange sounds were coming from. There was silence from Zayn and Abby's room, so they weren't having sex. It had to be Louis and Harry.

I pushed Harry's open door wider and stared at the scene in front of me. Louis had his hands around Harry's throat, and Harry was struggling to pry them off. This didn't seem right at all.

"Hey!" I yelled, and they both looked at me. "Louis, put Harry down."

"But--" he started to protest.

"NOW!!"

He hurriedly let go of Harry, who gasped for breath and held his throat gingerly. I saw red spots on Harry's neck where Louis' fingers were.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I demanded, glaring at Louis. "You would seriously kill your best friend over a girl you fight with 24/7?"

"I wasn't killing him," Louis protested. "I was barely squeezing him. Harry has sensitive skin. He's being overly dramatic."

"Overly dramatic?" Harry shrilled, straightening up. "Says the most dramatic person I know! Says the guy who started killing me before I could even speak!"

"I did let you speak," Louis objected. "I asked you where Zaylin was, and you said, 'um'. That's not a sufficient answer."

"Louis!" I snapped. "The idea was you check if Harry was here, and he IS. So he has nothing to do with Zaylin's disappearance. Use the few brain cells you have, you big dope!"

Louis looked thoughtful for a moment. Then he seemed to remember. "Ooh, yeah," he said. "Sorry, mate."

"Tell that to my neck!" Harry said, his voice still high-pitched like someone kicked him in the balls.

"Then if Harry didn't take her, who did?" Louis asked.

I face-palmed. These boys had a tendency to think that Zaylin needed to be taken places, that she didn't go anywhere on her own.