Agitated Afternoons// h.s

Spaces

Louis sat down next to me unceremoniously, making me jump in surprise. I had been casually reading a book on the sofa here in the studio when Louis came into my line of sight and sat down abruptly next to me. He looked like he wanted to say something. Closing my book, I looked at him quizzically, noting that he had a spiral bound journal in his hands. "Something wrong?" I ask him.

"Not wrong. I just want you to write a song with me." My eyes widen in surprise.

"Really? What.. Why?"

"Zayn does it right? And Harry's come to you for a few things. Why not write a song with Liam and I?" I guess he has a point.. But it did kind of sound like he was making a jab at Zayn.

"Um.. Okay. Yeah that sounds fine with me." Louis nods with a small smile.

"Good, because I have the first couple of lines and I want your opinion on it." He flips the book in his hands to a specific, dog eared page and hands it over to me. I read over the title. Spaces. Simple enough.

Who's gonna be the first one to start a fight? I swallow hard and look up at Louis, not reading the rest of the lines written on the page.

"Louis..." I whisper.

"Just keep reading." He insists. "I'm going to get Liam." He walks off. Sometimes they do this, break up into teams and write a song. I think Harry and Zayn are off writing one together. Niall is helping one of the sound guys get the right beat for a different song and I really didn't expect to help them today because they seemed to be doing alright on their own but.. Louis was obviously trying to make a point about writing a song with me about Zayn leaving the band.

Who's gonna be the first one to fall asleep at night? Who's gonna be the last one to drive away? Who's gonna be the last one to forget this place? I put the book down, refusing to read the rest. What is Louis trying to prove? This will only upset everyone even more. Why would he do this?

"Did you finish reading it?" Louis asks, coming back with Liam who looks about as grim as I feel. I said my head as Louis sits down.

"You can't be passive aggressive like this Louis. You'll only upset yourself and Zayn. You know he has reasons as to why he wants to leave." I say emphatically.

"I just want to write this okay? It might not even make it on the album." Louis says in a hard voice. "I need to write about it. I need to get it off my chest." I run a hand through my hair in exasperation. I shouldn't help him write this. It could only spell disaster later. "Please read the rest." I exhale slowly.

"Okay, I'll read it." I murmur, picking the book back up.

Spaces between us, hold all our secrets leaving us speechless and we don't know why. Who's gonna be the first to say goodbye. I swallow hard and look back up at the two boys, clearing my throat a little.

"Well, uh.. It needs a better flow into the chorus and a couple more lines in the chorus." They both nod.

"That's the same thing I told him." Liam remarks. He holds h hand out for the notebook and I pass it to him as he pulls a pen out from behind his ear. "I thought about.." He begins to scribble two or three lines just between the first verse and the sort of the chorus Louis has. He hands it back to us and Louis reads the words over my shoulder.