Look After You

Chapter 15

   Louis woke up the next morning expecting to see Harry lying next to him, mouth wide open snoring lightly. Instead, he was alone. Only greeted by Harry's unmade side of the bed. His heart sank in his chest. Harry had left without even saying goodbye. An outburst of laughter from downstairs caused Louis to cock his head. Maybe Harry hadn't left after all?

   Louis groaned as his knees cracked and he stumbled down the staircase. The curly headed lad was nowhere to be seen, only Niall and Zayn were sitting in the living room. "Oi, sorry Lou! Did i wake ya?" Niall's Irish accent always made Louis smile...except when he first woke up.

   "I told 'em to keep it down!" Zayn smirked at his blonde friend.

   "I was already up, mate." Louis yawned, flopping down on the couch cushion next to Zayn. "Where's Harry? Did he leave already?"

   "He left a while ago..." Niall muttered cautiously.

   "Without saying goodbye?" Louis swallowed a small knot that was forming within his throat. Prick. 

   "No, he's comin' back. He just went to drop off a load." Zayn interfered, knowing the look that had begun to cloud Louis' eyes.

   Louis nodded, saying no more as relief washed over him. Harry would never leave without saying goodbye. Louis tried to convince himself while wiping away the sleepy feeling left in his eyes. The three boys sat in comfortable silence, occasionally sharing a laugh, helping Louis forget that he'd be alone soon enough. "Morning, Lou!" A deep voice bellowed as the front door slammed shut.

   The blue eyes lit up at the sight of his Harry, walking into the kitchen, small white bag in hand. "Hazza!" Louis beamed, suddenly forgetting about the other boys in the room. Harry tossed an award winning smile over his shoulder as he opened the bag with a crinkle.

   "What's in the bag?" Niall asked, cocking his head into the direction of the kitchen.

   "Doughnuts--" As soon as the word left Harry's lips, Niall was off the couch and in the kitchen, taking a chocolate glazed doughnut out of Harry's hand.

   Harry rolled his eyes and reached back into the bag. "I stopped at the bakery on my way back after I realized there was absolutely no food here!" Harry took a huge bite out of the soft dough and headed into the living room with the bag. "You need to buy groceries, Lou." Harry put the bag on the coffee table before sitting next to Niall, who was licking the remains of his doughnut off of his fingers.

   "You usually do that." Louis sighed as Zayn dug through the abandoned bag.

   "Well, I don't want you to starve. You're already too skinny, mate. Don't make any plans for tomorrow evening. I'll go with you." Harry smiled, taking another bite of his doughnut.

   "Thanks." Louis smiled lightly, accepting the pastry that Zayn was holding out towards him.

   Harry winked at the boy, almost causing him to choke, but covered the discomfort with a cough. "So, how much do you have left?" Niall mumbled around his second doughnut. How is that leprechaun not six thousand pounds!? He's like a bottomless pit! Louis smiled at the blonde boy sitting on his couch, earning a similar gesture from the boy.

   "That was the last of it, just came by to make sure you lads were well fed." Harry smiled at the empty, deflated bag on the table.

   "Thanks for the food, mate." All three of the other boys said at some point or another as they sat around Louis' living room. An hour or so passed before either boy spoke again, too enthralled with the movie that Niall, or maybe Zayn, had flipped to before the last bite of doughnut was swallowed.

   "Well," Harry grunted, standing up from where he sat, his joints popping with the movement. "I've got some unpacking to do lads, I'll see you tomorrow Lou, don't forget." Harry smiled at his best mate who looked half asleep.

   "I won't...but you should text me in case I get distracted by cat videos again." Louis' face was serious, but the glint in his eyes was playful.

   "Sure thing, Lou Bear." Harry chuckled, walking towards the front door. "Bye guys!" The boy waved towards the living room while turning the door knob. The sound of the turning contraption must've pulled a trigger within the other boys' heads as they were both quickly on their feet as well. 

   "Hold the door Harreh! I forgot I had to go to Perrie's and help her with a song she's been working on." Zayn hurridley scurried towards the door with Niall quick on his heels.

   "And Zayn's my ride to Liam's," Niall looked back at Louis, who was now all alone in the large living room, the Irish lad couldn't help but feel bad for leaving him. "See ya, mate. I'll text ya later and we'll meet up and have dinner, yeah? I was thinking Nandos!" Niall gave Louis his carefree smile as Zayn scoffed.

   "Shocker, man."

   "Shut it, Malik! Bye Lou!" Louis watched as Niall playfully shoved Zayn out of the door before closing it softly behind him.

   And there he was. Sitting on his couch, watching TV all alone with a stomach full of sugary breakfast. After watching all three of his friends quickly shuffle out of his flat, as if they were scared to be left alone with him in case of an inevitable breakdown or something, he let the silence of the flat fill him. Certainly is big now that it's just me. Louis sighed as he felt himself sink further into the couch. "And so it begins."