Inevitable {l.s.}

I

In retrospect, parties had always been Louis' thing.

Ever since Louis could remember, he loved the scene. Whether it was a sleazy house party or an overly decorated Christmas party, it was his favourite pastime. Dressing up in his finest outfits or extravagant costumes. His hair coiffed and spritzed in his most expensive cologne. Engaging with the crowd while drinking his favourite lite beer. Listening to the night's playlist and possibly sneaking in an edible sometime in the night when he was feeling adventurous. Trying just to enjoy the moment because those were memories Louis lived to create.

The sad thing was that this time around Louis couldn't seem to find it in him to enjoy Liam and Zayn's New Year's Eve gathering.

All it had been doing was reminding Louis that another year passed and nothing had changed. He still had that stupid job at the coffee shop, no car (too damn expensive), and he was still single. Not that he wanted to be in a relationship. Louis liked his independence, but there were times he wished he had someone.

But he couldn't find it in himself to step foot onto the dating scene, no matter how much his overbearing mother begged him too. He still had his heart set on Harry, and it had been a rough few years for Louis. Sitting around waiting for the moment he'd tell Harry how he felt, but it never came. Harry was still with Ellie. Unfortunately.

And Louis did try to move on. Sometimes he would distance himself from Harry and go home to see his family in Doncaster for the weekend. Going off with Niall to the pub and help him impress that dream guy he was obsessed with. Spending a lot of nights in his room trying to ignore reality and getting lost in Tumblr. Reblogging positive quotes and pictures, even doing his daily entry of his thoughts. None of that worked because Louis would always end up going back to posting about unrequited love and complaining about how love was just a shame.

Truthfully, Louis had wanted to resent Harry. For pushing his relationship with Ellie in Louis' face through the years. Making Louis be around her knowing she had everything Louis didn't. Trying to get Ellie and Louis to become good friends when really Louis couldn't stand her. Seeing Ellie some weekday mornings before his shift in one of Harry's vintage band shirts, that would have been hanging off her body. Having this knowing smirk across her face and eventually, Harry emerging from the bedroom wearing nothing but his pants. Giving Ellie a kiss on the forehead that sends Louis off to work fifteen minutes early. Popping in his earbuds and trying to drown out his thoughts with music. The thing was though, Louis couldn't find it in his heart to stop being mates with Harry.

Louis was currently lingering around the tray of various snacks in the kitchen. Unsurprisingly, Zayn and Liam once again outdid themselves. They always had been good at holidays, throwing the best gatherings with an impressive array of food. Biscuits, brownies, cupcakes, cake, and whatever else Zayn talked Liam into. Providing a decent selection of drinks and good tunes. Reasonable number of guests that make you feel smothered and the usual petty drama that Louis absolutely did not get himself involved in. Last year,  Zayn and Liam had gotten into an argument because Zayn accidentally gotten red frosting on their brand new white sofa they'd finally gotten. Needless to say, that was pretty entertaining. Then there was another time at Zayn's Halloween party where these two girls from Zayn's work, that had drama just surrounding them over a guy with one too many tattoos.

But, Louis will admit, four years ago at the New Years Eve party, he did have a little incident with Sean. They were going through a bit of a rough patch. Sean told Louis he thought marriage was pointless and stupid, totally just crushing Louis' hopes and dreams. As Louis was certain, Sean was going to propose to him by the summertime. Louis just had that feeling in his gut, but unfortunately, he was way off. Louis was hurt and didn't know what that meant for their future because he wanted to be with Sean for the rest of his life. Louis was so blindly in love with him, so it stung to hear that and ruined his night completely.