Undercover (Larry Stylinson)

21. well done

Louis stepped on the gas and sped out of the therapist parking lot, his eyes blurring with tears. He wasn't going to that fucking appointment anymore. Not after what Harry had told him.

Half his size.... Niall was half his fucking size. He was killing himself so that people out there could be half his size.

He was a fucking whale.

And Harry was right. He wasn't exaggerating. Niall was paper thin. Fragile, with sharp edges and bony arms and a thin face. Everything Louis strived to be, but always failed to achieve.

Louis gripped the steering wheel tightly as he turned to his street. No wonder Harry wasn't hanging out with him. Why spend time with someone so fat and gross when you had a much more attractive love interest to coddle?

Disgusting.

When Louis got home, he burst into the kitchen, his hands shaking. He wanted more than anything to binge. To eat it all. Because what did it matter anyways at this point?

But he wasn't going to let himself do that. He didn't want to get fatter than he already was.

Instead, he went into the fridge and took out his emergency bag of celery. Zero calories per stick. Perfect. He stood, hunched over the counter, shoveling the sticks down ravenously.

The taste was nonexistent and the texture was unpleasant, especially when the strings got stuck in his teeth, but it was filling his stomach with something and that was good enough.

When he finished the bag, though, he knew he was going to want a real treat. But he resisted the temptation and took out another bag of celery. He felt dizzy and nauseous at this point, but he kept eating, completely losing control.

He was nearly crying when Liam walked in.

"Louis..." Liam said. His face fell when he found his friend in the kitchen, hunched over. It wasn't the first time he had seen him in this position, but it still hurt just as much.

"Get away from me," Louis screamed, spitting out the celery. He tossed the bag of celery sticks at Liam and ran towards room.

"Lou," Liam said, jogging over and blocking him with his body. "Lou, please calm down. Let's talk."

"Don't wanna talk," Louis whimpered. He felt like a complete and utter child right now. He was throwing a fucking tantrum for God's sakes. But it didn't matter. He was too wound up to filter himself.

"Let's just sit then, me and you on the couch," Liam suggested. Before Louis could respond, he took his arm gently and guided him to the couch.

Louis protested a bit, but Liam shook his head. "Just please sit with me, Louis. I know you're still mad at me, but I don't want you... I want to make sure you're okay. That's it."

"I'm okay," Louis grumbled. "Just massively fat and disgusting...."

"What was that?" Liam asked, trying to catch the last part.

"Nothing," Louis said. They were on the couch now and he turned his body away from Liam, crossing his arms. "Need the bathroom."

Liam grabbed Louis by the jaw, moving his head gently so they were face to face. "Please don't," he whispered.

"It was just celery," Louis said with an eye roll. "I'm not gonna puke. Zero calories, remember?"

"Louis. What happened? Did therapy not go well today?" Liam asked, his brown eyes wide with worry.

Louis looked at the floor and Liam sighed. "You didn't go, did you?"

Louis shook his head. "Sorry. I'm a fuckup."