Strong (A One Direction fan-fic)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Singing... Over and Over POV- Louis

 It was about noon, and everyone was supposed to meet me in my flat to coach the girls with their singing. I was helping Madison, Harry was with Abbie, Niall with Bridget and Liam was with Jennifer. Zayn said he’d come over to keep Georgia Rose company, since she could come, too, even though she wasn’t in the competition. The doorbell buzzed and I ran over to it, flinging the door open. Immediately my friends started pouring in.

 “Oh God,” Madison mumbled, rubbing her hands together for warmth. “It’s cold out there!” she said, shivering.

 “It’s bloody cold out there!” Niall wailed, running in after Madison. Next came Abbie, Bridget, Georgia Rose, Jennifer, Harry, Liam and Zayn.

 “It’s monkeys outside!” Harry yelped. Bridget rushed to the window.

 “There’s monkeys outside?” she asked, peeking out the window. I chuckled.

 “It means it’s really cold outside,” I explained. Her eyebrows crinkled in confusion as she turned away from the window.

 “That makes no sense. ‘Monkeys’ doesn’t even sound like ‘cold’. I can understand ‘rubbish’ and ‘trash’, but monkeys... that’s just weird.”

 “It’s just like you and all your American slang,” Zayn said. We all made our way to the couches while Niall went to the kitchen to get chips.

 “When Harry was all like, I’m gonna be lazy today and not get outta bed, I told him to stop dilly-dallying, and he looked at me like I sprouted antlers!” Bridget said, eyeing Harry.

 “How was I supposed to know that to ‘dilly-dally’ meant to procrastinate?” Harry shot back, crossing his arms.

 Madison smirked and launched herself onto Harry’s back. “Piggy back ride!” she exclaimed, latching onto him and almost knocking over my lamp in the process.

 “Woah!” Harry yelped, struggling to regain his balance. Then, giving in to Madison’s look, started carrying her around the living room.

 “Ooh! Me too!” Bridget yelled, jumping onto Liam. “Giddyap my charming steed! I’m Woody the cowboy!” Bridget announced, swinging her arm around like she was holding a lasso.

 “Hey, I’m Woody!” Liam complained, starting to walk around with Bridget perched on his back.

 “Well I’m wearing plaid today, so I am currently Woody,” she said, grinning.

 Jennifer jumped on Zayn, grabbing his shoulders to steady herself. “Hey, man. Mind to take me around this place?” she asked. Zayn rolled his eyes and chuckled, starting to walk around.

 I was the last one. Abbie landed on me and I took a few steps forward, balancing myself.

 “Hey!” she squeaked, throwing her arms around my neck.

 “Hi!” I replied, grabbing the underside of both her legs to keep her from falling off my back.

 “Can you walk me around, too?” she asked, grinning.

 “I sure can,” I said, walking around. She bounced around on my back as I walked over to the telly. Her clothes smelled like flowers, which reminded me of Eleanor. She wouldn’t be coming back to London with me until the end of January and I missed her very much.

 “Are you okay?” Abbie asked, reading my mind.

 “I was just thinking about my girlfriend,” I sighed.