the favor (a Harry Styles fanfic)

44. grinder

Hi everyone.
I hope everyone had a great month.
In honor of Valentines Day this week, I wanted to try to upload a new chapter. I will also try to post one on Valentine's Day, but like I have said in the past, with my school and work schedule being extreme time-consuming, I am not making any promises. As I move higher up into my academic career, I have been struggling with keeping up with my academic work. (Any history-special ed majors, I feel your pain!) Because I live on the U.S. East Coast, with today's wild snow/hail shower, I was able to knockout I new chapter today.
Just wanted to warn you that this chapter is a little mature, especially towards the end. I marked off where that will be within the text, so please be on the lookout for the notice I left as you read. If I don't post sooner, Happy Presidents day to all my fellow Americans, and Happy V-Day!
Best,
Lelia

Mandy's POV:

"Louis?"

I grab hold of the doorframe steady myself. After hearing Harry heartbroken a couple months ago after Louis' disappearance, I would have never imagined him to be standing in front of me.

"Oh." Louis' bloodshot eyes turn colder, and he shifts in his stance. He wasn't expecting me here, either.

"Where's Harry?" Louis asks in a low, husky tone. His voice has become much drier and deeper since we last spoken. Has he been smoking more?

"H-he's-"

"What? Where is he?!" Louis snaps and I gulp. There are holes littered throughout his clothing, and his eyes have a deep shade of black beneath them, and I cannot tell if it was caused by dirt, or dried makeup.

"At w-work." I force out in a small voice, and he rolls his eyes.

"F.uck. Well, when does he come back?"

I look down at my hand, checking my phone.

"Not until a few hours from now. Would you like to-"

Without allowing me to finish, Louis begins to walk towards to exit towards the end of the hallway.

"Wait!" I call, rushing toward him and allowing the door to slam behind me. I quickly check my pocket to ensure I have my key. I'll have to go back and lock the door.

Louis only begins to quicken his pace, and by the time I reach him, he has reached the end of the hallway and the elevator door is beginning to close. I force my hand against the edge of the door and he rolls his eyes.

"Louis, please wait. He'll be back shortly. Just go wait in the apartment-"

"I'll just come back later-"

"No!" I shout too quickly, and he frowns, pointing his gaze at his finger nails. Impatience and irritation is clear in the way he is tapping his shoe against the granite-tiled elevator floor. 

"I just... Just please, don't leave. If you leave and he finds out I knew you were here... Just, please. Don't go." I shock myself as I plead with the man standing in front of me. The man who's slept with my current boyfriend a countless amount of times; the same man who won't even bother attempting to sleep with me. The man who has lived with my boyfriend for so long that they can probably read each other's thoughts just by looking into each other's eyes. The first person my boyfriend has ever loved.

I push past my jealous thoughts and focus on the current task at hand. Despite me wishing to be in Louis' position, knowing so much more about Harry than I ever will, and having seen a side of Harry that I never will, I understand that if I allow Louis to leave, Harry will find it very difficult to forgive me. It has been months since Harry has even heard from Louis, and if I allow him to run away again, Harry will hate me.

"Why the f.uck do you care? I said I'd come back. I'll just come back in a few hours."

"Please, just stay at ours," Louis' eyes widen at the comment. His gaze shifts from stunned to anger in just seconds and my eyes widen as I watch as his fists paw at his sides.

"I m-mean his. Harry's apartment. At least until he comes home." I rush out and Louis' fists soften, although the look in his eyes tell me to not give up let down my guard yet. 

"And why would I want to do that? I have been surrounded by far too much female genitalia this month. I don't need to be surrounded by the smell of your c*um from this morning soaked into his sheets. Now if you don't mind-"

"Please, Louis. I know we haven't had the best track record, but I know Harry would feel a lot better with you waiting in the apartment." I hear a distant giggle from down the hall; I have to move quickly before anymore people join us. 

"And why's that? I doubt he would give a f.uck about me. While I don't understand his choice in partners, he's clearly had no trouble moving on." Louis says, whist drawing his light blue eyes up and down my body. I ignore his judging gaze and continue my pleading.

"He misses you." I force myself to admit. As much as it kills me to have to beg my boyfriend's ex to stay in our apartment, I can't deny that Harry does miss him. Every time he walks past the room Louis used to stay in, I can tell he thinks about him. I'm sure Harry has been worried sick about Louis, and knowing that I can give Harry the relief of seeing him again is forcing me to stand here and beg him to come back.

"Bullsh*t." Louis spits and leans forward, pressing a button that causes the door to begin pushing me away. I dig my foot into the floor, holding my ground.

"Louis-"

"Just tell him to call me." Louis says before pushing me backward and allowing the door to close. Before I can press the button beside the elevator, I hear the elevator begin to move downwards and out of sight.

"What the f*ck?" I hear a high, female voice behind me say.

"He clearly saw us." Another says.

"What's your friend's problem?" I turn around after I feel a tap on my shoulder.

"Honestly," I sigh.

"I couldn't even begin to tell you myself."

——

"Please pick up, please pick up." I whisper harshly to myself as I up the stairs of the building my class is in. My phone balances between my shoulder and my ear as I hold my water bottle and banana in my other hand. I have five minutes to get up five flights up stairs and tell Harry everything that just happened. I am praying Harry picks up.

Finally, on the fifth call, I hear the phone click.

"Hello?!" Harry's harsh whisper hisses through the speaker and a pang of guilt rushes through me. I know today is a big day for him and having to pull him from work is killing me.

"Harry, thank god, I am so happy-"

"Mandy, I am about to go to a huge meeting. What's wrong?" Harry snaps through the phone. A mixture of anxiety and irritation is clear in his tone. I feel even worse. 

"I'm so sorry for taking you from your meeting. But something happened."

"What is it?" Harry's clipped tone shifts to apprehension.

"Are you okay? Did something happen?" Dread and concern are laced in his voice.

"No! I mean, well yes, but I am okay!"

"Then what is it?" Harry is back to sounding irritated.

"It's Louis." I mutter as I place my books down onto my desk. The professor is taking attendance.