Sweet Creature

"Short Stuff"

She had one hand on his shoulder with the other pushing his medium brown fringe out of his face.

"You can do this." Her voice was soothing for him, even if she was a few years younger. "Remember, you are doing this for your little sisters... and for mum."

The thin boy nodded in agreement. He stood at 5'7" and barely weighed over 110 pounds. Lottie could not remember the last time she had seen him eat anything and she hated the way that he always smelled like alcohol.

"I must go now. But you be good. Get well and remember who this is for."

Lottie started towards the bedroom door when there was a knock.

"May I come in?" A deep, Londoner accent came through from behind the door. "This is your roommate."

Louis looked at the other side of the room. There was a twin-size bed, just like his – matching white fitted sheet, flat sheet, and comforter with two pillows that had white pillowcases laying side by side. On the nightstand, there was a picture frame with a photo. Louis couldn't quite make it out, but it looked to be a photo of three people. There were some paper and a pencil, an almost empty water bottle, and a pair of beige house slippers lying beside the bed. The room was white and felt very much like a hospital – nothing like his home back in Doncaster. The room also appeared to have a closet and an attached bathroom, but he wasn't too sure.

Louis started his way towards the door in order to let the said roommate in, but as he reached his hands to open it, he found the door smacking into him first. "Oops! Sorry about that!" He heard the foreign voice apologize as the man who owned it walked in.

He was about 6-foot-tall, he appeared to be about Louis' age, and his hair was long and wavy to his shoulders. It was the color of the most beautiful dark oak, like a cabin surrounded by the gorgeous view you can only imagine in a cinema. He had piercing green eyes that made Louis freeze in place with a deep voice that coerced him to listen to every slowly spoken word from his new roommate, though it wasn't super slow. Louis found himself with butterflies fluttering in his stomach as he stared, not being able to do much else but smile at the lad walking in even though he just hit him in the face with a door.

"Hi." Louis had a higher pitched voice with a Yorkshire accent.

"I'm your roommate – Harry. Harry Styles."

"Hello, Harry. I'm Louis....Tomlinson." He stuck his hand out. Harry reluctantly stuck his hand out. Louis could see the scars and fresh cuts on Harry's wrists, peeking out of Harry's jacket sleeve.

"I'm going to leave now." Lottie interrupted. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

Louis shook his head. "Love ya, Lottie."

"Love you, big brother." Lottie said as she walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.

"That your sister?" The long-haired boy asked as he sat down on the side of his bed, arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Yes, Lottie. She's my younger sister." Louis paused, not knowing if he should return the question or not. "Do you have any siblings?"

"One. Sister. 4 years older. Uni student. She got the brains; I obviously got the looks." Harry laughed.

Louis' mouth was slightly agape. He wasn't sure if he should agree or not. He obviously thought that Harry was very attractive but didn't know if he should let Harry know that.

"I'm kidding, Tomlinson." Harry got up off the bed. "I'm not that conceded."

The door opened and a man walked in looking at a clipboard.

"Louis William Tomlinson." He was still staring at his clip board. "I'm Dr. Bhasker." The tall doctor walked over to Louis. "I will be the one monitoring your progress. We will meet twice a week – Monday's and Friday's to discuss your progress."

"How long until I get to leave?"

"Normal stay is one year for anorexia cases. Depends on the person, really. I am hoping you will be cooperative." The doctor looked back down at his clipboard. "You are self-admitted."

"Barely." Louis muttered under his breath. Louis knew that it wasn't really his choice to be here. He didn't want to be admitted. But he was only going if it was his idea. He was stubborn like that.

"Okay, Mr. Tomlinson. You can go ahead and unpack. You can put your clothes in the chest-of-drawers or in the closet over there." He pointed towards the back of the room where Louis suspected was the closet. "And the bathroom is right over there. We have provided you with a toothbrush and all necessities. Except for a razor. All patients need to ask for them. You can't leave the razor in here."

Harry interrupted. "They have to be used under supervision only. Isn't that right, Doc?" He playfully punched the doctors' left arm.

He glanced at Harry. "Certain individuals – yes." He turned to Louis; "I will let you get unpacked. I imagine that they already checked your bag at check-in, correct?"

Louis nodded. He hated that they had to check his bags and examine every item he brought. Checking for weapons or anything that could be a potential weapon and alcohol. He had a water bottle full of vodka that he was hoping they would assume was water in the bottom of his bag, but they threw it away because no outside food or drinks were allowed in the building. He didn't think they knew what it was because no one said anything.

"Lunch is in about 10 minutes. Mr. Styles, will you show Mr. Tomlinson where the lunchroom is located?"

"Sure thing!"

Dr. Bhasker left, leaving the door opened.

Louis started unpacking his duffle bag and putting his clothes in neat piles on the bed.

"Nice underwear." Harry teased as he grabbed a pair of black boxer briefs.

"Give them back!" Louis reached up and tried to grab them from the taller boy. He was fighting back a smile, even though he was mad. He couldn't help but hope that Harry was flirting.

"Okay. Okay. Here you go short stuff." Harry tossed them on the bed. "Let's go to the lunchroom. I want you to meet some of the other prisoners."