Sweater [Harry Styles AU]

Chapter Six

Flash Forward

Louis picks me up out of the passenger seat of his car, his arms surrounding my cold and now slightly frailer body. He manages to slam the car door shut using his foot and stumbles before regaining his balance. 

"Lou.." I glance up at him, his cheeks are red and look as if they haven't pulled up into a smile for days.

"Yeah Liz?" Louis yanks the door open to Zayns building, making sure to support me completely. We find ourselves in front of the elevator, my head resting against his chest.

The elevator opens revealing a young mother holding her crying baby, the woman starts to mumble sweet nothings into the baby's ear as she rocks it back and forth in her arms. For some reason the whole way up to Zayns floor my mind couldn't leave the idea of the mother and the baby behind. 

Part of me thinks that the two people couldn't leave my mind due to me wishing I was her, despite the baby's cries and screams.

 My mind was ripped from my thoughts as Zayn bent down to kiss my cheek and to lift me from Louis' arms. 

Zayn and I have become so close the past few years, besides Harry of course. He was always there when Harry would start spewing curses at me while he smashed beer bottles on the floor of our apartment. No matter the time of day, or night, Zayn would pick up the phone in under five rings and he never would complain about how much drama was being thrown my way. 

"Lou she looks horrid." I closed my eyes to act as if I didn't hear Zayns comment. The last thing I need is my self esteem dropping even more, and his comment doesn't exactly seem like something that will raise my spirits. 

"Just put her on the couch, I'll watch tv with her while you make her food or get a shower rea-." 

"I don't want to shower. Can I please take a bath instead?" I had to stop them from making me shower, I'm not sure I could stand on my own and I certainly don't want someone having to stand in the shower to hold me up as I shampooed my hair. 

"Yes of course, I'll start making you food. There's towels and everything you'll need for a bath in there already. Louis can you start running the water for her?" 

Their attention seemed to stay on me although one of them just asked the other a question. 

"Uh yes, sure." Lou clapped his hands and attempted a smile my way, but my lips didn't even twitch. "Come on love, lets get you all cleaned up and smelling pretty." 

As soon as Lou placed me into the tub filled with nice warm sudsy water, he sat on top of the toilet lid and clasped his hands in his lap while staring down and twiddling his thumbs. 

"Are you going to give me privacy or are you just going to sit there while I lay here all naked and sudsy?" My cheeks burned a light shade of pink while Lou just glanced up at me for a few seconds then looked back down.

"I can't believe he actually left you. He was so whipped, he is so whipped still. I don't know what the fuck he was thinking, honestly." 

The clanking of pots and pans sounds from the kitchen making the corners of my lips start to curl the slightest bit. 

"It was our deal, you can't be mad at him for breaking the promise. Despite the emotions him leaving brought my way, I still love him and I respect him a great deal for going along with our deal." Louis nods and stands from the toilet lid, he kissed my forehead and proceeded to leave the bathroom. 

So I sat there for half an hour or maybe even longer, not moving to grab a bottle of shampoo or body wash. With my knees pulled to my chest, I closed my eyes until Zayn propped the door open the slightest bit to tell me that our dinner was ready. 

Flash Forward Over