The Space Between Us | L.S

Indignation

The water sits in the glass before me, condensation beading the outside. I run my finger around it as if slicing the top off and watch the transparent liquid drip down to soak into my skin-clad legs.

'Somewhere more quiet' ended up being his flat of course and quite it was. We have been sitting knee deep in silence. The faucet drips into the sink, each one reverberating around the room like a cymbal, my ears perk at the sound of the city life slipping through the cracked window he was sitting by. A cigarette loosely hanging between his fingers as the smoke trailed out into the open air.

"I don't know if being mates is the best idea." I finally say, looking at Louis who sits in the chair adjacent from me.

"You're the one who suggested it." He almost smugly replied, taking a long drag of his lit bud.

"Well, yes I did." I suck my lips behind my teeth. "I am just confused."

"About what?"

"About this." I say matter-of-fact.

"'m not." He says taking another drag, and it almost irritates me to the point of ripping it out of his hand and crushing it into my palm.

"Good for you." My words bitter, and I was about to apologize when my phone begins to buzz in my back pocket. It was more than likely Jonas so I ignored it, letting the soft vibrations tickle my backside. "If we become mates then that's just letting everything that happened in the past go, and I don't think I'm ready for that."

"Understandable." He says, his eyes never leaving my own. "I wish we could forget everything but 'm in no place to suggest that. I think we do each other good."

"I don't know about-" My words trail off as my phone begins buzzing again. Jesus Christ Jonas. I swiftly pull it out ready to decline when I see it is not Jonas calling, but instead Morgan.

My face must have showed it all because Louis asked me who it was but I could barely concentrate on his words. I pushed decline and put my phone beside me face down.

"Nobody-uh Jonas. It was Jonas." I say quickly

"You know 're a real shit liar." He says bemused, his eyes squinting to observe my body language; something I absolutely hate that he always seemed to do.

"I'm not lying." I defend irritated, folding my arms over my chest.

"Show me then." His eyes narrowing slightly.

I scoff obnoxiously, rolling my eyes so hard it almost hurts my sockets. "I don't need to prove it to you."

"If you're not lying, then what's the harm in showing me."

"Fuck off." I simply say, grabbing my phone in my hand and pushing it underneath my leg. He watches my action with a glare.

"Who was it?" He simply asked.

"It was Morgan. You happy?" My phone buzz's shortly, alerting me of a text message. I don't dare look knowing who it is from.

"You taking a piss." He lowly says.

"No." I simply say, observing his tensed form.

"You still talking to that fucker?" His face shows a sense of shock, but his voice is littered with a harshness.

"No, not entirely." I reply truthfully, the back of my neck starts to sweat from the sudden tense air.

"Yer' phone says otherwise."

"He texts and I don't answer. Not exactly a complete conversation." I coolly say, now my turn to narrow my eyes.

"You shouldn't be talking to him in any sense. Why haven't you told him to go fuck himself?"