When the Clock Strikes 12:00 // L.S.

Chapter Six: Sweet Dreams

Louis's POV

The bus ride to my place was a ten-minute ride and for the entire time, all I could think about were the words I heard Harry say to Gigi right before she left.

"I don't date."

The words rang in my head as I thought through reason after reason as to why he felt this way.

Maybe he had been burned. If that was the case, sudden hatred towards whoever had broken his heart flooded through me. Harry was the sweetest, hard-working, and the most adorable person I had ever met so I ruled out that option.

Gigi had also mentioned his parents had something to do with it. Maybe his parents were homophobic. But that wouldn't make sense, because Gigi had said, "You're not your parents." Which would suggest that wasn't the reason either.

"What is going on in that head of yours?" Harry questioned teasingly.

"Oh you know I'm just overanalyzing a conversation I wasn't supposed to hear where I heard you say you didn't date and it made me sad because I really like you." Passed through my head but I held my tongue,

"I'm thinking about my gingerbread house decoration strategy," I said instead. "That's if there are any decorations left that when we get there."

"You did invite Niall." He said rolling his eyes.

The place Zayn, Liam and I lived was a pretty big space and when Harry and I arrived it was well past one in the morning.

As I unlocked the door, I was greeted by the most heartwarming sight; Niall and Liam eating away at the bowls of candy and Gigi and Zayn cuddling on the couch, occasionally throwing gumdrops in their direction.

"Guys, Louis and Harry aren't even here yet," Gigi said chucking another gumdrop at Niall who caught in smoothly in his mouth.

"It's fine, we don't have to tell them anything."

"How honest of you Niall," Harry said shaking his head in disbelief.

The four of them jumped, having not heard me open the door and Niall scowled, "How long have you guys been lurking there?"

"Long enough to know I'm placing a restraining order on you from the candy table," I replied taking off my jacket and shaking my head. "You too Liam."

"Hey." He protested, "It was basically all Niall."

"That would explain the licorice hanging out of your back pocket then." I retorted.

"I have no idea how that got there!" Liam said and Niall snickered.

It was strange how quickly the two of them got on. It must have been only a couple of hours since they both first met and now they were up to mischief together like they've known each other for their whole lives.

"What took you guys so long," Zayn asked getting up from the couch to join the rest of them at the table.

"We came as soon as we could," Harry said taking the premade gingerbread cookies out of the oven and laying the tray on the table.

"We have to stay until twelve," I explained.

"Well, you're here now." Gigi said coming up behind Harry and ruffling his hair, "I miss seeing your face covered in flour every afternoon."

"No, you miss laughing at me." Harry countered with a pouty face playing on his beautiful red lips. 

"Guilty," Gigi said laughing.

"Ok, should we divide onto teams this year?" Liam said getting down to business.

The past years we had done this, each of us had decorated our own house and then we went around and judged others another. Nobody came out the winner and now that I think about it, none of the houses came out either because they would be devoured in seconds after they were completed.