viadylann this chapter is dedicated to you because I love you 😂 lol you're just an amazing person tbhh and I wish we were friends irl bc that would be fücking awesome. And the pic above was us^^^ (obvi) and I was laughing so fucking much.

•••

Louis gulped down an Oreo with as much conviction as he could, giving Harry a fake smile. Oreos were always Louis's favorite food and now he didn't even want to eat them.

What was his problem?

"Louis?"

"Nh?"

"I told you about all my problems... Maybe you should open up about yours," Harry suggested softly, not wanting to disturb Louis.

"I don't have a problem. Do I seem like I have a problem?" Louis snapped irritably.

He didn't mean to be so hurtful.

Harry blushed. "Oh. I'm- I'm sorry, it's just that-"

The shrill ring of Harry's phone interrupted them.

Harry picked up the phone from the coffee table. The name Gems and a picture of the girl lit up the screen.

"Hello?" Harry answered, placing the phone on speaker.

"Harry? How are you?"

"Good... How are you?"

"Amazing! I just... I just sold mum's house. I mean, obviously I didn't, but you know what I mean. It's gone, Harry. We don't have to step foot in it after we get all of our stuff out," Gemma breathed, obviously happy.

Honestly, Harry understood why. Terrible memories involving their wonderful father surrounded that house.

"I just need to know what of Mum's you want to keep-"

"Nothing in particular. Take what you want and I'll put the rest in storage. I'll buy a storage room in the same lot as Louis," Harry replied, looking over at his boyfriend, who was watching him carefully.

"Harry, we have money now. And... And I want to give it all to you."

"What?"

"I gained a scholarship. I have a paid internship. Screw getting another car. You can do whatever you'd like, Harry, and don't you dare argue. It's so much, due to the age and the amount of land, and I want you to use it for whatever you'd like," Gemma surprised her brother.

The thing was, Harry had always been smart. He didn't have the best grades, but he could've landed a scholarship. The loss of his father was always hard on him, though, and he had nightmares, which meant no sleep, which meant he didn't pay enough attention in class.

"Lou..." Harry whispered, eyes wide.

"Are you sure, Gemma?"

"You're taking it, Harry. I'm setting up your bank account this weekend and I'll drive up and give you the card, okay? I want to see you."

Harry laughed a bit, spaced out from reality. "I-okay. I love you."

"I love you, Harry."

~~~

The weekend couldn't come fast enough. Gemma arrived on Sunday afternoon, planning on skipping the next day's classes and head home when Harry went to work that night.

Louis was panicking. He didn't have an accurate reason to work triple shifts and those shifts kept him from a concerned Harry at home.

Louis couldn't starve himself and easily get away with it. Hell, he already just got by.

Harry was excited to point this out to both Louis and even Gemma when she arrived.

"I need to go get some air," Louis breathed as Harry cooked dinner that night.

"Aren't you hungry, princess?"

"Starved. I'll grab fast food... I'm craving burgers, not sea food," Louis lied, smiling shyly.

Harry pecked his lips and Louis left.

He ended up sitting on a park bench not far from Harry's apartment. He was surprised when someone sat beside him. Zayn.

"Fancy seeing you here," the younger lad said, offering a lazy smile.

His eyes were red, but, somehow, Louis knew his mate wasn't high.

He was depressed.

"Zayn... How are you?"

"That was a rather forced question."

"You look like shit," Louis spoke honestly.

"You don't look much better," Zayn replied cooly.

It was true. Neither lad looked the best. Not only did Zayn have red eyes, but his usually-perfect hair was messy and his clothes were loose. They didn't even look like his clothes. Zayn also smelled of stale cigarettes and sex.

Louis had bags under his eyes. He was pale and cold sweat kept his hair plastered to his forehead. Zayn also thought Louis looked a little like death.

"Well... I guess we ought to share our problems," Zayn spoke up, pulling out a pack of cigarettes.

Louis took the fag that Zayn offered him and let Zayn light it before bringing the cancer stick to his thin lips.

"Okay. Would you like to go first?"

Zayn shrugged, lighting his own cigarette. There was a group of kids at about age fifteen or sixteen, heading into the small cafe that was across the park. A few children and parents were here but it was pretty much much empty.

"Well... I'm utterly and completely in love with a guy a hardly know," Zayn breathed out. Louis blinked.

"In love? You?"

"I know... It's just that... I know it's love because what else could it be? I'm so fucking lost. It's been almost two weeks since I've seen Liam and I feel like I'm... I feel like I did before. Empty. But I wasn't empty around Liam. I was me. I was Zayn."

Louis watched his friend break apart. His voice cracked and he looked close to crying. They both took a drag of their cigarettes.

"Is that it?"

"Just about all I can handle," Zayn whispered. Louis hugged his friend tightly before leaning back and closing his eyes.

"You're starving yourself again," Zayn said quietly, flicking cigarette ashes away. Louis merely nodded.

"I'm not going to tell you to stop. You won't listen to me. You need to tell Harry. You know as well as I do that you won't do it if he tells you not to," Zayn said knowingly.

But Louis thought... That's why he hadn't told Harry. He didn't want to eat like a pig. He wanted to be skinny.

"Louis, I'm your best mate. I know what's good for you. And Harry is amazing for you. Please don't let your need to be someone you're not ruin it," Zayn said as he stood up. Louis watched his mate, who offered a smile and a small wave.

Louis finished his cigarette, watching the group of students come out of the cafe, all carrying hot drinks in their hands. A tall woman spoke loudly, gaining their attention.

"You lot sit around here and wait for the bus. We'll head back to the hotel and get ready for dinner. Be free."

The students spread out but he couldn't help but notice one girl in particular. She was average height for someone her age, wearing heeled boots, black jeans, a beige shirt, and a plum-colored cardigan.

But it wasn't her outfit that entrance Louis. It was her face.

The girl looked over at Louis at that moment. Those eyes were so familiar. In fact, Louis saw them every time he looked in the mirror. He also saw his own nose and his high cheekbones and his face itself, sassy and high-powered.

He saw someone he hadn't seen in years. She looked so much like his mother.

But it wasn't his mother.

It was Louis's sister.

Louis recieved a text just then.

Hey, Tommo, you okay, xH

Not really, Styles. But I'm about to be. -Lou

~~~

well shit.

Sorry for the crappy chapter

QOTC:

Thoughts about Zayn's confession? Love- so soon? (Obviously you don't see all of ziam's relationship, bc this is a Larry book, but you get the gist of it.)

Louis's sister making an appearance???

PQOTC:

Do you play any sports?

MA:

Nope, I'm too much of a theater geek. I prefer artistic activities.

OPINIONS

We have about twenty or twenty five chapters left!

So.... You may not read them, but I have a few ideas for other stories. Will you say which one you'd most likely read if you had to pick? You don't have to read it but I'm curious on what I should write next.

- a gay project where Louis teaches Harry to be gay

-an mpreg where Harry is obsessed with a piano-playing Louis

-Louis and Harry work for rival strip clubs

-Louis is utterly as insanely crazy for his dorky best friend Harry (rather short... About twenty chapters)

I love you guys! Stay spectacular! (MaddsLeigh you should update Naked Friends (; ) xx