***Harry Styles***
Wednesday, August 1st, 2012 – North London, England

Morning (and afternoon) sex with Louis had all but cured my hangover, and whatever was left of it after didn’t bother me. My emotions had done a complete one hundred and eighty degree turn since the previous night, and I was on cloud nine. I was even looking forward to dinner with Abby – if Louis liked her and thought she was cool, then she probably was, and it never hurt to have more friends.

Louis helped set the table while I got started on dinner, expecting Abby at any moment. I got a bottle of wine down from the cabinet and put it out. Louis looked at me, worried.

“What?” I asked him.

“I just – I feel like maybe you shouldn’t drink tonight?” he said tentatively.

“I feel fine,” I replied, not following where he was going.

“Okay, look,” Louis walked over towards me and took my hands in his. “I didn’t want to say anything because, well, today’s been amazing and I didn’t want to ruin it, but last night it didn’t seem like you were just drinking to drink. It felt – it felt like you were drinking your problems away, and that scares me.” He looked away, obviously feeling vulnerable. I reassured him with a kiss so he knew it was okay to open up like that.

“I don’t remember a lot about last night,” I told him. “But I know Liam was already drunk when I got there. I just drank because he was doing it and I was upset.” And then I realized something and gasped. “He said something about how that’s what he does every night, though, Lou, and I didn’t remember that until just now. I think he’s the one who might have the problem.” How had I not seen that earlier? Louis blinked, surprised.

“Liam? Responsible Liam?” he questioned.

“I don’t know for sure,” I said. “But, I mean, you saw his house.” Louis nodded.

“I bet you’re right,” he said. “Maybe we should postpone with Abby and go over there?” But the doorbell rang, announcing Abby’s arrival.

“Let me see if Zayn is still with him,” I said. “If he is, then we can go over after dinner.” Louis nodded in agreement and went to answer the door while I texted Zayn. Sure enough, he was still with Liam, and I told him Louis and I would swing by later as my boyfriend walked Abby into the kitchen. I greeted her with a hug, really wanting to make an effort with her. She smiled a lot, and was a little too perky for me, but if that was her biggest flaw I could handle it. Louis had told me about their conversation the night before regarding mine and his physical affection, and although I almost had to sit on my hands to keep from touching him, I made an effort to respect her as well. We wanted her to feel comfortable here; the paparazzi was going to have to start taking pictures of her leaving our house – er, Louis’s house, since I had apparently moved out – in the mornings anyway, so she might as well get used to being here, and we needed to get used to having her here.

I told Louis we would go talk to Liam after dinner, and then I finished cooking my famous spaghetti. The three of us sat down at the table and began eating.

“This is so good!” Abby exclaimed after a couple of bites.

“Thank you,” I replied.

“No, like, seriously, my mouth can’t even handle it,” she said. Weird comment, but okay. It was all I could do to refrain from making a sexual comment directed at Louis in response to that, but I caught his eye instead and he smirked, probably having a similar thought in his own mind.

“Just wait until dessert,” Louis told Abby, winking at me when she wasn’t looking, and I smiled at the reference.

“Oh my god Louis speaking of dessert!” Abby exclaimed. “Remember how rude our waitress was last night?” Louis nodded. “She was so mean, and then you were like ‘I’d rather give her a tip on how to be nicer to customers’. That was so funny.” I blinked. Was Abby – was she flirting with Louis? I looked at him – if she was, he didn’t seem to notice, so I ignored it. Maybe that was just their relationship.

Louis’s phone rang then, and he looked at it and frowned.

“It’s Zayn,” he told me, concerned, then got up and left the table to answer it.

“Do you know how comfortable your couch is?” Abby asked me, as though there had been no interruption. “I was cuddling with Louis on it last night and oh my god Harry it’s amazing!” My heart sank at that, and I didn’t know why. I didn’t respond to Abby, and Louis came back in a minute later.

“Hey,” he told me. “Liam’s a mess. We need to get over there.” I nodded and stood to my feet.

“I’ll stay and clean up,” Abby offered sweetly, smiling at Louis.

“It’s fine,” Louis told her, neither one of us wanting someone other than the guys in our house if we weren’t home. “We’ll take care of it later. Sorry to cut the night short, Abs.” Abs? How long had they known each other – three days or three years? I told myself to calm down. Right now, Liam needed us, and my jealousy would have to take a back seat.

Abby finally got the hint, and Louis walked her to her car while I started mine. He got in and I sped to Liam’s, then we ran inside to see what was going on. Niall and Zayn were already there, the house a bigger mess than it had been the night before, and Liam was bounding around as though he were the happiest person on earth. I saw an empty whiskey bottle on the table.

“I thought this was becoming a problem,” I sighed.

“What do you mean?” Zayn asked me.

“He told me that he’s been doing this every night,” I explained.

“And you’re just now saying something?” Zayn asked me.

“Whoa, whoa,” Louis said. “Harry told me earlier, okay? We need to worry about Liam right now, let’s not fight.”

“You’re right,” Zayn nodded, then looked at me. “I’m sorry, Harry.”

“It’s cool,” I replied, wondering what else could happen to ruin my elated mood from earlier.

“Liam,” Louis walked over to Liam and put his hands on his shoulders to keep him still.

“Louis!” Liam exclaimed, just now noticing we had arrived. Liam hugged Louis, and Louis used that opportunity to pull Liam over to the couch and sit him down.

“Liam, what’s going on?” Louis asked.

“I’m having a party!” Liam exclaimed. “And you’re all here!”

“Why are you drinking?” Louis tried again.

“Oh, I’m sorry, do you want one? I’m such a rude host!” Liam made to stand up to get Louis a drink, but Louis pulled him back down to the couch. Zayn walked over and sat on the other side of Liam, putting a hand on Liam’s shoulder.

“Is this about Danielle?” Louis asked. At the mention of her name, Liam’s face collapsed and he burst into tears. Zayn grabbed him in a hug and Louis rubbed his back. I picked up all the non empty bottles of alcohol I could find and began dumping them down the drain, and Niall helped me out. Then we went back into the living room and joined the others on the couch, me next to Louis.

“I don’t want to feel like this anymore!” Liam exclaimed. It broke my heart to see Liam, always so level headed, so distraught.

“I know you don’t,” Louis soothed, still rubbing his back.

“Why can’t I just move on?!” Liam continued.

“Because you loved her,” Zayn said.

“These things take time, Mate,” Louis added.

“You’ll bounce back,” I told Liam. He looked up at Louis and I.

“It hurts to see you guys so happy,” Liam told us. “And I know that’s terrible, but I want what you guys have so badly!” he started in on a new round of tears.

“You’ll get it someday,” Louis said, putting his arm around Liam. “And I promise, it’ll be worth the wait.” My heart smiled at that comment.

We all stayed at Liam’s that night to make sure he was okay and let him know he wasn’t alone, and I laid awake for awhile after everyone had gone to sleep trying to figure out how to tell Louis that his fake girlfriend was in love with him.

Notes

Uh-oh...