Two Way Street

I laid on the grass, breathing heavily.

Final score: four against two.

It was a close game, and I had to admit, Liam played well. Not as well as me, but nearly as well.

My lungs hurt, my legs tingled from constant sprinting, I was slightly dehyrdated, and I was dead tired. I had to work early again the next day, but I just wanted to sleep for the next two weeks. I saw feet, black and silver cleats beside my head. I looked up and saw Harry’s face, complete with fiery red cheeks and adorable dimples. “Damn.”

I closed my eyes, “Nice job, Styles. Glad I picked you for my team.”

He held out a hand to help me up. I accepted his hand and he pulled me up into a tight hug. “You fucking killed it. We totally schooled them.”

I grinned and pushed back his sweaty girls. “Remind me to never play against you sweetie.”

He nodded and stepped back quickly, looking over my shoulder. “Turn around and Horan in 3...2...1...”

I turned around like he said and Niall wrapped his arms around my waist tightly, tackling me to the ground. What little breath I had regained from laying on the ground was gone in instance when my back hit the ground. “Holy shit, Horan! Maybe a little warning next time you want to tackle me?”

He was laughing, “We so beat them!”

I nodded and shoved him off me, sitting up so I could breathe again. “We did, Horan. Thanks for checking back in.”

I was hauled to my feet and before I could see who it was, I felt someone shoving their shirt in my face. It smelled like sweat and body odor. It wasn’t exactly an attractive smell, but I welcomed them mopping the sweat off my face. I took the shirt from whoevers’ hands it belonged to and wiped the back of my neck. I turned around and grinned, “So, Tomlinson. How does it feel to lose to a girl and two boys prettier than she is?”

Harry snorted, “I’m prettier than you are? No way.”

“No one’s prettier than you are, Mar,” Niall interjected, patting my shoulder affectionately.

Louis rolled his eyes, “Kind of sucks. I thought we had you after halftime. Especially since Liam got that second burst of energy,”

I nodded, “He did play really well after halftime. Maybe because he really does hate me now.”

Louis frowned and Niall and Harry walked away, leaving us alone. Louis probably shot them a glare telling them to scat. “He doesn’t hate you. He’s probably just a little angry that his face was injured as a byproduct of my shameless taunt.”

“In other words, he hates me.” I sighed and started packing my clothes into the duffle bag Louis had brought from my apartment. Ex apartment, that is. I tore off my cleats without bothering to untie them properly. “I didn’t mean to hurt him, Lou.”

“I know you didn’t, love. But accidents happen and you’ve just got to accept the fact that’s he’s being a pompous twat. YOU HEART ME, PAYNE. YOU’RE BEING A POMPOUS TWAT. He’s’s also a little sore that you beat him. He’s generally unbeatable.” Louis tucked me under his arm and led me down the pitch.

I felt a tap on my other shoulder and saw Harry smiling. “Mind if I talk to Mar a sec?”

Louis nodded and walked a ways down the pitch and sat down.

“What’s up, Harry?”

“I was wondering what’s going to happen with the whole moving thing.”

I frowned, “Clarify.”

“When?”

“I’m not sure. I have to talk to my landlord.”

He nodded, “Alright. Do you need help moving in?”

I nodded too, “Yeah. I don’t have much because I’ll probably sell the furniture, but I’ve got some stuff I need to keep. Maybe this weekend we can do it.”

He raised an eyebrow, “It?”

I sighed and punched his shoulder, “Move, you fool. Move.”

He grinned childishly, “I knew what you meant. Alright, Saturday then.”

“Cool,” I hugged him around his waist, “sounds like a plan. I’m going to Louis apartment to clean up and eat.”

Harry nodded and turned around, starting to walk away.

“Harry, one more thing.”

He froze and turned on his heel, “Yes?”

I jogged over to him, my calves protesting. “I feel really bad about Liam’s face and how I’ve treated him. If I wanted to ask him to coffee as an apology, how would I reach him and where would I take him?”

He stuck his tongue out of the corner of his mouth in thought. “You can either call him or you can go to his apartment, it’s your choice. I’d just take him to the cafe down the street from Lou’s apartment. That’s where he always goes.”

I nodded, “Can I get his number and address then?”

Harry grinned, “Only if I can have your number.”

I sighed and pulled out my phone, handing it over to him. I added my name into his phone, putting my name under “Mar” because it was simple and easier than my full name. I put a little winking smiley face next to it for humors sake. I waited as he put both his number, Liam’s number, and Liam’s address into my phone.

“Good luck, love. Let me know how things go,” Harry swiftly kissed me on the cheek right as Louis looked. He either had great timing, or he was trying to prove a point to Lou. Either way, I blushed because Harry was adorable.

I jogged over to Lou, shoving my phone into the pocket of my football shorts. “Ready?”

Louis jumped to his feet and shouldered his duffle bag and mine. “Yep.”

“I can carry my own bag, Lou. It’s not that heavy,” I grumbled.

He sighed, “I can carry it.”

“What’s wrong? Usually you spew some shit about being a gentleman. What happened to that?”

“What was that back there? Something between you and Harry?” He asked. He walked in a straight line, not bothering to hold my hand like always.

I frowned, “No, he’s just a friend, Lou. He can’t kiss me on the cheek and give me his number?”

“Don’t lead him on, Mara.”

“What makes you think I’m leading him on? Because I let him kiss me on the cheek and we exchanged numbers?” I hissed, getting angry.

He shrugged, “Because I know you, Mara. You tend to toy with people.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“I just don’t want you hurting Harry, okay?”

I sighed, “If you really want to know, I’m getting evicted from my apartment because I don’t have enough money to pay my bills. They’ve already shut off the hot water and they’re going to shut off the lights. I don’t have enough hours at the hotel and I don’t have enough money to buy food. I didn’t tell you because I don’t want your money and your apartment is small enough. Harry saw the eviction notice and I’m moving in with him this weekend, okay? We exchanged phone numbers so we can work out details about this weekend. He gave me Liam’s number so I can plan to take him out for coffee as an apology because I feel fucking terrible about hitting him in the face today and for being a so-called bitch.”

Louis jaw dropped, “You’re getting evicted?”

“Yep.”

He rubbed his neck, “I had no idea. I would have helped you, you know.”

“I don’t want your money, Louis. You don’t have space for me. Harry seems to be the only one who has space for me.”

He sighed, “I’ve got space for you, Mar.”

I laughed a little bit when we reached the door of his apartment, “You do? Where would I sleep? Where would I keep my clothes?”

He opened his mouth but closed it when he realized he didn’t have any answers.

“Exactly. So, sorry if it seems I’m leading Harry on. We’re just friends. Yes, he’s cute and awfully funny, and by awful, I mean terrible and bad, but I prefer him as a friend.”

Louis grinned, “Good.”

Good, I sighed to myself.