Two Way Street

A few days later, I was watching the telly, bored out of my mind. Zayn was on a date, Niall went to Ireland for a couple days to visit his family, Mara was working…and there was absolutely nothing to do. Not to mention it was pouring cats and dogs outside. It actually sounded like cats and dogs were slamming against the window, too.

I stared off into the distance, wondering if that was where the expression came from. But how did the person first think of cats and dogs instead of something like bodies or something? Oh, dear, it’s raining people and automobiles outside!

That would probably do even better than cats and dogs. Or maybe sumo wrestlers and blue whales? That would probably be the best, that one.

“LIAM PAYNE,” a voice called through the other side of the door, followed by a series of bangs that were so loud, I was afraid the door would give. “ARE YOU GOING TO ANSWER THIS DOOR OR NOT?!”

Narrowing my eyes in confusion, I made my way across the flat and opened the door.

Louis was standing there, clad in sweatpants and an old pair of TOMS, a pair of glasses perched on his nose and a beanie hanging off his head. In other words, his appearance screamed I don’t give a shit.

“’Bout time,” Louis joked as he brushed past me. “So how’s it going?”

“Uh…fine,” I responded. “Why are you here?”

“Because I’m bored as fuck,” he replied calmly. “Oh, do you mind if I take something to drink from your fridge?”

“Of course not,” I answered, but he was already on his way there.

I was just…really out of it. After Louis had been frustrated at me for so long, I was still uneasy about him. He told me that he was cool with Mara dating me, but since we hadn’t seen much of each other, the tension remained.

“Stop staring at me like that,” Louis snapped, even though he couldn’t see me. “It’s freaking me out.”

“Sorry. I just…don’t know why you’re here.”

Louis rolled his eyes and sighed at me as he climbed into the kitchen table, sitting Indian-style. “Because I knew this was how you would act. Look, mate, I’m completely over it. I’m actually really happy for you and Mara. I saw the way she looked when she talked about you. And I may have been pissed at first because I didn’t want anyone in the band to date Mara, but I realize now that you’re probably the best guy she could have picked. In the band or otherwise.”

I stared at him for a while, his words running through my head again and again. Had he really just…no way…just… “What?!” was the only thing I gasped out, despite my revving thoughts.

He gave me a look. “Oh, come on. I didn’t use any big words.” I didn’t blink. “Alright, fine. Here are the sparknotes: I seriously am okay with you and Mara. I approve. There is no anger between us.” To emphasize, he pointed from his chest to me and back again. “Zero.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.” I smiled at him. “And finally! The google eyes are gone.”

“What google eyes?” I laughed.

“You were watching me like I was a ghost or something. Like you were scared or in awe. Maybe both. I’m your friend. Please don’t look at me like that.”

“Sorry,” I granted, finally settling down in a chair. He spun around to face me, taking a sip of his water.

“So. Tell me.”

“Tell you what?” I questioned.

Just then, a scream came from the television that made us both jump about ten feet in the air. “I’m going to go shut that off…” I trailed off, trying not to burst out laughing.

“Good idea. You almost gave me a heart attack.” Louis shook his head as I got up and turned off the telly.

A few seconds later, I was back at my seat, waiting for what Louis had to say. “Okay, continue with what you were saying.”

“What was I…?” He bit his lower lip and thought for a second. “Oh, yeah! Tell me. How much do you like Mara?”

My stomach tightened a little. “Wait, why?”

“Because I’ve heard her side. And I’ve stuck up for you quite a bit, might I add. But I want to hear your side.”

I swallowed, noticing that my mouth felt a bit dry. I wasn’t a girl. I didn’t really like gossiping about my feelings. And when Zayn confronted me about how I may or may not have felt, I just got flustered and embarrassed.

And the same situation with Louis was no exception.

“Wow, you look like your brain’s dying,” Louis chuckled. “Now come on. Tell me.”

I took a deep breath. “I really like her. A lot. I just…I mean, before she finally called me her boyfriend, it took everything I had in me not to beg her to make up her mind about what we were. It killed me to think that I felt so strongly about her, and she didn’t feel the same about me.”

Louis shook his head, his lips a thin, stern line. “That’s totally not the case, Liam. She was just scared that you were going to use her for sex.”

“I would never do that to her,” I gasped out, completely shocked.

“Oh, I know. I got that message across loud and clear, I think.” He laughed a little bit as he pulled his leg in closer to him. “But the point is that she was just scared. It had nothing to do with how she felt about you.”

I let out a sigh. “That’s good to hear. So she didn’t feel pressured into making us official?”

“No, not at all,” he assured me. “Okay, so maybe I said that if she didn’t make up her damn mind and make it official that I’d hunt her down and kill her in her sleep…”

“LOUIS!” I exclaimed, laughing loudly.

“Kidding, kidding!” He put his hands up in innocence. “I didn’t say that. But I kind of wish I did now.”

“You’re insane,” I informed him seriously.

“I know,” he agreed. “Alright, what do you have to eat here? I’m starving.”

“You sound like Niall,” I teased, making my way to the kitchen.

“Hey, someone’s got to take his place while he’s in Ireland,” Louis defended. “Who better than me?”

“No one can replace Niall,” I stated.

“That’s…very true,” Louis agreed. “Little blondie is impossible to replace.”

Without answering, I threw a box of Lucky Charms at him that I found in the cupboard. “I’d try them first,” I warned him, eyeing the fact that he was just ripping open the box, ready to dig in. “They might be stale.”

Louis pulled out a piece and sniffed it, as if that could tell him. Finally, he popped it into his mouth and chewed.

“Nope,” he grinned, “it’s not stale. So I’ll just eat this whole box then.”

“Go ahead, you little fatty,” I snickered, watching him throw back a handful of little pieces of cereal and tiny marshmallows.

“You calling me fatty isn’t going to keep me from eating,” he told me matter-of-factly through his chewing.

“Wow, you’re so mature. And I didn’t figure it would.”

All I got was a giant grin, one that scrunched up his entire face. One that, in the darkest of times, I never thought I’d see again.

And I couldn’t help but smile back.