My Little Earthquake

“Well look what the cat dragged in.” Louis said when I entered their flat.

I smiled, “Hey Lou.”

He pulled me into a hug, “Where have you been?”

I shrugged, “Busy,” I sat on the couch next to where he sat, and Harry sat on the lazy boy on the other side of the couch.

“Busy? Or avoiding Harry and the rest of us.” He gave me a stern look.

“No,” I lied, “Just busy, working and getting ready for classes.”

His eyes narrowed, the smile stayed on his lips, “So have you made up your mind yet? When are you going to come crawling back to Harry? It’s been like a month, yeah?”

“Louis!” Harry snapped. He sent me an apologetic glance, “You don’t have to answer that.”

Lou rolled his eyes and threw his hands up, “Fine, sorry for trying to help you two out. Anyone wanna play Fifa?”

“Sure.” Harry and I said at the same time. We instantly made eye contact. I smiled softly at him and he returned it.

“Riiiight.” Louis said looking between us, “I’m supposed to sit here like I can’t feel the sexual tension. Cool.” He muttered as he got the game set up. I tore my gaze from Harry and rolled my eyes at our friend.

*****

“I hate this game!” I exclaimed after I had lost like a 3rd time.

“It’s cause Louis a cheat.” Harry said as I handed him the controller.

“Oi! Am not. I can’t help it if I’m amazing at this game!”

We played Fifa for a while before we all got bored with it and put in Mortal Kombat, which we were playing now. Somehow Lou had won every match. We had all been playing with no awkward tension at all. I didn’t realize how much I missed this until tonight, with Louis and Harry.

I did notice the tug on my heart whenever Harry and I made contact and all.

“When did it become 1 in the morning?” Louis exclaimed when he checked his phone.

I groaned, “You’re joking. I should get going I’ve got work in the morning.”

“Us too, we’ve got to be at the studio at like, 6.” Harry commented.

“Yikes, sounds rough.” I said standing up, and the boys followed suit.

“When do you get off work, Love?” Louis asked.

I shrugged, “1 I think.”

“Cool, I’ll pick you up.” He pulled me into a hug.

I hugged him back awkwardly, “Um, okay? Why?”

“Can’t I just want to hang out with you?” He acted offended.

“No, you can,” I laughed, “I’ll see you at 1 then.”

“Fantastic!” He turned to Harry, “Hazza, be a doll and walk this one out to her car. Goodnight kids!” He sang as we walked off to his bedroom.

“Could he be any more obvious?” Harry muttered under his breath, “I’m sorry about him,” He smiled softly.”

I shrugged, “I’m used to that guy by now.” We made our way to the door, “You really don’t have to walk me to my car.”

“Are you mental? Who do you think I am?” he said as he opened the door for me.

I laughed, “Point.”

The lift ride down to the lobby was kind of awkward, we stood at opposite ends from each other. When the doors finally opened our arms brushed as we exited and it was like a spark had ignited on my skin. Judging the glance Harry shot me, he felt it too.

He cleared his throat and moved over a bit to put some space between us as we casually strolled through the lobby to the outside.

“So, how was orientation?” He asked as we made it outside.

“Fun.” I nodded, “I met this girl, Olive. She’s an America. Very… peppy?”

He laughed, “Sounds like most Americans.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. I wanted nothing more than to reach other and grab one, but instead I crossed my arms around my front.

“So how’s recording?”

“It’s good,” He said, and I could hear his excitement in his voice that he usually got when he talked about his music, “We’re almost done. Just tweaking some things. We’re gonna start filming the next music video soon. Different vibe then ‘Live While We’re Young.’”

I nodded, “Yeah Mayra told me that Ed wrote the new one.”

“You haven’t heard it?” We had reached my car finally.

I shook my head, “No.” I couldn’t meet his eyes.

He leaned against my car, “I don’t want things to be weird between us.” He touched my elbow, but dropped it like I was on fire.

“I don’t either,” I agreed, “But I don’t know how to act around you right now. I don’t want to hurt you anymore than I have.”

He sighed, “It hurts me more to know you’re avoiding me.”

“I’m sorry,” I looked down, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I wish I could just shut my brain off and stop over thinking everything, but I can’t.”

“Don’t apologize. I know you’re not doing it on purpose.” His pointer finger reached over and ran down the back on my hand and I just watched it.

“I do love you,” I whispered.

I noticed his wince before he looked up at me, “I know. I love you too, Em.”

We stared at each other for a moment before I had to look away, “I should get going.”

“Yeah. Drive safe okay?”

“Yeah.” We stood in front of each other, not sure what to do. Oh fuck it, I thought and stepped forward and threw my arms around him. I felt him relax into me and wrap his arms around my waist and bury his face in my hair, like he always did.

I was hit with a wave of emotion when he did that and had to pull away, “I’ll see you later.”

“Okay.”

I nodded at his response then jumped into my car. I could see him watch me drive off in my rearview mirror.

When I got home, the living room light was still on. When I walked over, I saw Mayra and Zayn wrapped in each other, asleep on the couch. I smiled softly and went over to the hall closet and grabbed a blanket and draped it over them. I shut off all the lights before retiring to my room.

*****

When I got up the next morning Mayra was already gone, so I didn’t get to ask her how things went with her and Zayn.

Work was pretty low key. I was working with Liz today, who had only worked here for about 6 months. She was this bubbly 16 year old who was fascinated that I was friends with One Direction, but she rarely asked me about them even though I could tell she was dying to talk about them all the time. She was really sweet and easy to work with so I didn’t mind the occasional One Direction talk.

I was in the back sorting through some last minute paperwork before I clocked out when Seb walked in, “Go save Liz from your friend before she passes out.”

I laughed, “Is Lou here?”

“Yeah, and when I walked in she looked like she was trying real hard not to be unprofessional.” He laughed.

“Alright, I’m pretty much done here anyway. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I said as I shoved the paper work back in the folder and gave him his desk back.

I walked out to the front and saw Liz behind the counter looking big eyed and beat red. Lou, in teal jeans, grey hoodie and a grey beanie on top of his head was just talking away at her.

“Liz is a big fan,” I smiled at her as I walked up.

“Yeah, I was just telling her about the new album,” He turned back to the girl, “You’ll have to come to a show on our new tour coming up.”

“I tried getting tickets, but they sold out.” She squeaked.

Lou turned back to me, “You didn’t hook your friend up? I’m ashamed of you.”

I shrugged, “I didn’t know she didn’t have tickets! You can always come to one with me, I can get you in.” I said to her.

“Really?” She looked shocked.

I shrugged, “Yeah. You could have asked,” I laughed.

“I didn’t want to be that girl,” She said bashfully.

“Well it’s settled, you’ll come!” Louis announced.

“Oh my god! Thank you!”

Louis reached over the counter and ruffled her hair, “No problem babe. Now you,” he turned to me, “We’ve got places to be. It was nice meeting you Liz.”

“You too! And thank you again!”

“No problem.” Louis said as he grabbed my hand and started dragging me towards the door.

“I’ll see you later Liz,” I called over my shoulder, “Pete should be here in an hour.”

“Okay, have fun!” She waved.

“So where are we going?” I asked as we exited the store.

“No idea. I was gonna say we could walk around the city, but it seems we’ve already got some followers.” He said noticing some paparazzi and teenager girls lingering on the other side of the street, “So let’s go over to your place.” He said as we got to his car. The book store is within walking distance from my place, so I only drive when I’m going to be working until after dark.

Louis opened my door for me, “Thank you sir.” I sent him a cheeky smile.

“No problem, Love.” As he headed around to the driver’s side, he was stopped by 3 girls. I watched patiently as he signed stuff and posed for pictures with them until he finally told them he had to go. “I love our fans, but sometimes I just want to be able to walk around town you know?”

I shrugged, “Yeah, but it could have been worse. They seemed nice.”

“Yeah, you’re right. They could have been rude, and there could have been hundreds!” He laughed as he pulled onto the main street.

“How was recoding today?”

“It was good. I think we’re finally done with the rerecording’s we’ve been doing. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it.” He said excitedly.

“I bet.”

He glanced at me as he pulled up to my building, “I hope you know that I’m making you listen to ‘Little Things,’ you brat.”

I laughed, “If you must! I know you’re also going to rag on me about Harry.” I sighed at the end.

She snorted, “It’s like you can read my mind.” I just rolled my eyes. “So what’s going on with Zayn and Mayra?” He asked as we walked into my lobby and into a lift, “He was really jittery all morning.”
I shrugged, “No idea.” I lied.

He barked out a laugh, “Right, cause I believe that. Haz told me that you had come to talk to him before he ran out last night.”

“Well you’ll just have to wait for them to tell you I guess.” I said heading out of the lift and unlocking my door.

We skipped the living room as I walked into my room to change out of my work outfit. Louis mad himself comfortable on my bed like it was his, “So really, when are you going to stop this nonsense and get back with Harry?”

“Do we have to talk about this? Close your eyes,” I said as I grabbed some jeans and a tank top to change into.

“Oh come off it, I’ve seen you in a bikini!” I shrugged and dripped my pants and changed. “And yes, we are indeed talking about this. I’m sick of seeing my best friend pretend he’s happy when he’s not.”

Once I was changed I laid down next to him. He put his arm around me and pulled me close, “I don’t know how to be with him.” I said softly.

“What the hell does that mean?”

I shrugged against his chest, “I don’t know Lou, it’s just, I feel like he deserves better than me.”

“That’s rubbish! You two are perfect for each other! You call him out on his shit, and I don’t think anyone knows you better than he does.” He patted my back.

“I guess.”

He sighed, “Not ‘I guess,’ it’s true. All your insecurities are in your head, so just let him help you get over them. The kid is heels over head for you!”

“Don’t you mean ‘head over heels?’”

“Nope,” he popped, “he’s so in love with you, his world is upside down without you babe.”

“I hear what you’re saying, I hear what everyone is saying, but I just… I just need to focus on my life for a minute okay?”

“Fine,” He threw a hand up in defeat, “But don’t wait too long, he’ll only wait for you for so long.”

My heart hurt when he said that. I know I never asked him to wait for me, but the thought of him with someone else killed me.

Louis pulled his phone out and started looking threw it, “What are you doing?”

“Playing you ‘Little Things.’”

“Okay fine. Let’s here it.”

I was not ready for how beautiful the song was. All their voices sounded so raw, and so real. When I heard Harry’s rough voice I pretty much lost it. My heart dropped, and tears started to fall, I don’t know what the hell happened to me! I’ve never been emotional like this.

“Are you crying?” Lou said in disbelief.

I sniffed, “No.” I said pathetically.

“Aw, you’re a mess!” He pulled me tighter too him, “This is clearly a sign that you just need to bang and make up with Harry.”

I laughed through my tears, “Oh, okay.” I whipped my face.

“Just lookin out for your sexual needs and things.”

I snorted, “You can never be serious for more than 5 minutes can you?”

“Nope.”