Learn How to Play the Game

“I’m so happy!” Louis cackled hysterically and I looked over at him and started laughing.

“I swear you never change.” I rolled over and poked his side.

“I’m proud of that.” He grinned a piece of candy can sticking out his mouth as he continued to eat.

“Are you ever going to retire this?” I asked referring to the santa claus pjammas that he was wearing, “you wear them every year.”

“It’s tradition.” He grinned.

“It’s not Christmas anymore.” I laughed and he frowned.

“It is.” He nodded looking at his watch, “for another 2 more hours anyway.”

I grinned at Louis, his eyes were wide from all the sweets he had eaten and he kept cracking jokes that weren’t even funny. He was buzzing from being home for Christmas and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel the same. A Tomlinson Christmas was an event that couldn’t be beaten. The food, the jokes and the people. It was almost all completely perfect.

“Did you love your present?” he asked and I nodded.

“It beat the usual calendar present.” I told him and he grinned.

“I knew you’d love them.” He chuckled and I looked over to the other side of the room where all of one direction were stood as cut outs, “I don’t think it’s the best picture of me though.”

“Is this where you want me to tell you that you look beautiful in it like you usual do?” I asked laughing at the smile on Louis face, “I wish I could Boo but I hate lying.”

He gasped and grabbed my sides tickling me until I was crying. Louis and I had come straight to his as soon as we got back to England. It was Christmas and we stuck to tradition and spent it with his family. All the boys had gone their separate ways with Harry conning Louis and I into giving him a lift up to his as his car was at the garage. Harry and I were talking since that night on the roof, not a lot but it was better then it had been. We texted each other often and it felt good to be on speaking terms but I would be lying if I said we weren’t fighting anymore. We were frustrated with the situation and sometimes it got the better of one of us and we’d lash out. The boys hated it. The problem with arguing with Harry was that he knew everything. He knew every way to hurt me in the most painful ways and I knew I wasn’t much better.

“I’m glad we’re good now.” I told Louis laying my head on his chest.

“So am I.” he rubbed my back softly.

“I am sorry I lied.” I told him and he hummed, “it was wrong on me.”

“It was.” He nodded, “but it’s over now.”

‘It is.” I nodded.

Louis hadn’t taken me lying to him about Zayn well at all. He yelled at me a lot telling me that I was changing into somebody he didn’t know or like. It was tough to hear.

“You’re different to this time a year ago.” He told me and I sighed, “I used to think it was a bad thing but I’m starting to get used to it. I think I like scary Blair, she’s growing on me.”

“Scary Blair?” I laughed and he shrugged, “I don’t think I’m scary.”

“You stick up for yourself a bit more.” He bit his lip, “you and Harry clash a lot at the moment.”

I didn’t say anything and decided instead to trace the pattern on the duvet.

“You both have changed a lot huh?” he spoke again and I shrugged, “I used to hate the idea of you two together you know?”

“I’m aware.” I bit my lip.

He didn’t say anything in response so I sat waiting. It was unlike him not to finish his train of thought when he was questioning me on something he deemed as interesting as Harry and I.

“Was there a reason for that statement?” I asked and he shrugged.

“I was wrong.” He told me, “I was wrong to want to stop it and I realized that when I saw you two together. He looked at you differently to everybody else. Have you noticed?”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“He does it even now.” He stroked my hair, “he looks at you like you are the last cherry sweet in a pack of haribos.”

I giggled at his reference and he laughed.

“Not anymore.” I shook my head and he chuckled, "you're imagining it."

“If either of you believes the bullshit you speak you are both bigger idiots than I thought.” He shook his head, he glanced at his watch, “Christmas is over B.”

“It’s been a good one.” I looked up and he nodded.

I leant up and kissed his cheek and felt him smile. I rolled over and he hooked an arm around my waist. I linked my fingers through his and we fell asleep as we did every year, cuddled up together.



“I’m sure he’ll be here next year.” Jay smiled as she hugged me tightly, “it’s so hard to see you two leave. Thank you for coming though.”

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” I smiled hugging her back.

She said the same every year and I had stopped responding a few years ago. My Christmas and New Year was with them not my Dad and I was slowly becoming alright with that. Louis was hugging his mum tightly as I put the last suitcase into the back of the car.

“Alright you two.” She looked through the window as Louis and I sat in the car, me in the drivers seat, “keep in touch and look after each other.”

“Mum we have been doing that since we were like seven.” Louis rolled his eyes, “it’s not something we have to be reminded to do.”

“I love you.” She smiled ignoring her son.

“Love you.” Louis and I chorused before I started driving down the road.

We were singing along to the radio when it happened.

“Haylor is officially over.” The announcer said and both Louis and I went to turn it up, “Taylor Swift left the holiday early after a fight with Harry Styles. It is unknown what the cause of the argument was but there have of course been rumours circling. Some sources claim it was over Harry’s ex Blair Monroe.”

I sucked air in at the sound of my name and Louis put his hand over mine that was resting on the gearstick.

“Others speculate that Harry was spooked by Taylor planning their lives together. Whatever the reason is Harry is due back to England today.”

I could feel Louis watching me as I pursed my lips together.

“Did you know?” he asked and I shook my head, “Blair.”

“No. Lou I didn’t. I swear.” I sighed, “I had no idea.”

“Nor did I.” he shook his head, “thanks for the fucking warning Haz.”

“He is such an asshole. Asking us to pick him up when there is going to be a fucking media circus waiting for him.” I shook my head as we neared the airport, “they are just going to love the fact I’m driving the fucking car he’s getting into.”

“I admit this is definitely not his best idea.” Louis shook his head.

“This is ranking in his top 10 worst ideas ever.” I pursed my lips together, “right up there with the time he attempted to surprise a patient with a weak heart.”

“He’s a twat sometimes.” Louis shook his head.

We pulled around the back of the airport but the damage was done as soon as the paparazzi spotted the plates on the car. It was Harry’s car. We had picked it up for him because I was going back to London with Harry and we were dropping Lou at a friends on the way where we had left his car so he could drive to go see El. I was driving Harry’s fucking car. This picture was making front page for sure. He walked out as soon as the car was stopped. He threw open the back door and chucked his bag in before getting in. I was busy ducking down trying to avoid the flashes. I started the car and we had been driving for 5 minutes before anyone spoke.

“So did you miss me?” he ventured and I glared into the rearview mirror at him.

“I’m going to kill you as soon as I stop this car.” I told him.

“I’m helping her.” Louis muttered.

“Oh.” He pursed his lips together.

“How could you?” I exclaimed, “do you want them to think you’re a fucking cheater? That you’re an asshole?”

“They wouldn’t be far off right now.” Louis mumbled looking out the window.

“Not my best move I’ll admit.” He bit his lip, “I sort of didn’t think news would travel this fast.”

“You can’t be all over her in public in New York one minute and then be angrily parting the next without somebody spreading the word.” I shook my head as I pulled off the motorway.

“I’m sorry.” He bit his lip and Louis sighed loudly.

“You’re a twat.” He announced, “you owe us both big time.”

“I do.” He agreed.

“But are you alright man?” Louis leaned around to look at Harry and I bit my lip.

He looked fucking great. He looked better than he had in months. It might have been the tan but he seemed happier dispite the long flight and media madness he had just experienced.

“Fine.” He shrugged.

“What happened?” Louis asked and Harry sighed running a hand through his hair.

“Stuff happened.” He told him vaguely and Louis narrowed his eyes.

“Stuff?” Louis questioned and Harry nodded.

“Yea.” He fiddled with the zip on his suitcase, “stuff.”

The car fell silent as I drove down the lane towards where we had left Louis car. When we reached it, we all got out to change seats or in Louis case get in his car. I hugged him before getting in the passenger side. He got his suitcase out of the boot and man hugged Harry before Harry returned to the drivers side. We drove in silence and I started channel hopping singing along to the songs.

“Stuff?” I finally asked and he sighed.

“You.” He bit his lip as he changed lanes.

“Me?” I asked and he nodded.

“Don’t be surprised. We both knew she would hate it.” He sighed.

“But you did it anyway.” I said quietly and he nodded.

“I wasn’t going to let her dictate my life. She shouldn’t get to choose who I get to be friends with.” He shook his head.

I looked out the window as the fields flew past.

“Thank you.” I said quietly and he didn’t respond for a while.

“She didn’t like Coldplay.” He finally said and my head spun to look at him.

“Huh?” I asked.

“She didn’t like Coldplay.” He pursed his lips, “I tried to get past her hating The Rolling Stones and The Beatles but Coldplay as well?”

I chuckled and a small smile rested on his lips.

“How can someone understand you when they don’t understand the songs that your heart beats in time with?” I sighed and he nodded.

I looked back out the window and begged myself not to look over at him but as soon as he started to sing along to a song on the radio I couldn’t fight the urge any longer. I took a moment to study him. His hair was messier than it usually was due to the beanie which he had abandoned in the back of the car, he was in a beige jumper and I could see a white tshirt underneath for when he had been on the plane, he always got too hot, he had on black skinny jeans and a pair of boots. He looked effortlessly gorgeous and I loved watching his expressions as he drove singing along without even thinking about it, I wondered if he was even aware he was doing it. If he realized that his eyebrows furrowed together as he sung the high notes or if he even noticed that he was making up his own words when he didn’t know them.

“Is everything okay Blair?” he asked and I bit my lip.

“I guess.” I shrugged as I once again studied him.

He was my musical match. He understood every single song that my heart beat in time with. His was identical.

“Good Christmas?” he asked and I bit my lip.

“Yea.” I nodded, “I love Christmas.”

“You were at Louis right?” he asked.

“Yep.” I nodded, “my Dad was once again a no show.”

I saw his hands tighten around the wheel to the point his knuckles went white. I knew it annoyed him how my Dad treated me sometimes.

“It was perfect though.” I assured him, “Louis and I have our own traditions. How was your Christmas?”

“Lovely.” He smiled softly, “my mum cooked way too much food.”

“That’s what happens on Christmas! It’s like the law!” I laughed and he nodded, “I saw that you listened to 99 problems whilst eating Christmas dinner. Nice.”

“More awkward was when my mum started singing along.” He shook his head, “I swear sometimes I live in the maddest house.”
“Louis wore the same santa pjammas he’s worn every year since he was 14.” I pursed my lips together, “never try and compete when Louis is involved.”

Harry was laughing whilst agreeing that I was in the maddest house for the sole reason Louis was involved. He parked the car when we reached mine, he got out and grabbed my bag insisting on carrying it inside.

“Honey I’m home!” I called out to Jenny as we walked in.

There was a loud crash followed by laughter as Henry and Jenny appeared in the hallway. I felt Harry tense up next to me, ignoring this reaction Jenny squealed as she grabbed me picking me up and swinging me around yelling things about how much she had missed me. She placed me back on the ground and Henry grabbed me in a hug pressing his lips on my cheek dangerously close to my lips as he pulled away. I pursed my lips together as I glanced before the three people who had suddenly become awkward.

“Right.” I rocked back on my heels, “let’s put my bag in my room yea Haz?”

He nodded following me down the hallway towards my room, I opened the door and we both walked in. He put the bag down and gazed around.

“Oh yea, you haven’t been in here have you?” I shifted awkwardly as he walked towards the tiffany box on my stand.

He wordlessly took the lid off and pulled out the airplane ring that rested inside spinning it around in his fingers gently a small smile on his lips as he placed it back in the box. He looked back at my bed and ran a hand over the white material that was draped around it like curtains, his fingers rested on the fairy lights and he chuckled lightly.

“You were always one for fairytales.” He smiled his eyes wondering around the room, “it feels like magic in here.”

“Well it is where the magic happens.” I quipped giggling at my joke and he pursed his lips obviously thinking about Henry and I in this room, “sorry.”

He shrugged before his eyes landed on the wall of photos, he walked over to it and started looking through each photo. I shifted awkwardly knowing that he wasn’t on the wall. That I had intentionally not allowed even one picture of him onto the wall.

“I…” I trailed off, “Harry.”

“It’s fine.” He shrugged turning around, “we weren’t exactly talking until recently.”

He picked up my polarioid camera and walked over to me holding it above our heads. I laughed as he grinned, he took the photo shaking it lightly exactly how I normally did. He had watched me do it so many times that it was normal for him to do it exactly the same as me. He waited for it to develop before beaming as he stuck it up on my wall. Nodding to himself he turned around and dropped a kiss on my cheek.

“See you soon Blair.” He called as he walked out my room.

I was a bit dazed and confused as I heard the door slam. Jenny and Henry walked in the room grinning and looking at me excitedly.

“Why did he come in?” Jenny asked.

“Why did he leave?” Henry asked.

“What’s going on with you two?” Jenny asked.

“I don’t know.” I blinked a few times.

“Which question are you answering?” Henry laughed.

“All of them.” I sat down and looked over at the photo he had just put on my wall, “I don’t know what is going on at the moment.”

It was true. Harry and I fought like cat and dog one day and the next it would be like it used to be. It was confusing to say the least. But I was glad, confusing was okay. I could handle the back and forth. I just wasn’t sure if I could handle whatever happened after the back and forth.