Study of Life and Love

Thea

My back cracked in multiple places as I stretched my hands above my head, as high as they could go. My shoulders and neck ached in protest after being slumped forward for the last hour. I flopped my head right back, twisting from left to right, closing my eyes against the mid-morning sun that was hitting the outside table area at Burger Urge.

“Holy shit!” I jumped in my chair, startled as Louis fell into the seat across from me. A bright smile lighting up his face where the sun was falling along in jagged stripes. I quickly shut my gaping mouth.

“Hey.” Louis said before reaching over to grab the textbook that was in front of me, his eyes lit up while reading the words.

“Oh I remember doing this course. Do you need help?” Louis asked eagerly.

I hesitated at his readiness to help out. The prank war had clearly started and I wasn’t sure where neutral ground sat.

“What?” Louis asked.

I shook my head quickly. “Nothing. I can’t understand the whole last chapter I read.” I gestured to the book that Louis had accosted. “If you can explain it to me in English that would be amazing.”

“Alright give me a minute to go over it.” Louis said seriously, his eyes narrowing on the book, a crease forming in his forehead.

I forced myself to turn away before my staring became an obvious problem. There were a few people occupying the tables around me, it was fast approaching lunch and soon the area would probably be full of students needing sustenance. I rubbed my eyes tiredly and glared balefully at my empty coffee cup.

I snuck a glance towards Louis whose attention was focused completely on the chapter. His foot was now tapping against the ground and his left index finger against the page. I smiled softly at his constant need for moving even when so deeply engrossed in what he was doing.

“Thea!”

I turned towards the voice and saw Olly rushing over to our table, his bag swinging haphazardly off one shoulder.

“Sorry I’m late. Slept through my alarm.” Olly sincerely told me before swooping down to press a kiss to my temple and grabbing another chair to drag to the table.

“Louis, mate.” Olly leant over to clap Louis on the shoulder. Louis, who had stopped paying attention to the textbook and was looking between the two of us.

“Oliver.” He replied and I frowned at his blank tone. Olly sat back too, probably unused to people using his full first name. He was Olly to everyone around.

“I’m sorry I didn’t realise I was interrupting anything.” Louis motioned to the both of us and moved to stand.

I watched Louis, perplexed as to what was with his sudden change in demeanor. Olly however found it hilarious as he broke out into chuckles, grabbing onto Louis’ elbow to stop him from leaving.

“Man, calm down. Me and Thea are so not together. You are not interrupting anything but some struggling students trying to study.” Olly explained making me blush darkly. Why on Earth would Louis think we were dating?

“Thea’s in one of my classes, I don’t think she’s exactly struggling.” Louis pointed out, still sitting and looking less hesitant. I blushed darker at his compliment.

Olly held up his hands in surrender. “Already you got me, I’m the struggling one and this angel here is helping me from the good of her heart.”

I laughed and shook my head. “Whatever, I’m struggling just as much as you are.” I turned to Louis. “I told you, none of that whole chapter made any sense to me.”

Louis face softened slightly and a gentle smile lifted across it. “I can explain it to you both if you want?” Louis asked hesitantly, his eyes passing between the both of us.

Olly nodded eagerly, shuffling closer to Louis and I smiled in compliance. I would take whatever help I could get and at least with Olly here I was less likely to embarrass myself.

-

I walked through the door of the house by mid-afternoon to be met with water guns spread out across the floor of the foyer. House sisters were diligently walking to each gun with a bucket of water.

“Uh, what’s going on?” I asked at a loss.

Nina and Riley looked up at my voice and both smiled happily.

“We’re filling up the water guns to prank King’s house.” Nina told me, her eyes alight with mischief; Caydance had clearly influenced her recently.

“Oh good, you’ve made it in time to help out.” Caydance appeared from the kitchen holding a bucket of what look like water bombs. “Choose your weapon of choice.” She gestured to the buckets lined up at the wall or the guns sitting in rows on the ground.

“Where did you even get all these guns?” I asked her, perplexed.

“Did you not know we had all these stashed underneath the house? Yeah apparently the old house members bought them a couple years before we came here. They’re still in good shape.” Caydance shrugged before walking back into the kitchen. I hurried after her.

Sidney and Rhiannon were in the kitchen standing at opposite sinks and chatting while filling the water bombs.

“So what exactly is the plan?” I asked them, dumping my bag on the floor and grabbing a bag of empty water balloons and moved towards the sink opposite Caydance. I had been apart of the house long enough to just go with whatever was happening.

“Well I was planning on setting off their smoke alarm so they all come running out of the house like we had to. But Sidney here reminded me that the Fire Brigade responds immediately and so does the Dean. So I found a noise that is identical to a smoke alarm and downloaded it onto my phone.” Caydance explained, a wide smile on her face. “Olivia, Lisa and June are currently at the boys house now. Apparently Lisa and June are distracting the boys in the house while Olivia sneaks in back and sets up my phone with a speaker system.”

“And the water guns and water bombs?” I prompted.

Caydance smirked. “Well when they all come running out on this cool evening in hopefully the barest minimum of clothing we will be there to assault them, with water.”

I had to hand it to Caydance that this would be better then Louis’ prank. If anything Louis’ prank was merely irritating but this, watching them soaking wet in the cold was going to be way more fun.

“Oh my God. You are actually smiling about this. Sid! Thea is enjoying this.” Caydance gasped loudly. “Who knew you would finally pass to the dark side.”

“Shut up.” I rolled my eyes at Caydance, dutifully tying the end of one water bomb and placing it in the bucket. “I’m allowed to appreciate a well deserved revenge prank.” I shrugged innocently.

“Francis house is helping us out as well. Toran wanted to get the boys before the boys got them.” Sidney told us, before disappearing around the corner of the kitchen with a bucket full.

Caydance made an annoyed face at me but didn’t say anything further. I had a feeling Caydance was more worried that someone else would take credit for her prank then actually caring if Francis house helped or not.

“How do you even know all the boys are going to be in the house at this time?” I asked. It’s not like Louis’ prank, early in the morning so we would all be in bed.

“Sidney found out through Niall that they have house dinners once a week like we do. And she also found out exactly which night they do it on.” Caydance winked at me, clearly happy with Sidney’s deception.

“It’s time!” Was yelled through the house and I grabbed the bucket from the counter and rushed out of the kitchen after Caydance.

“Olivia signaled!” Leah, one of the new sisters stood at the doorway, waving her hands out the door. She must have been a look out.

Sidney was texting on her phone and most of the girls from Grace appeared from all parts of the house, eagerly grabbing guns and buckets.

“Alright most of you girls with the guns are to sneak around the back of the house. It will be better if you can start from the street behind Kings and come in from there. That way the large fence will cover you while you sneak around.” Caydance informed the girls like it was a military operation.

Half the girls in the room immediately took action marching out of the house and disappearing in the opposite direction to King’s house so they could circle back.

“I’ll text you when we are in position.” Rhiannon saluted Sidney with a straight face before disappearing out the door as well.

I tried to hide the smile that was threatening my composure. I loved how passionate these girls could get over the littlest things, like revenge pranks.

I grabbed a gun from the floor and checked to make sure it was loader as about ten girls from Francis house filled through the front door. Toran at the front, her heels still present. I eyed them skeptically but chose to move to Caydance’s side then talk to any of them.

Caydance scowled from my side, her eyes clearly judging the few Francis girls who were here.

“Rhiannon texted!” Sidney called over all the girls before pulling her phone to her ear. “Okay, Olivia is setting the phone off in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1! GO!”

The moment I stepped outside our door the smoke alarm could be heard. The speakers attached to the phone were loud, loud enough to probably alert the whole street. I had a feeling that is exactly what Caydance wanted.

Heavy footfalls could be heard as we jogged the few houses up the street as the first few boys began piling out of the house. Confusion was evident on their faces as no smoke was around.

“FIRE!” Caydance yelled from next to me. She received tribal yells in response as a stream of water flew threw the air straight towards the boys.

The girls were well informed on where to go and they easily made a semi circle around the front of the house. Buckets were set down and instantly girls were grabbing balloons and throwing them directly at the boys who began flinching trying to head back inside while only more boys ran out.

There was a confusion of boys that only made it easier to soak them all, as they huddled together, at a loss for where to go. There were yells from the backyard and some boys tried to run back through the house to escape in the front yard only to be met with us.

“SURRENDER!” Sidney called out over all the yelling.

I caught Louis’ thunderous stare right before a volley of water bombs landed directly on him. He winced and jumped away, holding his arms across the front of his chest. I widened my eyes at his nakedness. Only a towel tightly held around his waist.

Caydance was cackling madly next to me. Her joy was worrying.

“Surrender and we will stop!” Sidney called out, her eyes focused solely on Louis who glared back before barking out an order to his house.

One by one each boy held their hands up and fell to their knees in front of us. Their heads bowed, hair dripping wet and shoulders shaking from the cold. I honestly felt bad for the lot of them.

“Cease fire.” Sidney yelled immediately.

I had to reach over and take Caydances gun from her; she didn’t look like she was planning to stop. She frowned at me but conceded to letting me take the gun without argument.

All the girls from the backyard piled to the front of the house, leading a few boys who had been caught out the back. They were pushed into our circle as Sidney stepped into it, marching directly towards Louis.

Louis who had refused to fall to his knees, his eyes hard while his hair-dripped water down his face. One hand hung tightly to the towel that was wrapped around his waist, low enough that I could see the V-shape highlighting his pelvic bones. I quickly moved my eyes away, surveying the rest of the boys.

“Well Lou, I gotta say, pranking you is just so much fun. I mean I really need to do this more.” Sidney grinned, all teeth.

She was honestly terrifying when she needed to be. She was a caring mother of the house and a hard studier but it was at times like these where I understood the reason her and Louis were such close friends. They could be unapologetically evil.

“Careful Hooper.” Louis grinned cockily. “You really don’t want to challenge me on this.”

“She might not, but I do!” Caydance stepped forward, her stance confident as she walked straight for the two house leaders.

I shook my head at the purposeful way she antagonized Louis. I wasn’t even sure if they were friends. But God did they love riling each other up.

“I must say, I never expected the view to be quite so spectacular.” She very obviously looked Louis up and down, her smirk ever present.

“Well if a show was what you were after Fairweather, that’s all you had to say.” Louis snapped back before lifting both hands up.

I watched for one maddening second before the towel fell shortly to the ground. Everything of Louis exposed to the afternoon breeze.

“Oh My God.” Riley squeaked from next to me. Clapping her own hand over her eyes. I snorted at her innocence while a dark blush rushed up my cheeks.

I avoided looking towards Louis, keeping my eyes on the other boys of his house. Most were starting to laugh, seeing the funny side of the prank.

“Oi mate, that’s my girl you’re flashing.” Niall stood up from where he was kneeling and playfully shoved at Louis before covering Sidney’s eyes. The girl laughed and shoved against Niall’s hand.

“I am curious on how you knew we would all be here tonight.” Louis murmured, ignoring Niall’s comment and still refusing to cover himself up. I tried to focus on Sidney and Niall.

Sidney blushed and avoided eye contact with Niall who seemed to have realised he had been tricked.

“That’s why you were asking so many questions.” Niall pointed at his girlfriend accusingly. She took a step back and tried to smile easily.

“You’ve got to understand Niall, when it comes to my house there’s barely anything I’m not willing to do.” Sidney shrugged, her hands up in surrender.

Niall frowned at her before pouncing. Throwing his cold dripping body directly onto our house leader. Taking her to the ground while she shrieked loudly.

I grinned at their display before deciding it was time to start getting everybody back to the house. The sun had already more then set and everyone else that had come to investigate in the street were heading back to their own houses.

“Grab the buckets and guns girls.” I called out, beginning to herd Riley, Nina and the people closest to them towards the house.

I avoided looking back towards Sidney, afraid of how exposed Louis might still be. I could still feel the warmness of my cheeks while I tried not to think about every detail I had just seen.

Caydance caught up to us just as I reached the door, throwing an arm around my waist and walking through with me.

“You’re welcome.” She sung happily, her head resting on my shoulder.

“Why am I thanking you?” I asked her confused.

“For that wonderful present you were just given!” She grinned enthusiastically. “You now know exactly how well-endowed Louis Tomlinson is. Well I mean the whole house now knows exactly what Louis’ little Louis looks like.” Caydance winked at me causing me to flush darker.

“I think that might be the best present I’ve ever got you. Nothing could top that.” Caydance said, beginning to climb the stairs.

I gaped after her not sure if I even wanted to fight her on this. The sooner we got off the Louis topic the easier it would be to pretend I saw nothing. No perfectly tanned skin, sharp defining abs, strong and sturdy thighs and a—.

“You’re thinking about him aren’t you?” Caydance turned to me at the top of the stairs.

“Shut up.” I grumbled at her and pushed past her into my room. If I buried myself in the covers long enough I might come out looking less like a lobster tomorrow.

-

“Thea?” There was a knock at my door.

I touched my finger to the line of the book I was up to, before glancing across my bed towards my open door. Rhiannon stood there a small smile on her face.

“What up?” I asked her.

“Um there’s someone downstairs who wants to talk to you.” She told me. I looked at her oddly.

“Who?” I pressed further, slowly getting off my bed.

“Uh, it’s Louis.” She shifted in the doorway and I was reminded once again that everyone I had even known apparently knew my feelings for Louis.

“Did he saw what he wanted?” I asked her confused, following her out the door, nevertheless, and down the stairs. I hastily brushed my fingers through my hair, at a loss at whether I had brushed it at all today.

Louis was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, his eyes carelessly falling around the room, his back towards us.

I tried to fight the blush that flew to my cheeks at my memory of yesterday. I now could say that I knew exactly what Louis Tomlinson looked like naked and it was not an unwelcome sight.

Louis turned as I reached the last step. “I can’t believe you don’t allow males in the bedrooms.”

I blinked at Louis, while Rhiannon headed off to the kitchen.

“What?” I voiced, confused at his greeting.

He waved a bunch of papers in his hand towards the staircase.

“The stupid house rule of not letting boys into the bedrooms. Like I actually wasn’t allowed to come and see you myself. We allow girls into our rooms all the time.” Louis blatantly told me. I tried not to wince too hard at the implication. Of course Louis had girls in his room all the time. I was probably just Sidney’s friend who he thought needed help.

“Were you here for something?” I asked Louis, ready to crawl back upstairs and into my bed.

He seemed affronted by my abruptness but still held up the hand full of papers. “It took some digging but I found my notes from the class you were having trouble in.” He grinned proudly, chest only slightly puffed out.

“Notes?” I asked him, reaching to grab the papers and glance over them. He had found his old notes for me.

“I thought we could go over them together?” Louis offered. I forced a smile back and made my excuse to run upstairs to grab my stuff.

“So what is Louis doing here?” Caydance appeared in my doorway while I grabbed the books I needed. “A study date huh?”

“Not a date.” I murmured back, keeping my eyes focused on the pile in my hands. I was so clearly not what Louis was interested in it was almost painful.

“Thea, he’s brought notes for you. Actual notes, do you know how rare it is that Louis is even offering to study let alone helping someone out with a class that he’s already done. Like he’s actually volunteering to study when it’s not going to benefit him.” Caydance said all this surely and confidently. “He’s totally into you.”

I rolled my eyes and looked over at her. “He literally just told me he has girls in his room all the time Caydance. He is so far from being interested in me. I’m probably just some charity case.” I growled at, heading to the door.

“He said that?” She asked confused. I nodded and pushed past her, down the stairs where Louis still stood, waiting.

“We’ve got a room to study in out back.” I told Louis with a small smile, ignoring the way my whole body felt like it was sinking, slowly and embarrassingly.

I set us up at a table; no one else was in the room. I took a chair and Louis instantly sat down next to me, reaching out for the paper. It was silent and uncomfortable in the room and cursed inwardly at how I was probably souring the mood. It wasn’t fair on Louis. Just because he wasn’t interested in me, did not mean I had to take my feelings out on him. This wasn’t his fault; it was mine for letting my feelings grow this far.

I pushed my heart aside and fell straight into the work with Louis, trying to understand and handle this as quickly as possible so I could be in another room from Louis and just breathe. And maybe cry a little.

“Can I ask you something Thea?” Louis voiced and my name sounded way to good coming from him. “You and Olly? You definitely aren’t dating?”

“Nope.” I popped the p and glanced up at him questioningly. His own eyes were darting around the room.

“Oh, I mean I could see why you would. You know?” He turned to me with a serious face. “He’s a really great guy, nice, funny, I’m sure girls find him to be a good looking lad.” Louis was beginning to ramble. I had never heard Louis ramble before.

“Do you want me to date him?” I asked with a worried feeling. What if Louis knew that I liked him and this was his way of telling me that I should find someone else? That I didn’t even have a chance. God I would die from embarrassment if Louis actually knew.

“What? No!” I jumped at Louis’ loud reaction.

“No I don’t want you to date him. That is not what I meant.” Louis hesitated, running a quick hand through his hair before sighing loudly. “Just never mind; don’t worry.”

“Okay?” I dragged out the syllables.

“Okay.” Louis nodded firmly. We sat there in an awkward silence.

“So do you want to get back to the notes?” I asked cautiously, watching Louis through the corner of my eye. He nodded and bent forward, his body situated away from mine. I frowned at his sudden hostility. Maybe he did know I had feelings for him. I cringed thinking of how childish he must think I am.