CHANGE

TEN

LOUIS

After Liam leaves the room Louis sits on the sofa uncomfortably, occasionally shifting his body around as both boys eye each other subtly. The tension in the room is thick.

Eventually Louis sighs and stands up, ruffling his hair. "I'm going to have a smoke" he mutters, his voice barely audible.

Harry nods and tries to hide the frown on his face. He never liked Louis smoking, and Louis never used to smoke as much as he does now. It became another one of his coping mechanisms after Harry left, and even more so after his mum and sister.

Still, it's not really any of Harry's business anymore.

Louis sighs as he lights up his cigarette outside, the cold October air blowing his fluffy hair around as he inhales the toxic smoke. It relaxes him as he leans against the cool brick wall and closes his eyes, his head tilted back as he feels his whole body release it's tension.

The balcony door suddenly opens but Louis doesn't move, his eyes still shut.

"It's cold out here". Louis' heart skips a beat as he hears Harry's deep voice, and his eyes flutter open.

He hums in response, bringing the cigarette up to his lips again in an attempt to calm himself.

"So umm, how have you been?" Harry asks. Louis scoffs and Harry hangs his head ashamedly. "Sorry" he mutters. "Stupid question".

Louis just raises his eyebrows slightly as he blows the smoke out of his mouth, watching it intently as it swirls around in the cool air.
Harry sighs at Louis' silence and rubs his forehead frustratedly.

"I don't know what to fucking say Lou, I-"

"Stop" Louis interrupts him abruptly.

Harry frowns in confusion. "What-"

"Don't call me that" Louis answers.

"Why?" Harry questions. "I've always called you that".

Louis takes the cigarette away from his lips after a last puff and flicks it over the balcony before pulling himself up off the wall.

"Yeah, well things change. So do people" he says coldly before walking back into the apartment, leaving a saddened Harry behind.
He's greeted by Liam and Niall, shopping bags filling their arms and he raises an eyebrow.

"Really? I thought you were just going for pancake shit". Niall smiles brightly as he notices the hint of humour in Louis' tone whereas Liam frowns as he notices
his best friends dull mood. Well, duller than usual.

"Not offence Lou but you have fuck all in your cupboards!" The Irish boy replies and Louis winces at the nickname before smiling slightly. "Alright". Louis says.

He tugs at his sleeves nervously before quietly slipping out of the room, biting his lip as
he sneaks into the bathroom. He doesn't mean to, but he just can't help himself after that ordeal. He didn't even mean to snap at Harry honestly, it's just his automatic defence.

So now he has to punish himself once again for being a shit friend, a shit boyfriend, a shit son, and a shitty person altogether.