Oasis (Larry Stylinson)

Chapter Twenty One

Before you praise me for updating so soon, this is only a necessary filler for things to come. Happy Reading!

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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

LOUIS’ POV

I stare at the ceiling and scratch my chin. I haven’t shaved in a while and there is plenty of facial hair growing in. I can tell El wants me to shave it, she hates having to kiss my scruffy face. She says it ‘irritates her skin.’ Whatever. I just don’t have the energy to get off my lazy bum and do something as complex as shaving.

Anyway, it is about three in the morning and I can’t sleep. I’ve probably slept a total of four hours in the last three days, to be honest. Sleeping without Harry is useless. It simply can’t be done.

I roll out of bed and make my way to the kitchen. I pour myself a glass of water and sip it slowly. I don’t know how long I stand there, but suddenly I get an idea. A stupid and spontaneous idea. I grab my car keys off of the counter and leave the flat.

I get in to my car and drive all the way to Harry’s place, not bothering to think about the people that could be watching. I run up the stairs and to his floor, pulling out my spare key and letting myself in.

I walk into the living room and immediately the light of the television blinds me. I can make out a curly head facing away from me, staring at the screen.

Feeling mischievous, I creep up behind him. “Boo,” I whisper directly in his ear.

“AH!” he yells, whipping around and falling off the couch. He lands on his bum with a loud thud. “Boobear?”

“The one and only,” I smile, ecstatic to see him.

“What are you doing here?” He stands up, rubbing his behind and then sitting back down on the sofa.

I jump over the back of the couch and settle myself beside him. “Couldn’t sleep.”

He chuckles slightly. “Yeah, me neither.”

He puts his arm around me, pulling me close. I look up and notice the dark circles under his eyes.

“I’ve been so lonely,” he confesses.

“Me too,” I say.

“You have Eleanor.”

“I can’t sleep with Eleanor,” I point out.

“You better not,” he mockingly threatens, rubbing his face in the crook of my neck. I let out an embarrassingly girly giggle and twist my body so that I am facing him. I kiss his nose and my fingers absentmindedly play with his hair. I twirl it in my hands and pull on the curls, watching them bounce back to their original form.

Everything about him makes me smile. “I hate not living with you,” I sigh.

“Me too,” he says. “Let’s just enjoy tonight while it lasts.” With a little squeeze he adds, “This is the first time we’ve been alone in a while.”

I look up at him, noticing the familiar glint of lust in his eyes.

“Sorry, Haz, I’m not in the mood tonight,” I say. He pouts and gives me the best puppy-dog face he can muster.

“That’s not going to work,” I say, kissing him again. “C’mon, I’m tired. Let’s just get some sleep.”

He agrees and we barely have time to turn off the television before we pass out in each other’s arms.

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Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

The incessant noise vibrates in my eardrums and awakens me. I reach for the source of the noise.

“Hello,” I mutter groggily.

“Where are you, Louis? What happened? Why aren’t you here?” the panicked voice of Eleanor comes through the tiny speaker.

“Relax, El, I’m with Harry,” I say.

She groans. “We have an interview, remember? To talk about our relationship and our plans for the wedding?”

“Oh, shit,” I murmur, rolling off of the sofa and throwing on my shoes. I take a look at Harry sleeping peacefully, and regret having to leave without a goodbye.

I race out the door and to our interview. It is a recorded radio interview, so there isn’t the pressure of it being live.

I arrive and Eleanor is waiting with her hands on her hips. “You’re late, baby,”she coos, stroking my arm but raising her eyebrow suspiciously.

“I just needed to see him,” I whisper in her ear and then kiss her cheek.

“It looks like you’ve finally gotten some sleep,” she says, rather motherly, while attempting to spruce up my hair.

A young and handsome man walks into the room, holding out his hand for El and I to shake. I can only assume it is the radio host. “Are you two ready to get started?” he asks.

We are led to a room with three chairs and three microphones. El and I sit down beside one another and she takes my hand, leaning close to me. I return the gesture and smile at her.

The radio host buys our act and begins his show with a little introduction of who we are and the fact that we’re ‘engaged.’

“So, when do the lovebirds think this wedding is going to happen?” He asks, addressing us.

“Like we’ve said before, it won’t be for a little while because El still has to finish school and I have the band to think about. But we can’t tell you how happy we are to be engaged,” I lie.

“And I’ve heard that you two have moved in together, that’s exciting,” says the host, raising his eyebrows and using a suggestive voice.

Eleanor and I chuckle uncomfortably and I say, “Very exciting,” ignoring his sexual undertones. The rest of the interview goes smoothly, and soon we are finished.

“That was close this morning,” says Eleanor once we are in our car. “I was getting strange looks for coming alone, and people kept asking me where you were. This can’t happen again!”

“I know, El,” I sigh.

“Look,” she says, sounding apologetic. “I know that this isn’t the best situation. But we have to be careful. You don’t want to be getting into trouble with your management again.”

I look at her. Her eyebrows are scrunched in concern, kind of like Harry always does. That makes me smile slightly.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” she says, waving me off. “Now call the lads, we’re having fun tonight.”

“Fun?”

“Yeah, you deserve it. You all deserve it. And I’m coming because I want to.” She chuckles at herself. “Let’s go drinking!”

“El! Last time the lads and I went drinking, you and I had to get engaged.”

She rolls her eyes. “Live while you’re young,” she quotes sassily. “Just get a bit more security this time to keep you from doing something stupid.” When I still look skeptical she adds, “Everything will be fine.”