Chemistry (L.T.)

Chapter 30

Louis POV

Walk away. Walk away. I repeat the words I know I need to hear over and over as I make my way away from Marie and Alexia. I had told Marie to take her home. I had gotten her a glass of water. I had done, for my purposes anyways, my good deed for the night. Now it was time to leave this godforsaken party. One thing was for certain, you couldn't last long unless you were drunk.

I make my way towards the door slowly, knowing full on that I should leave. After all, I needed to keep my mind clear if I wanted to redeem myself at the next game. 

I can't help but turn around to check on Marie and Zayn as I approach the door. The scene is quite comical. The pair had stood their poor drunken friend up, but barely.  As Marie tried to walk her towards the door, Alexia slumped over, resulting in Marie literally dragging her friend through the crowd. She was struggling I could tell, and I knew she definitely hadn't signed up for this when she had agreed to come tonight. That was for certain.

I know that this should be my cue to leave. That I should walk back to my room, call it a night and leave Alexia and her drunken escapades an entertaining memory. But my body stops me in my tracks.

Don't do it, don't do it. I try to get my common sense to take over. What was I do getting involved in this mess? But I can't help it, it's like my mind is taken over by some different human. I walk over to the struggling Marie and grab hold of Alexia.

"I'll go get my car" Zayn says, obviously looking for a way to escape the awful environment of drunk college athletes.

"Here. I'll help you get her home." Marie looks at me in shock, as if she barely knows who I am, which honestly at this point I feel the same way.  What was I doing getting myself involved in a situation like this again, with a girl that had made it explicitly clear that she wanted nothing to do with me.  She doesn't argue with me though, and I can see the relief come across her face as I help to hold up her struggling friend.

Alexia begins to sway beside me, and I throw her arm around my neck for stability.  She seems totally out of it, and I doubt she even know who she's hanging over lifelessly at this point.

"I think I should tell Niall that we are headed out" Marie says.  I want to tell her that we should just go, that he probably could care less considering I haven't seen him within a hundred feet of Alexia since I arrived over an hour ago, but I keep my mouth shut.  That was one comment that was better left unsaid.  

"I'll just hang out over here. I'm not getting involved in that mess." I say. Marie gives me a nod.  "Do you want me to hang out with her?" I say tipping my head towards Alexia.  

Marie looks at her friend for a moment than back at me, as if she's pondering the idea.  "I think I'll take her with me, ya know in case he needs to see it for himself.  Just don't go too far in case I need help." 

I nod and retreat into a corner near the door.  

"Have you seen him?" Marie asks, turning back towards me. 

"Not since I first got here.  You'll have to ask around." I shrug.  Marie shoots me a smile and begins to walk towards the crowd, Alexia stumbling along beside her.

Marie POV

"Have you seen Niall?" I ask a guy standing near the front door who looked like he might have a clue as too what was going on.  He gives me a confused glance, and I realize he probably can't hear me over the blaring music.  

"NIALL HORAN" I yell.  He shoots me a smile in recognition.  

"Upstairs, second door on the right" He points to the staircase in front of us. I give him a nod of thanks and then make my way towards the stairs, dragging Alexia along with me.