Friday
Louis
“Are you sure we should do this again, Lou? I mean I thought you were trying to reform.” Zayn calls from the living room.
Louis is in the kitchen unpacking the bags of alcohol and various snacks he bought at the convenience store in town. “I know, I know. I’ll reform tomorrow. Just one more party.” He responds. They have a medium sized crowd of friends and acquaintances who love their parties and always come back.
Louis knows he shouldn’t when he has promised himself not to get out of control. But he could not resist when he saw that adorable boy with Liam at the Grille. He had invited Liam and told him to bring Harry. He had completely embarrassed himself that afternoon and he needed a chance to make it right.
“It’s your fault!” he had told Zayn the day after. “It was your idea to go get trashed on the first day of classes.” It had, in fact been Louis’ idea to go to the Grille and play pool, drinking beer after beer, although Zayn had found it quite amusing.
Harry
Harry had gotten through the first week of classes and he could not be happier that he would be able to sleep in for the next two days. All he wanted to do really was curl up in his little room and sleep. He didn’t want to have to worry about interacting with anyone else. But he had agreed to go to the party tonight with Liam so his plan would have to wait until tomorrow.
He liked Liam. They got along easily even though Harry in his current state was just a shell of himself at best. He would make the best of tonight and maybe meet some more people. He knew he should try even though it was the last thing he wanted to do.
So it was later that night, after showering and changing into his tight jeans and a plain t-shirt, that Harry hears Liam knocking on his door to pick him up for the party.
“Hey! Excited?” Liam is smiling, clearly psyched for the night.
“I guess, yeah.” Harry puts in his best effort to sound happy.
They headed towards Louis and Zayn’s apartment, Liam leading the way with a bounce in his step.
Harry thinks he might as well take this opportunity to satisfy his curiosity and learn about the guy who stayed on his mind all week. “So what’s the deal with Louis? Is he always drunk on Monday afternoons?”
Liam chuckles. “No, no, he’s a bit of a partier but he’s a good guy. Hilarious too.”
Harry imagines Louis making jokes, making people laugh. He feels a rush thinking that he will soon be inside the intriguing man’s house. He has been confused all week by his feelings towards Louis. He wasn’t sure why he was so drawn to him and why all he wanted to do was try to figure him out. He wants to know this stranger for some inexplicable reason.
They get to the tiny, white house with its chain-link-fenced front yard. It is already full of people standing around in groups with cups, talking noisily. There is music blaring from inside, some rap song Harry’s never heard.
Inside, the lights are on and the main room is full. Aside from a couch where a few people sit, there is no furniture. He and Liam get beers from the kitchen and Liam introduces him to a group of guys he knows. Harry is having a good time, despite the fact that he hasn’t caught sight of Louis, until his phone buzzes in his pocket and he pulls it out to look at the caller ID.
