Secrets / Black & White / Playing for Keeps

Lara was woken by the sound of mumbling. She groggily rolled over to come face to face with a sleeping Louis who quietly murmured to himself, before settling into a comfortable position. She felt her body tense up at the sight of shirtless Louis. Her first instinct was to get out of bed, and just as she was about to sit up, Louis’ eyes slowly fluttered open.

“Where are you going?” He asked huskily.

When she did not answer immediately, his hand shot over to touch her arm.

“Just wait. Don’t go.” He implored.

Lara paused before lying down again. She nervously stared at a spot on the wall before turning her head to meet Louis’ smiling eyes.

“I guess I never made it back to my bed last night.”

“Mm.” Lara replied.

“Guess I must have been really tired.”

“Mm.”

“Are you just going to mumble at me?”

“Where’s Eleanor?”

Louis made a face at the sound of her name.

“Who cares?”

“Louis… she’s your girlfriend, don’t you care about her at all?”

“Maybe I’ve got other stuff on my mind.”

“Stuff?”

“I dunno… stuff…people.”

“People?”

“Look.” Louis said impatiently. “Maybe I’m just sick of being told what to do. My managers love Eleanor…. And she knows what she has to do to keep them happy. It pisses me off. She acts like she’s my fucking keeper… Julian hates you…”

“Yeah?” Lara prompted.

“And I think that’s fucking awesome.” He said and they both laughed quietly before Louis’ face suddenly grew serious. “I think you’re awesome.”

They both fell silent as Louis’ eyes searched her face, almost as though he were trying to ascertain her reaction.

“Lara?”

“What?” She breathed back.

Louis opened his mouth to speak again when they were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing. A look of annoyance flitted over his face before he dragged himself out of bed. Lara strained to hear what they were saying but could only hear the tail end the conversation.

“Yep, come on up.” She heard Louis saying.

Lara jumped out of bed and grabbed her clothes from the top of the dresser. She heard

Louis’ footsteps heading to the door and she quickly dashed over to close it.

“Lara?” He asked twisting the doorknob.

“Louis I’m getting changed.”

“I just wanted to-“

“Who’s here?”

“It’s just Zayn.”

Lara paused. At least it wasn’t Eleanor, but the thought of someone seeing her at Louis’ house made her feel uneasy.

“Just let me get changed.” She said and the door closed before she heard Louis walk away.

Lara quickly slipped on her jeans and a hoodie before pulling her hair into a high ponytail.
She emerged soon after to find Zayn and Louis seated on the couch. They were in the middle of a hushed conversation and she heard a mumbled mention of ‘Harry’, when she caught Zayn’s eye.

He did not even bother to disguise the curious look on his face as they tentatively greeted each other.

“Zayn’s sharing a car with me to the airport.” Louis cut in.

“What were you saying about Harry?” Lara asked.

“I thought you would know.” Zayn replied. “He’s a fucking mess. He beat up Ben, did you
know that?”

“Yeah.”

“He was drunk off his ass when he did that.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Zac drawled in response. He leant back on the couch, his dark eyes giving her the once over.

“He’s not speaking to me…” Lara stammered.

“Really now?” Zayn asked, and his gaze shifted to Louis.

“I-I’m not staying here. Louis was just trying to help out. I’m going to stay at a hotel.” Lara quietly said to Louis.

“No you’re not. You’re going to stay right here.” He spoke up.

Lara turned to walk back into the spare bedroom only to hear Louis follow her.

“Please just stay.” He said. “Wait for me until I get back.”

X

Lara moved out that night. She dragged her luggage to the waiting taxi that whisked her away to a hotel.

She checked her phone and was surprised to see the headline.

Harry Styles: Looking worse for wear

Harry Styles looked glum as he and his fellow bandmates touched down in Paris. We wonder
if his bruised knuckles had anything to do with it. They appeared to be bruised and cut, as if he had been in a recent fight. Harry refused to answer questions and his representatives have issued a ‘no comment’.

She studied the photo of Harry walking through a London airport, looking downcast. A close up photo of his knuckles showed they were bruised, just as the article said. The idea of Harry being sad upset her. She wondered if he still believed that she had really abandoned him.

She wondered what Louis was going to tell him. Would he tell the truth or spin the truth a little? Would Zayn tell him that she had spent the night at Louis’ house?

Before she knew it, she was cracking open a bottle of wine. And when she knew she was on the right side of tipsy, she then dialled Harry’s number.

Soon after, she was calling James and inviting him over and before she knew it she had convinced him it was okay for her to snort some coke with his roommates. Jenny and David made themselves comfortable He watched with disapproval as she dipped her head over the white line and comfortably snorting it before moving to the next one.

“Lara, why are you doing this?” He asked from his spot on the couch.

“Because it’s what I do.” She replied and the others laughed as if it were the funniest thing they’d heard. Lara regarded James’ unimpressed look before she returned to the drug before her. How could she explain that it was sometimes her only way out? That she felt so alone, that for one moment in time she wanted to feel like she had control. That maybe not being with Harry hurt her more than she wanted to admit.

A couple of hours later she was throwing back a glass of wine, much to James’ chagrin.

“You shouldn’t be drinking too!”

Lara’s phone buzzed and she looked down to see Louis’ name flash across the screen. She clumsily took it into her hands and answered it, unsteadily stepping over Jenny & David’s feet to walk out onto the balcony.

“Louis.” She smiled into the phone.

“Where are you?” He asked. “I’ve been calling home and there’s been no answer.”

“I’m home. Not your home… but my home. For now.”

“What are you talking about? I’m coming back tomorrow. You just had to stay put till then.”

“Well I couldn’t.” Lara told him. “Didn’t you see the way Zayn was looking at us?

“Looking at us how?” Louis said.

“Like he thought something was going on between us.”

“Zayn doesn’t care. Do you know the shit he gets up to when Perrie’s not around?”

“Yeah, but Harry is his friend.”

“Please be home when I get back.” Louis ignored her. “I want you to be there.”

“Why?” Lara teased. “You wanna save me Louis?”

“You wanna be saved Lara?” He asked back. “It sounds like you’re wasted again. Who are
you with?”

“Nobody you know.” Lara mumbled.

“Yeah? Well I wish I was with you right now.” He said. “Wish I was anywhere but here.”

Louis paused and Lara could hear the distinct sound of Eleanor’s voice in the background.

“Okay Mum, I’ll see you soon.” Louis said.

“Mum?” Lara asked.

“Talk when I get back. Love you.”

The line went dead before Lara could reply.

The next day, she rolled out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. After a quick shower she realised she had no towels and made a quick phone call to reception. Not long after, there was a knock on the door. Lara wrapped her robe around her tightly before opening the door.

She froze at the sight of Harry standing there, an intent look on his face.

Notes

Hope you guys enjoyed Christmas... let me know what you think ^^^