Everybody wanna steal my girl. Everybody wanna take her heart away.

Lara found a baseball cap In Harry’s bedroom which she perched on her head. She had pulled her long hair into a ponytail, and wore her black jeans and a dark hoodie. She paused tentatively before pressing the buzzer. She waited to hear Louis’ voice, but the only sound she heard was the door click open.

She followed the walkway to the front door and waited. A few moments later it opened to reveal a smiling Louis.

“Hello there.”

Lara walked past him into the house and then turned around to face him.

“I like your hat.” He said, playfully pulling it over her eyes. “Harry know you stole it?”

“Why did you ask me to come here?” Lara asked, ignoring his question.

“Don’t hassle me,” Louis said turning to flop onto the couch. “I’m sick remember?”

He coughed a few times while clutching his stomach and Lara shook her head.

“How did you even get away with that?”

“Maybe I’m a good actor.” He stuck his tongue out at her. He grabbed the remote control and changed the channel while Lara stood and watched.

“So what am I doing here again?” Lara asked.

“For starters you can chill the fuck out.” Louis snapped. “Now sit down and relax.”

Lara sat down on an armchair and glanced at the television.

“The Hangover is just about to begin.” Louis said, lying back onto the main couch. Lara kicked off her shoes with a small sigh and settled comfortably as the movie began. Despite her early misgivings she found herself giggling and almost forgetting she was watching the movie with Louis, except for when he tossed her a bag of popcorn. They were more than halfway through the movie when Lara happened to glance over at Louis, only to see him staring straight back at her. She averted her eyes and shifted uncomfortably but could not help but glance back at him again.

“What?” She asked abruptly.

“Come over here.” He said.

“Why?”

“Because I wanna talk to you, that’s why.”

Louis’ blue eyes seemed to twinkle suggestively before he broke into an amused smile.

“What did you think?”

Lara rolled her eyes and stood up before sitting on the couch beside Louis in a bid to show him she was not intimidated.

“That wasn’t so hard was it?” Louis asked the amusement still evident on his face. “You scared of me or something?”

“I’m here aren’t I?”

“Hmm.” Louis hummed. He opened his mouth to speak but Lara cut in.

“Are we going to watch the movie or not?”

“Fine, let’s watch the movie.” Louis mumbled.

“Rewind it. We just missed a good bit.” Lara ordered.

“Sheesh.”Louis responded, grabbing the remote control. “Bossy much?”

They returned to the movie and Lara had just started to relax again when she felt something land in her hair. She turned to see Louis smiling cheekily, and she touched her hair to find a kernel of popcorn. She ate it without hesitation and ignored Louis’ loud laugh in response.

Minutes later she felt his foot tapping against hers and she promptly moved her foot.

Not long after she felt him flicking her arm with his fingers.

”Ouch Louis,” Lara wailed, before whacking him on the arm. “What was that for?”

“You’re ignoring me.” He replied.

Lara rolled her eyes and leaned forward until she was mere inches away from his face.

“You’ve got my full attention now.”

“Well you don’t have to make fun of me.” Louis pouted.

“”You’re kidding right?” Lara said as she leant back on the couch. They regarded each other for a few moments before she added, “Okay you wanna talk, let’s talk.”

Louis stared at his hands for a moment before looking up at her.

“So you and Eleanor are no more?”

Louis switched off the television and sighed.

“”Yep, she’s gone.”

Lara bit her lip as she nodded in response.

“And how do you feel about that?”

“It was a long time coming.” Louis said.

”Is that why you’re pretending to be sick?”

“Naw…” Louis shook his head. “Well maybe a little. I just need a little time on my own, you know? Just couldn’t face the cameras… well not yet anyway. ”

“What happened?” Lara asked quietly, curious to know and yet somehow dreading the answer.

“You know why…” Louis said. “You saw us together… we just didn’t click anymore. It was like she as a second mother to me, or something.”

Lara nodded thoughtfully as Louis shifted closer to her.

“I want someone I can have fun with… someone who doesn’t give a fuck about me being in One Direction… someone who’s on my side…not on Julian’s side.” Louis said. “Someone like you.”

“Like me?” Lara said with surprise.

“Yeah… a girl like you.” He replied. “You don’t think I deserve a girl like you?”

“I don’t know why anyone would want to be with a girl like me.” Lara shrugged.

“Harry does.” Louis pointed out.

“Yeah well I’m still trying to figure that one out.”

“Why?” He asked.

“Because.” Lara replied vaguely.

“You’re pretty, nice and fun to be with. You make me laugh. You don’t give a shit about all the money and fame...” He watched her closely with a smirk. “You’re not a bad kisser either.”

“Shut up.” Lara nudged him and he laughed in response.

“What more could a guy want?”

They fell silent for a moment and Lara looked up to see Louis watching her sadly.

“You know all there is to know about me… about Harry… the drugs… and you’ve never judged me.”

“Who am I to judge?” Lara replied. What right did she have to look down on Louis when she made so many mistakes, time and time again? “Did Eleanor judge you?”

“Are you kidding me? There’s a lot she doesn’t know… but fuck yeah.”

“Well she seems more like the perfect girl than I’ll ever be.”

“Who said I wanted the perfect girl? What’s so perfect about being perfect anyway? Perfect is boring.”

They both laughed quietly as Louis inched his way closer until he was sure he had her attention.

“Wanna have some fun?” He said with a grin.

“Fun?”

“Yeah… let’s be not so perfect together.”

Lara recognised the glint in his eye and felt her heart skip a beat. She wanted it. She could feel the desire building up within her.

He leapt to his feet and disappeared in his bedroom for a few moments before emerging with a baggie of pot. Lara could not help but bite her lip with anticipation.

“You want some?” Louis asked.

“Yeah?”

“What are you going to do for me?” He suddenly asked.

Flashbacks of Ben asking her the same question, with the same expression on his face flooded Lara’s mind and she could not help but stiffen in response.

“Hey.” Louis said softly. “I was only kidding.”

He placed his hand on her arm and forced her to look at him.

“I’d never do that.” He said as though in answer to her thoughts. ”You know that.”

Before they knew it the afternoon turned into the evening as they sat there in a haze of smoke, giggling over nothing.

“I’m so hungry.” Louis moaned.

“Me too.” Lara replied and her stomach seemed to rumble on cue.

“Got no food.” Louis told her. “I wasn’t planning on being here.”

Lara groaned in response and Louis lightly swatted her with his hand.

“Wanna go out for dinner? He asked.

“Are you high?” Lara asked and they both chuckled. “You’re meant to be on your deathbed…and Julian would kill you if we got caught.”

“And Harry wouldn’t?” Louis snickered. “Okay, if not dinner how about the convenience store down the road? They’ve got these awesome doughnuts.”

”Doughnuts for dinner… mmmm…” Lara sighed taking a last drag of her cigarette. She stubbed it out in an ashtray and they stumbled toward the door.

“Maybe you should wear your hat.” Louis said placing the hat on her head and playfully pulling it down over her face. Louis held onto her arm as they headed down the dark street and only let go when they entered the bright store and he realised they were being scoped out by a couple of curious onlookers.“Meet you back at the house.” Louis muttered to her and she quickly scurried away as he was accosted by a young girl wielding a cell phone. She was halfway down the street when she heard running footsteps and felt Louis grab her by the shoulder. He clutched a box of doughnuts as he urged her to run and they were both of breath when they finally reached his house.

They immediately tore through the box and were munching through the doughnuts. Lara licked her lips and lay back on the couch.

“All I did was run down a street and I’m shattered.”

“So stay the night. I ain’t driving you home, just so you know.”

`“But I’m working tomorrow.” She pointed out.

“So call in sick.” Louis shot her a cheeky grin. “Go on... if I can get away with it, surely you can too.”

“Yeah but…” Lara began.

“You’re helping a mate who’s just gone through a horrible break up. I can’t be left alone.”

“Yeah you look so devastated.” Lara said and threw a cushion at him. Louis retaliated by promptly throwing it back. Lara caught it and was about to whack him in the head when he grabbed her by the wrists and forced her back onto the couch.

“So you’re gonna stay right?” He said and she struggled against him in response. “Sheesh, take It easy.”

“Get off me.” Lara retorted.

“Not until you promise you’ll stay.” He said, his full weight now pressing down on her.

`”Louis-“

“Say it.”

“Okay I’ll stay!”

“Wasn’t so hard was it?” Louis smirked as he looked down at her.

“You’re impossible.”

“So you keep telling me.”

They grinned at each other when the sound of Lara’s phone ringing cut through the silence. Louis reluctantly rolled off her and landed on the couch next to her.

“Hello?” She answered.

“Heyyy…” Harry’s easy tone sounded.

“Harry.” Lara said breathlessly.

“You okay?”He asked.

“Yeah, I’m just… I’m…” A horrible sense of guilt assaulted her and she trailed off. A long pause followed before Harry evenly spoke.

“You’re with him aren’t you?”

Lara fearfully glanced at Louis who blew air from his lips and muttered.

“Here we go again.”

Notes