You Have Me

"Did you call your dad's lawyer?" Liam asked.

He took a sip of his drink, gulping with big eyes. I chuckled and nodded.

"I did. His name is Ben and..."

"And what?" Zayn chirped. He sat up and peered at me. Zayn's always been very good at making me squirm, because Zayn can read me like a fucking book.

"And he's flying me home to discus some things."

Liam's eyes bugged out. "He is? When?"

"Tomorrow night."

"No." Zayn says, tone firm. He's got his arms crossed over his chest and a defiant look in his eyes.

"No?"

"No," he repeated. He uncrossed his arms and I want to push him back because No? Who is he to tells me no? No one can tell me no. "You said you'd stay for a few days. Not one night. No."

"It's not up for discussion. I'm leaving tomorrow Zayn."

"Then one of us will go with you," Zayn fights back. I don't know what he's doing, and I'm pretty sure neither does Liam, because Liam's looking at him like he's lost his mind, and I think he might have. "Either way, you're not going alone."

"Oh you're asking for i-"

The knocking on their door interrupts me. And Zayn should feel lucky, because I was about to unleash a whole load of shit.

The knocking continues, and it sounds like someone's dying.

Liam gets up to answer it, after a minuet his hand is waving urgently from behind. Like he was fanning away a smell or a fly.

"What is he doing?" I whisper to Zayn. Zayn shrugs in response. It's not until I hear Louis' voice that the frantic waving makes sense.

"Come on Li. Let me in."

I shoot off the bed and run into their bathroom. I press my ear against the door, ignoring the fact that this is probably not very sanitary.

"It's fine Li. Let him in." Zayn says, once I'm tucked away. The door opens and I can hear quiet shuffling. I'm surprised I haven't been caught by the sound of my heart beat alone. "Have you been crying?"

Oh fuck me.

"No. I've been....shut up." Louis grumbles. The bed squeaks and I'm assuming Louis has flopped onto the furniture, because Louis is Louis and I know Louis. "Harry's a mess. And I'm flipping out. I have no idea where Beth ran. Even Niall doesn't know, and I thought he would, since he somehow became best friends, with my best friend. Stupid little Irish twitt."

It's too soon to be hearing about Harry. Hell, it's too soon for me to even be saying his name.

"It's the accent." Liam jokes.

"You're stupid," Liam cries out, and once again because I know Louis, I know he has just slapped the back of Liam's head. "I'm sitting here, freaking the fuck out and all you're doing is talking absolute shit."

"Louis stop exaggerating." Zayn tries to control them. But it's no use. Louis can't be controlled, and sometimes its quite frightening.

"She's my best friend Zayn! And she's pregnant! I have no idea where she's went, and you want me to calm down?!"

"She said she was going home-"

"You saw her?! Where?!"

Come on Liam. Don't ruin this.

"As she was leaving," Zayn interjects. The air returns to my lungs, the need to throw up not far away. "She said her dad's lawyer needed to speak with her."

"Harry's going to go mental." Louis sighs.

"S'what I said." Liam says.

"Okay. Well I have to use the toile-"

"No!" Both guys yell at the same time. And if this was a life or death mission, I'd be six feet under by now.

"Come off it. I have to go." Louis says, his footsteps getting closer and closer.

"Wait Lou!"

I look up wondering if I'm too pregnant to climb out of the window....And yes. I probably am....so I'm fucked.

"Wha-...Beth?!" Louis stops. His face is stunned and his mouth is parted. And this is the first time I've seen Louis quiet. I don't know if I like it or not.

"Would you believe me, if I said this was just a dream?" Judging by his reaction, I may have time to run away.

"Thank....fuck he does listen! Beth!" Louis springs at me, his arms are around me crushing me to his chest. Who listens? What?

"Sup, Lou," I mumbled. My lips are trapped against his shirt. And it's getting hard to breathe. "Let go." I say patting his back. He squeezes one last time, and then sets me free. Once I look up, I wish I hadn't. Because Louis wiping his eyes with his fingers, as he sniffles.

I'm terrible.

"I'm here! There's no need to cry!" Please don't let him cry.

"I'm crying because you are here!" Oh. Okay.

"Well, that's offen-"

"Shut up! Come here!" And like before my mouth is trapped between his shirt, as his arms crush me. "Fuck, he does listen."

"Who does?" I look over at Zayn and Liam, trying to figure out who played me. But they both looked confused, so maybe it wasn't them.

"The big guy," he says, pointing up. I look up confused. Louis rolls his eyes. And what? "Seriously? I'm talking about God, you satanist."

"You prayed for me?"

Louis nods his head. "It was the only thing I could think of," he shrugs, like its no big deal. Even though it is and my insides are warm. "I was going to call the FBI but I couldn't find the number online."

"Oh Lou," I sigh "How's Harry?"

It can't be too bad. I mean it's only been a few hours.

"We'll go see him." Zayn offers, practically dragging Liam behind him. Louis looking like he would prefer not to answer my question. Which has me freaking out. Because Louis won't answer and because they've left me alone with Louis. The same Louis who had screamed at me for fucking him over. Not that I blame him. But. Still.

"What's going on Beth?"

I sigh and shrug. I grab his hand and lead him back to the bed. He sits in front of me, crossing his legs underneath him.

"About before," Louis starts. "I never meant any of i-"

"Yes you did," I say, cutting him off. "And it's okay. You were right. I wasn't there for you-well from what the stories sound like-I've been a terrible best friend."

"But you haven't Beth. I sometimes forget that you're new at this, but I wouldn't want another best friend. You're the only who puts up with me and who won't take my shit," he takes a deep breath and connects our eyes. "Beth you're the only friend who hasn't given up on me."

"That's not true. What about the guys?"

The fact that Louis feels this way hurts because I didn't notice. And the fact that I didn't notice makes me feel like absolute crap.

"We had to learn to get along, and yes we're like brothers, but it doesn't change the fact that we had to. You and me, we just happened. No pressure, no expectations. We were just us."

"Lou, I still fucked it up."

"We both did." He shrugs, his body slightly more relaxed, "It's not the first and it won't be the last time."
I don't know what to say to that. And it makes me nervous because he's right. I'm me. I constantly fuck everything up. It's like, I was made to fuck up.

"I know about Lilly."

My head clicks up and my eyes widen. "It's noth-"

"Don't you fucking dare Beth," Louis fumes, his fist clench around the duvet. "What he did was cruel. And your sister is skank."

"Lo-"

"Aren't you going to defend me B.?"

Well this just proves that I am the most unluckiest person in the world. Especially right now because Lilly's crossing her arms over her chest. Her engagement ring still sparkling, almost laughing at me. Her stance makes me feel small and young. It's like I'm reliving me fear over and over again.

Liam runs in to the room, panting (and I know who to kill) and how Lilly got in without me hearing her is completely unfair. Everything is unfair. And why is Lilly here.

"Is there a second option? Like one the involves me setting you on fire?"

"Watch it. I'm still older than you, and you have to respect me." She snaps. Her hands falling on her hips. I look over at Louis, with my mouth hanging open.

"You're mental," Louis starts, stepping forward. I grab his arm preventing him from going further. "What are you doing here?"

"It was Liam." Zayn says holding his hands up. I narrow my eyes at the guilty man, and I think together, Louis and I can take him. Liam hisses at Zayn and the stands awkwardly.

"Lilly, what do you want?"

Lilly looks over at me, examining her nails. She looks up, a sly smirk on her features. "I'm here because my daddy decided to leave me with nothing, while the bastard child got everything. I want to make sure I get what's rightfully mine." She coos, making me want to throw up all over her expensive heels.

I'm going to clock her. I may throw up also.

Harry runs inside, his eyes panicked. And I feel incredibly lucky to have Harry, and Lilly here. Together. With me. At the same time. I also feel like-maybe-God listens to everyone and decides to ignore me.

Because I'm me.

And I might have a heart attack. Because my dad left Lilly out of his will? Because Lilly's here? Because she knows I may not be my dads' kid. What?

Because Harry is in the same room as I am.

Notes

If Lilly was on fire, and I had water. I'd drink it, and make that 'ahhhhh' sound.