Nothing Without Love

Louis' POV

“So what's up with you and Josie?” Niall asks, quickly taking her chair, laying back lounging. He'll probably turn into a lobster, Niall's skin always seems to burn, leaving Erica to the rescue. I'm sure he secretly likes it when Erica saves him.

“What do you mean?” I ask, trying to play it cool thought my insides are a nervous wreck. He can't possibly know we slept together, can he? Josie wouldn't tell him.

“I mean, you've hardly had a conversation with her before today and all the sudden you're chasing her to the pool house, sitting with her as soon as I leave.” Niall is all about teasing. I can't say much we've always teased each other since day one. I've been the worse. And I know it.

“I don't know.” I shrug, trying with all my heart to downplay it as much as possible.

“Come on Louis. You keep commenting about how I can let her walk around with a bikini on, or how she calls me by my first name, or commenting about how pretty she is. We pick this stuff up Louis.” He takes a sip of her water.

“We?” I already know what we he's talking about. Sometimes if you try and ask Niall a bunch of different questions he can get easily distracted and you don't have to return to the original conversation of Josie.

“Erica and I. It's kind of obvious isn't it?” He laughs that typical Niall laughter that everyone seems to have fallen in love with. I'll admit, it usually makes me laugh too.

I don't say anything, processing my thoughts. It might sound stupid but I don't really want anything out there yet about Josie, I don't even really know her.

“You like her don't you?” Niall has a slow smile that's drawn upon his lips, reminding me of the cat from Alice in Wonderland. Damn him.

I chose not to respond, trying to bite my smile back with no avail. I'm sure my cheeks have turned a little color so I move my head away from him.

“Holy shit, I knew it!” Niall laughs again, clapping his hands and all but bouncing in his chair. Well what are you going to do about it?” He asks.

“Nothing. I'm not one to really date. I mean, I think she's attractive but I wouldn't go as far as liking her.” I ramble on and on out loud.

“Oh come on. You all teased me for years about Erica, I think I know if you like a girl.” Niall laughs to himself, stretching out a little more.

“As you've said I've hardly had a conversation with her, I can't like her.” I try to cover my non verbal signs that I'm lying but Niall isn't looking at me, he might not know. I can't like her, I don't even know her.

“Well maybe you should get to know her better. Go see her.” He suggests, nodding his head towards her apartment.

“And say what?” I ask. Why would I follow her to her apartment for no reason?” In my head I'm trying to come up with a thousand different reasons, Ryan needs her, Niall wants to talk to her, she's fired. I don't know. I wiggle my toes nervously.

“Who cares! Just go say goodbye to her or something, you'll think of something. Just go up.” He suggests. I sit there silently for a minute. “Seriously, go!” He laughs as I shake my head, getting up anyway from the white chair and leaving my shoes on the concrete. I reach her door and decide to do as Niall told me, just go for it. I let out another deep breath and turn the door handle, instantly welcomed with a flight of steps, taking them all but two at a time to reach the top.

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“So why am I driving again?” I ask as I round the corner to the store.

“Because either way, we'd have to go back to Nialls. And you came in uninvited so I'd like to think you owe me.” She leans back in her seat, arms crossed. I don't even know what I was thinking, thinking that it would be okay to just walk into someone else's house. Let alone ask if I could go grocery shopping with her. Do I even need to go? Not particularly, but now I have to get food or else she'll think I'm even more creepy then I already feel like. Why am I so awkward with her? This never happens to me. I've been awkward with her since day one.

My feet can't quit moving, at least the rest of me looks calm.

“Must you tap your feet?” She drops her head over her left shoulder and looks up at me.

“Sorry.” I'm sweating. My palms are sweating just from her sitting next to me in the car. Would this be considered a date?

No, not a date, I didn't ask her. From the sounds of it she's not really a fan of me but maybe with time she will be? What is wrong with my brain?

“You missed the turn.” She points out.

“Huh?” I slow to a stop at the red light, I've been out of sorts I swear.

“I said you missed the turn, back there.” She points over her shoulder. “It looks like you can turn around up here, if you get over.” She turns and looks over her left shoulder quickly. “You're clear if you want to get over.” I don't even look, trusting her words as I merge to the next lane and turn around. We find a parking space towards the back and Josie jumps out quickly, grabbing her reusable bags she threw in the back. I don't have any, so I'll either have to pay for the bags or beg and plead to use some of hers.

“You coming?” She asks, I haven't realized I've fallen behind her stride. Pull it together Louis, I tell myself as I rub my temples. I say nothing as I catch up with her and walk side by side with her as she grabs a cart and walks into the actual store. I try to distract myself with the various fruits and veggies displayed, picking a few things here and there, she's a little captivating.

From Niall: Where did you go?

The alert goes off on my phone and I see that of course Niall would ask me. I didn't really tell him where I was going or that I was going anywhere for that matter, I just up and left.

To Niall: I went to the store with Josie

I smile but as I look up I've noticed that I've lost Josie. I round the corner to not find her and all of the sudden a little panic kicks into my brain, almost like when you're a kid and you lose your mum in the store. You look frantically through all the the isles and finally relax when you see her waiting for you, even when she has an angry look on her face.

“Over here Louis.” I turn around to see Josie picking out some sort of cheese in the isle that I completely skipped over.

“I thought you'd left.” I stand next to her, determined not to stray anymore. My thoughts aren't helping me one bit. They're erratic.

“Why would I do that? You drove here.” She points out. “Are you getting any groceries?” She looks up at me quizzically as she pushes her cart forward only to stop a few sections down for milk. I've noticed she already has a ton of healthy items in the cart, blueberries, strawberries, coconut milk, bananas, yogurt, I don't know why I'm even looking in her cart. Why does it matter? I sigh out loud and continue to follow just behind her, determined to look for anything else I could use to distract my brain. The screaming kid in isle four, the elderly couple in the matching scooters, the woman who looks like she just got out of the gym buying candy bars. I've never been one to diet, or really even eat healthy, I'm surprised I'm not three hundred pounds by now.

“Do you want to grab a drink?” I ask, instantly closing my eyes and pinching them shut, why do I speak out loud? Why do I think that what I think needs to be spoken?

“Right now? I've got cold things in my cart, it's hot out.” She points to the front as if I could forget that it's sweltering out.

“I'll buy you a cooler and some ice!” I try to play off my awkwardness and act cheerful. I don't really know what I'll do if she says no, I mean, she hasn't answered my question yet. “So what do you think?”

“Um, sure.” She shrugs and turns back to forward, pushing her cart away as if I hadn't suggested anything at all. No arguments? No disagreement? I can't read this girl for shit.

Notes

Ah a little Louis and Niall, a little Louis and Josie. And we're not done with this day yet! What did you think about Louis and Niall? These two are fun to write interacting, and the thought of Niall giving advice to an "older" Louis makes me laugh a little bit. And Josie, Louis doesn't quite know what to do with him self.

Thanks for being awesome, keep reading! :)

xoxoxox