Nothing Without Love

Louis POV

I should be drinking more after today. What a disaster. First I sound like a complete asshole all morning, basically telling her she's annoying, then I walk in on her without even knocking. I'm surprised she didn't beat the shit out of me, God knows I deserved it. Then I get caught daydreaming every five seconds at the grocery store. Then to top it all off we went to eat and the hostess hit on me so I had to call in a favor from her to pretend as if she was my girlfriend. And now after only one shot of tequila all I seem to want is more drinks and more time with her.

She's quite funny.

Josie doesn't shy away from anything it seems like. I can be bitter and she'll be bitter right back, I'll be rude and she'll be rude right back. She's hilarious.

But I'm sure we're just friends.

No matter how much I try to charm her she just laughs it off. Probably better this way, I'm usually bad luck when it comes to women, something always gets in the way. So here we are, traveling back to Niall's so I can drop her off and help her unload her groceries.

She's being a little quiet, she mentioned she was tired earlier, of course I couldn't tell if she was actually tired of just tired because she was tired of being around me. I learned she likes nerds candy, she works out at her dads gym a few times a week and has since she was twelve, her favorite color is green, she'd rather run away and live in the forest somedays then be stuck in the city. Her favorite place she's gone to visit is Seattle but New York City and Chicago are a close second and third. I think I could listen to her talk for hours her voice is so smooth and a little low, you have to really pay attention to her to hear her.

I pull up to Nialls as I quickly punch in the code and drive to the garage for her place. I know from now on to knock before I enter. I still feel like an asshole from that experience. I park and quickly hop out, reaching around to the back and start pulling out the cooler I bought for her as she grabs some grocery bags, we work in silence, it's like there is already a flow in place.

“Listen, I'm really sorry about earlier.” I follow her to the door as she holds it open with her foot.

“It's whatever, not the first time someone has seen me naked, won't be the last, I do suggest knocking next time though.” She calls over her shoulder as she's pulling things out of her bags. She makes eye contact with me but she's not one to continuously stare at me while I make conversation. You always find those people that are literally just begging for your attention, the ones that are constantly trying for you to notice them, Josie is far from that.

“Well it won't happen again, I promise you that.” I swear to her, still feeling bad about invading her space like that, it's not something that I would even think about doing so it's obvious that I wasn't thinking clearly at the time.

“Thanks for taking me to the store and for a senior citizen dinner.” She jokes, since we ate dinner, or lunch so late she referred to it as the senior citizen meal. She's so chill.

“Ah, well it's the least I could do.” I mutter, shoving my hands in my pockets. I never really know what to do with my hands, I notice that when I think too much that my hands tend to twitch and I fumble with them. Josie seems to notice these things, I don't know how because it doesn't seem like she's even really paying attention, but she sees these things.

“Well, have any plans for the night?” She asks, trying to make small talk, I'm assuming because I haven't said anything other then apologizing.

“I don't think so, just head home.” I shrug. “You?”

“Ophelia is coming over, probably just going to watch movies and chat.” She grabs an apple she just put away and takes a bite. I can hear it crunching from across the way.

“She the one that was with you that night?” I ask, trying to search my brain for a picture of her face but I can only picture her long blonde hair.

“That's the one.” She smiles.

“So I can't stay?” I laugh as if I'm joking but I'm actually serious.

“Nope.” She has a light giggle and continues to eat her apple.

“Why not?” I ask, why is it that she's always turning me away? I seem like I'm the one that puts myself out there and she's the one that easily turns me away.

“Because we're probably going to talk about you and I can't complain about you while you're here, it would be impolite.”

If I had water in my mouth I'd choke on it. Never had someone say that to me before, she's quite honest.

“You're going to talk about me?” I finally get the courage up to speak.

“Of course. See you later Louis.” She waves bye to me, walking past me to the bedroom before shutting the door. No proper goodbye apparently as all I can do is leave. She's so confusing. I can't wrap my head around her. Of course, I've never been able to figure out women.

I jog down the steps and avoid Niall and Erica, he responded to the text message I sent him about going to the store with Josie but I didn't want to get into it with him so I didn't respond to him. I know he's probably just going to razz me about everything. I'm usually up for it but I have too much running through my mind to come back at him with anything. He's too hard to get worked up anymore, he's always so calm, it makes you sick.

I turn the radio down on my way home, my mind is on other things it seems. I'm not even really thinking about Josie, of course she crosses my mind but my mind drifts in and out. I think about Eleanor for a while. We got along so well but the stress of my job and the distance between us caused too much of a problem. Month by month she changed a little bit, just small things at first but eventually it was like she was my second mum and I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to be free.

Then when I became free I didn't really know what I wanted. I didn't make the best choices, I went out a lot, smoked too much, drank too much, slept with too many women. It didn't make me look good. Harry and I had a falling out from things I kept from him. We're not like we used to be but we're better, we can tolerate each other without wanting to kill each other. I've lost touch a little bit with Liam, he's got quite a big family now, he doesn't really have time for anyone except changing diapers and cleaning bottles. Zayn is off on a what seems like never ending adventure with Nora, they've been through quite a lot together, I don't know what she sees in him but it works for them so I can't say anything. Niall has had Erica since what seems like day one, or at least he's wanted her since day one. So that leaves me, soloing it up.

Of course I have my family. Mum and Dan are still together. The twins are six now, already in school and it seems like I hardly know them, the location and the age difference doesn't help. Daisyy and Phoebe are already sixteen, I let them pick out whatever kind of vehicle they wanted for their birthdays, as long as they passed their tests. Fizzy is twenty and loving university life, I'm happily footing the bill, I want my sisters to have an education. And Lottie is twenty-two, dating this loser of a drummer from a popular band called Carbon. He's not really a loser but I refer to him as such, she's my younger sister that I spent plenty of time with so I feel the most protective of her and this Melvin seems to have gotten in the way of everything. It is nice that she lives in LA though, I see her more then I used to when I lived in London. She's still part of the tour life though, she does make up and styles for Carbon. Hence how she met Melvin.

I don't talk to my real father, more of a sperm donor if you ask me. Him and my mum got together young, had me and then he split. Doesn't help that two months after I was born he had a kid with someone else. I talk to Georgia here and there, she got to experience life with my real father, I suppose I could harbor some ill will towards here even though it's not her fault. I just don't want to open that door to my life. I know that if I start becoming so called friends with her I'll have to interact more with him and I just don't want to. I don't care if ever speak with him again.

I push the garage opener after I've finally arrived in my house, it's quiet as I drop my keys off and plop on the couch. After so many years of being surrounded by people it's nice to soak in the silence. Silence is short lived as my phone rings and I fish it out of my pocket.

“Stan!” I yell into the phone.

Notes

Ah these two. Yes, we missed out on the dinner conversation but I think you get the general idea. I wrote some more last night, and I'm still pretty excited about what's to come. :) This is my last update until like Monday probably, off for the holiday weekend, hopefully all my American readers have a fun and safe 4th!

Thank you so much for the stories new votes and subscriptions! I'm glad to have you. :) Also thank you for everyone who reads this story and takes the time out to comment! You are all amazing!

Have a great day/weekend!

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