All I Ever Wanted (Larry Stylinson)

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The first thing I did once Patrick had dropped me off at my house in London and I had dumped my suitcase in the hallway the next day was to grab my car keys and drive over to Eleanor's place to pick up Clifford. It had been two weeks since I last saw my dog, so I couldn't wait to see him again.

The second the door swung open, he came running towards me, getting up on his back paws to place his front ones on my knees while his tail wagged from side to side. I bent down to pet his furry head, making him lick my entire face in happiness.

I let out a chuckle, scrunching my nose at the feeling of his tongue wetting my face. "Alright, Cliff, that's enough," I laughed, kissing his head before standing back up.

It turned out Eleanor had been lying when she said she wouldn't miss him because the sadness was evident on her features when I left her place a few minutes later, her lips in a pout. I always knew she loved Clifford, and I knew that Bruce and Clifford went well together, which was great for times like this.

When I returned to my house half an hour later, I realized that I was in need to go grocery shopping because I didn't have any food that wasn't out-of-date, considering I had been away for over two weeks. So with an exasperated sigh, I left the house for a second time to go to the grocery store.

After parking my car and entering the place a few minutes later, I got started. I walked through the aisles, carrying a basket while picking up the most necessary groceries. That was until I could feel my phone vibrating in the pocket of my track pants. I fished it up to look at the screen only to see Lottie's name, realizing that I hadn't talked to her in weeks.

"Hi, Lots," I greeted, pressing my phone to my ear.

"Lou," she replied. "Are you home now?"

I put a loaf of bread in my basket before heading to the dairy products. "Yeah, I arrived a while ago, but I'm out grocery shopping at the moment. Didn't have any fresh food in the fridge," I grimaced.

She let out a light chuckle on the other end. "That sucks, but I'm happy you're back in London. I've missed you."

A smile spread on my lips at her words. "I've missed you too, Lots. You have to come over someday soon," I told her, placing a package of milk in the basket.

"Yeah, definitely. So, how's the audition tour been? Are things between you and Harry better?" She asked, sounding curious.

I picked up a packet of butter before closing the glass door. I was pretty sure I looked like a fool with a phone in one hand while balancing the basket on the same arm while picking up groceries with my other hand, but I didn't have any choice. "The auditions have been great, and Perrie's nice too..."

"But...?" Lottie asked, sensing that it was coming.

"Nick's always treated me pretty shitty, and things haven't been better these few weeks. And Harry... I don't know. We haven't really talked. It hasn't been exactly bad, though, at least not towards the end. As I told you before I left, he is different, but it's almost like he's aware of it? I don't know," I explained, feeling grateful that there weren't many people in the store because I wouldn't have been able to talk this openly if that were the case. I probably wouldn't have been able to walk around without getting recognized either.

"So things aren't better or worse then?" She concluded, probably trying to get her head around what I had just spilled.

I pursed my lips, thinking about it myself for a while. "I think I would say they're a little better? But only a little. We sort of had our first real conversation yesterday, but he doesn't really want to talk to me. I can tell."