The Reunion

"A long time huh?"

"What'd you think of Harry's song," Zayn asked Louis as they walked out the studio building.

"I clapped too, didn't I?"

"I didn't think you would," Zayn commented truthfully.

Louis shrugs, "It was good."

"Even so, I didn't think you'd give him the credit."

"It's well deserved."

"It is, but I figured you would've insulted it out of spite."

"That song seemed too personal. If it wasn't, I would've been the first to...critique it."

"Critique it," Zayn questioned. Louis nods. Zayn shakes his head laughing, "If that's what you want to call it."

"And so, I didn't because it was a good song. A song like that didn't need any negativity shot toward it." Louis shrugged with his hands in his pockets. "Besides I'm not a monster."

Zayn gave him a side glance, Louis noticed, "What?"

"Nothing." He took his phone out of his left pocket, checking the time. "It's almost 2, go to therapy."

Louis rolled his eyes, "No."

"Why?"

"I'm boycotting against it."

"You're afraid of the things that might be revealed," Zayn stated.

"What?"

"I think you don't want to go because you're afraid to face whatever it is that you've been fighting to hide for so long."

Louis eyed his band mate suspiciously. Zayn notices the quiet and looks over to Louis again, "What?"

"You've been spending too much time with that therapist."

Zayn chuckles as they approach each of their vehicles, "Go to your session. She'll just snitch on you to Emily, who will tell Simon and—"

Louis sighs running a hand through his hair "I get it, I'm going."

....................................................................................

"Katalia," Louis greets as he walks up to the desk to sign his name.

She smiled up at him, "Hey, Louis. Ready for your first solo session with Dr. Riley?"

He sighs, "I suppose so." He looks behind him to the seating area, "People here today."

"Yeah, we can't cancel the morning appointments like the first time."

Louis nods at her words as he aimlessly flips through the sign in sheet. "A lot of people come to therapy, huh?"

"Uh huh," she looks up at him from her seat again. "You shouldn't be going through that though." She gently takes the clipboard of papers and then pen from him, but she was a little late when Louis noticed a name he shouldn't have seen from last month.

He furrows his brows in confusion and Katalia notices, "What's the matter?"

"Why's Harry's name on here?"

She looked a bit confused from his words, "He signed in for his appointment?"

Louis looks her in the eye, "But it's dated from last month, before Simon made this mandatory."

Katalia's pale face slightly reddened, "Oh, that's ridiculous, he must've written the wrong date on purpose to be funny or something."

"Why would he try to be funny on a log sheet for therapy. He takes this way too seriously, he wouldn't do that," he explains to her.

She crosses her arms and leans back on her chair, "You seem to know him quite well."

He scoffs, "Anyone could--"

"Anyone?"

Louis looks at her in annoyance while she meets him with a look of indifference. "I've known him a while, but don't change the subject."

"I'm not."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"No."

"How long have you known Harry?"

"I said n--"

"Louis," he hears a name call. Dr. Riley had just stepped out of her office with a patient. He directs his eyes to her. "It's time for your appointment."

Dr. Riley walks back into her office, but Louis lingers by Katalia's front desk and gives her a look, "You're a bad liar." Before she answered, Louis followed the therapist into her office. When he arrived she was already seated at her usual seat. He decided to sit across from her on the large couch.

"Are you going to water your plants during this session too?" he started.

She smirked, "No. I've made sure to that beforehand since I was looking forward to this session."

"Why is that?"

"You're words are usually the most memorable," she says honestly. Louis doesn't say anything to that.

"So, where do we start," Louis questions.

"That's up to you, Mr. Tomlinson." She sits comfortably with her usual pen and notebook.

He leans forward from his seat and rubs his hands together. "Can I ask something?" He looks up to the doctor and she nods. "Will you give me a real answer. No bullshit."

"As long as it has nothing to do with any of my other patients info--"

"I'm not going to ask you for any sensitive information like that," he interrupts.

Dr. Riley adjusts her seating, "Then proceed."

"How long has Harry been coming here?" Louis makes sure to pay close attention when the words were spoken. She had placed casually placed her pen down against the notebook.

"Wasn't the first group session, the first time each of you have been here?"

"Answering my question with another question?" He smirks leaning back against the couch. "All of you here are terrible liars."

"I'm not lying."

"Don't you want me to talk to you," the band member asked.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Shouldn't you know?" She stays silent, making mental notes in her head. "You want me to trust you right? That's the foundation needed for therapy to work. I can't trust you if you lie to me."

"I told you not to ask about other--"

"I'm not asking you what he talks about or what he's revealed to you." Louis shifts in his seat. "I'm not sure I want to know," he muttered to himself. The singer looked back to her again, "I just want to know how long."

"And what would that mean to you, Louis?"

"Can't you answer me directly for once," he asked with a dry chuckle. His eyes wondered to her left foot lightly tapping against the hardwood floor. He sighed making eye contact with her again and after a brief pause, "A long time  huh?"