Give Me Truths || l.s

chapter 1

The first thing Louis noticed when he opened his eyes was that this was not his bed.

It was a lot like his- same metal frame, same cinderblock walls beyond it, same slightly musty smell of boy to it. But it was the details that were all wrong. The duvet was red instead of blue. There was only one pillow (Louis had five). And of course, there was the odd occurrence that Louis was on the floor next to the bed and another boy was actually in it.

As he sat up, the events of the night before came back to Louis. He’d met some guy at the bar down the street that everyone from King’s College went to, and they’d hit it off. Louis was far enough along in drinks to be tipsy, but still in control. The guy (John, was it?) had invited him back to his dorm… and the rest was just details.

The sun was streaming through the window but John appeared to still be snoozing away in bed, so Louis found his phone and checked the time. 11:50. So I’ll probably be late for my 12:00 class, then.

He put serious thought into not showing up at all- there was no way humanly possible he’d make it across campus and into his seat in the next ten minutes. He could go back to sleep right here- or better yet, go back to his dorm and sleep in his bed.

But Louis rose quietly and gathered his belongings, because Liam was in that 12 o’clock class and he’d be annoyingly worried if Louis didn’t at least make an effort to show. John didn’t even wake up as Louis slipped out of the bedroom and shut the door behind him.

Maybe someone else would have found the Walk of Shame more, well, shameful. Louis just spent the time it took him to pick across the campus worrying about whether his hair looked okay enough or if he should maybe go home and shower really quick. In the end, he skipped the shower and opted for the old, “15 minutes late with Starbucks” plan.

Liam rolled his eyes so hard it had to have hurt when Louis finally slipped into the seat next to him at the table in the far back of their lecture. “Seriously, Louis? You couldn’t be arsed to set your alarm this morning, but you could spare the time to get coffee?” he whispered.

“How much would it help my case if I told you I brought you some, too?” Apparently quite a bit, because Liam scowled a lot less with a hot latte in his hand. “And for the record, it wasn’t my fault. I’m sure my alarm clock went off just fine without me, I just couldn’t hear it all the way across campus.”

For a second it seemed like Liam wouldn’t answer, too busy scribbling in his notebook to be bothered with Louis’ story. But then Liam pushed the pad towards him, his neat handwriting spelling out a message.

don’t be so loud, people are trying to learn!! but spill- where WERE you last night? I was worried
With your mum.
I think we both know she isn’t your type
Fine. Some guy I met at the campus bar.
you spent the night with him???
Sorry mother, I know I should have checked with you first.
Did you guys…
Did we what?
You know…
If you’re asking whether I stuck my cock up his ass, the answer is no.
do you have to say it like that?!
We’ve had this discussion before, Liam. You need to use your words to express yourself. I can’t read your mind. You’re twenty years old, you have the vocabulary to communicate your needs and emotions.
don’t bullshit me mister, you practikcaly read my mind as it is. And you’re twenty-one, shouldn’t you have the vocablary to say it a little more decent?
Decent? Unfamiliar word. Please define.
I’m ignoring you. But srsly though, you didnt sleep with him??
NOPE. Not even in the literal sense. I woke up on his floor ten minutes before class started.
why
Presumably because I went to sleep there.
could you for once in your life not be a twat
For you, Liam? I’ll try my best. The short version is that I knew if we fucked he’d get very attached, and he’d be heartbroken when he found out I wasn’t looking for anything more than that. So.
You didn’t want to break his heart awww
See, I think THAT makes me sound like more of a twat than anything I said.
what DID you do all night, then why didn’t you come back to the room?
His roommate was out, so we sat around and talked. Sort of a free therapy session. Mommy issues and still not over his first love.