Dancing with Strangers // sequel to bag of bones // zianourry

an incomplete

"Good morning, Mr. Horan."

Niall heard this multiple times this morning as he briskly walked to his auditorium for the beginning of his day of classes. Mostly by female students, but he paid mind to them by nodding his head slightly in acknowledgment. His glasses fumbled down the bridge of his nose, trying their best to grasp to his face. In one hand was his book bag that he did not have the time to place over his shoulder, and under the same arm was a stack of completed, and not completed, graded papers. He curses Louis for falling behind in his curriculum, but since their scuffle, he'd been a bit preoccupied. Mentally. In his other hand is a tumbler of coffee, that he hopes is prepared correctly and has sort of cooled off.

Eleanor, on the other hand, smugly walks to her class in said auditorium. She's running late of course. Not like Mr. Horan would say anything about it. She has on a snake skin mini skirt, with a sequined top. On her feet are Louboutins, fake of course. She'd never admit it. But you can see the red paint underneath the heel slightly chip after wear and tear. Louis noticed it right away. Mostly because Harry was super into women's fashion back at the house, and constantly bored him, Niall, and Zayn with pictures and facts he tore out of magazines from the supermarket. It obviously got so bad, Liam had to start buying the magazines, or just stop bringing Harry along to the shopping trips. In her mouth is an obnoxious amount of cherry flavored bubble gum, too much for an AM class. But Niall- er, Mr Horan, hated gum chewers. Not like he'd say anything anyway. Eleanor knew she was being that typical rich girl that gets anything and everything she wants, but it was like, when it came to Louis, she couldn't understand why he made her feel the way she felt. He had this spell over her and he didn't even know it. And she doesn't even know why. She knows he is less than interested in being more than a subpar boyfriend. She knows that him being with her is like a chore to him. But that was the thing. Louis was such a nice person, and he was the only person Eleanor had been with that didn't worship the ground she walked on. He wouldn't care if she broke up with him right now. And that terrified her. She's not used to a man not being all about her. And it causes her to continuously gravitate to him. Which is good, in hindsight, for both of them. For El so that she always has the challenge of keeping the attention of the inattentive one, and for Louis, so he could never be lonely. No matter how shitty of a person he was.

Niall threatened this dynamic. He was someone that Louis actually has genuine care for. And damn her for saying it, but Eleanor knows Louis would drop her in a millisecond to aid Niall. He would choose his friend over her no doubt. Because of Harry. Eleanor knows that Louis is gonna put together the pieces of the puzzle to find Harry. And finding Niall was the first piece. Hell, he didn't even know if Harry was still alive. But he has immense amount of hope, and it sure made Eleanor positive Harry was still alive out there. Because if Louis could just feel it in his bones, it had to be true.

Niall entered class, to his already awaiting TA, who's name is Charlotte. She quickly stood up and helped Niall set his things down on the desk.

"Iced Chai for today, Mr. Horan. Soy milk as per usual." Charlotte said as she slid a clear plastic cup of chai towards Niall. It was neatly placed on a thick napkin. Niall nodded in acknowledgment and thanks.

"Oh...," Charlotte trailed off, seeing the gigantic tumbler of coffee Niall had in his hand. "I didn't know you were bringing yourself coffee this morning. You don't have to drink it."

"No, no Charlotte, thats quite alright. Your chai is probably better than this stale blend I had at home." Niall says, as he takes a sip of the chai. "Delicious."

He had 3 minutes to spare before class officially started and he still had to set up.

"I apologize for being late Charlotte, it's been an insane morning." Niall apologizes. In fact, it had been an insane week, filled with sleepless nights. Thanks to Louis, the only thing on Niall's mind was Harry. And where he could possibly be. No matter how many logical equations and solutions Niall could formulate in his brain, no mathematics could bring Harry back. It drove him insane. When Louis brought up Harry, it was the first time in years Niall had heard that name. He instantly thought about how cruel he had been as a child, and he felt guilty. Had he been a better friend, Harry probably wouldn't have ran away and cut contact. He had blamed himself for years and he thought the potential thought of Harry being dead would allow him to just move on with his miserable life. Louis had hope, and fuck, is hope contagious. Because now Niall has hope that he and Louis can find Harry. And totally uproot this semi normal, yet mediocre, life he created.