Black Coffee (Larry Stylinson)

Chapter 9

This chapter is a bit short, but I still hope you like it! :)

Chapter 9

The four of them sat around the living room, catching up on the last year.

Niall and Liam have been touring Europe, meeting fans and doing as much interviews and signings as they could. They said it was tiring.

Ben tried not to completely play with his fingers and bite his lip when they said how they were tired of interviewers and fans asking about the other three boys.

"How's Zayn?" Louis asked, slickly avoiding the topic of what he's done for the past year, and genuinely curious of how his non-related brother was doing.

Niall sighed, running a hand through his recently dyed blonde hair. "Actually, he just called two weeks ago. He said that he was living in New York, mostly painting. He was thinking about going to an art school in the city?" Niall shrugged but didn't look too happy. "I mean, I'm glad he's doing what makes him happy, but I think he's just ignoring the fact that One Direction's broken up."

Ben felt a stab to his heart. It was all his fault. Guilt swarmed his body. He told himself that there was nothing he could do. He didn't mean to. Harry will come back.

None of those words seemed like the truth to Ben.

The four sat in an uncomfortable silence, until Liam looked up and smiled at Ben.

"So, Ben! What do you do?" He asked with fake glee, knowing that this was an opportunity to get away from the awkward conversation.

"I um, I work at a cafe." Ben said, trying his hardest to keep eye contact and avoid looking down at his hands.

Liam nodded respectfully, "Do you like it there?"

Ben bit his lip, "Not really. It gets boring from time to time." He added to get the conversation to a more friendly mood.

Liam seemed to appreciate his efforts and smiled. Niall spoke up, "Do you remember us?"

Liam hit Niall's knee, appalled. Ben looked to Louis, who had his eyes trained on him, seeming genuinely curious.

Ben shook his head slowly, disappointed in himself for the answer. "No.. I'm sorry but no."

Liam and Niall nodded slowly, but Louis just kept staring, as if searching for an answer that Ben was hiding.

The conversation drifted to how much they hated management and how they would always lock them down in their hotel rooms.

Ben felt his heart beat quicken.

"Do you remember that time when Preston found you and I two stories down?" Liam asked Louis, caught up in the story he was telling Ben.

Louis gave a halfhearted smile and a nod, but his eyes never left Ben.

"And then when he found us we both ran down to the pool deck!" Liam laughed with Niall at the memory, but Louis' gaze distracted Ben from giving a friendly chuckle.

"Then Harry came down and fell into the pool." The mention of Harry's name wasn't weird for Ben. He even smiled at how happy Liam was at remembering the memory. He tried not to think about how much he himself wanted to remember the memory.

"Then we all took a spontaneous dip in the pool." Louis chuckled lightly at the memory, his blue eyes shining.

They were quiet for a moment. Before Niall curiously looked at Ben, "I'm sorry if this is uncomfortable for you, but... You don't remember anything?"

Ben shook his head sadly, a few curls fell onto his forehead, "Nothing... I'm sorry."

Niall nodded, seeming to understand what Ben was saying. His brows were slightly furrowed as if he was genuinely concerned for the well being of the curly haired lad.

"So what have you been doing up here?" Niall asked again, curious. "You already talked about the cafe... What do you do other than that?"

Ben took a deep breath, nervous to be talking to these boys. They accepted so much from his, and that put a lot of pressure on his shoulders. "Not much. Watch TV, and sitting around mostly..."

The boys burst into loud chuckles and Ben felt warm blood rush to his cheeks. "I worked a lot!" He said frantically, "I needed as much money as I could get."

Liam said at Ben, "Weird to think that you won't have to work another day in your life, huh?" He gave the lad a wink.

Ben cocked his head to the side, "I have money?"

Liam nodded while Niall answered, "Well, Harry's money.. But I'm sure he won't kind if you spent a few notes." Niall chuckled.

Ben faked a smile. Harry would mind.

They sat in silence, stupid smiles still plastered to their faces. Louis adjusted and pulled the thick blanket up to his chin. Ben tried not to think about how much he wanted to snuggle with Louis under that blanket.

"Ben," Liam started, suddenly serious. "I have a proposition for you."

Ben nodded, hands clammy with nerves.

"Since you know... About your life..." Harry's life. Not Ben's. "Would you want to come back to London with us?" He glanced at Louis who looked anxious, "You too Lou.. What do you guys say?"

Niall and Liam looked to both of them with nervous expressions. Ben locked eyes with Louis waiting ones. Louis seemed to be silently begging him to agree. Ben could see that Louis really wanted to get out of this stupid town as much as he did.

As much as he was afraid of leaving everything he knew, he couldn't deny Louis of what he wanted.

"Sure." Ben mumbled.

Toothy grins broke out of all three of their faces, "Really?" Louis asked. Ben saw how his face lit up, his eyes shining.

He nodded slowly, giving a sloppy smile when he saw all three boys cheer loudly.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Louis shouted up to no one in particular. Ben couldn't help but stare at the soft skin on his neck.

"We'll be together again!" Niall joked, raising his arms like he was praising a greater unknown. Ben smiled.

He liked making people happy.

"And then there was one." Louis joked, mentioning Zayn. The other two boys chuckled at his remark, while Ben just sat, trying to fake a smile.

Sure, Louis was talking about Zayn, but to Ben, it sounded like he was talking about him.

One left. One left to come back.

One left to remember.

---------------

Vote, comment, follow :)