GREEN (RL Harry Styles fanfic)

28. Pale Yellow

"No fair Louis. You know I like hanging out with him too," Niall whined from the couch.

"Relax Niall. We were just chilling at his place. I wasn't aware Justin Bieber was off limits. How long have you two been dating?," Louis teased in his usual sarcastic tone.

"We're not dating Lou. Shut up." He laughed as if he was wasn't bothered by Louis' joke, but his tone and body language showed otherwise. Niall rolled his eyes and crossed his arms in front of him. His face was in a full pout. Apparently Louis has been partying at Bieber's and Niall was feeling left out.

"Don't pout Niall. I'm sure he'll ask you out sometime," Louis said going in for another jab. He laughed completely amused at himself.

I couldn't help but laugh myself as I watched from the kitchen. I had a similar sense of humor as Louis, and watching Niall get riled up was highly entertaining. My laugh didn't go unnoticed as the room turned to look at me. Niall shot me a glare and I covered my mouth to hold in anymore laughter. Louis smiled at my amusement of his antics.

"Harry, have I mentioned how much I like your girlfriend over there?," he said pointing at me, but his eyes on Harry. His eyebrows raised up like they often did.

"Yes you have, like every time I see you Lou," Harry said with a chuckle.

"Well I just wanted to make sure. Don't go fucking it up Styles." Louis gave Harry a stern look. I laughed as I rejoined the guys in Harry's living room.

"Well for that you get the first cookie Louis," I said as I offered him a fresh baked chocolate chip cookie from the platter I was carrying.

I had spent the day cooking and baking in an effort to rid Harry's house of any perishables before he went on tour again. Knowing we couldn't possibly eat all the food on our own, we invited the rest of the guys over. We'd already devoured a breakfast casserole I had thrown together and half of the pantry.

"And for heartbroken Niall, you get two." He tried to be mad at my teasing, but the offer of an extra cookie made him light up. He gave me a thumbs up as he shoved an entire cookie in his mouth. I continued my circle around the room and stopped in front of Liam and held out the platter to him. "Cookie Liam?" He grabbed one and quickly took a bite.

"Louis is right Harry, don't muck it up. These cookies are good. Better than Sophia's, but don't tell her I said that," Liam spoke through a mouthful of my baked goods.

"Does no one have faith in me?," Harry boomed throwing up his hands in jest. "And why am I the last to get a cookie?"

"I saved the best for last." I took a seat on Harry's lap and held up the plate of cookies to him. He smiled and stuck his tongue out at his band mates before picking a cookie.

I stretched to put the platter on the coffee table and stole a cookie for myself. An overwhelming feeling of happiness came over me, not because the cookie was good, though it was delicious, but because I was enjoying this completely normal moment. It seemed silly to be this elated over sitting on my boyfriend's lap and hanging out with his friends, but that's how I felt. Ever since our date night a few nights ago, I had realized how much I missed the simple things of dating. The dinner dates at a fancy restaurant, the holding hands while you walked down the street, the kisses goodbye; I missed it all. I was in love with Harry, so much so that I doubted I had ever truly known love before. I suddenly related to that old cliché of wanting to shout my love from the rooftops. I didn't want to hide something that gave me so much joy. I wanted the world to know that this curly haired, six foot, goof ball, sex God of a man was the source of my happiness.

"So Liv, are you going to the Cardiff show?," Niall asked reaching for another cookie.

"No, I'll be heading home that morning." I frowned and pouted out my lip. "I've got a meeting in New York that afternoon." I wanted more than anything to see Harry in his element, performing on stage. "I'll be at the first U.S. show though. I wouldn't miss it." Harry wrapped his arms around me and kissed my temple. Perhaps the realization that we'd be spending over a month apart was hitting him, just like it was hitting me.