Another One Cindirection Story (L.P.)

Chapter 20 - All I Have Left

Liam's POV

"Louis!" I knock loudly on his door and give him a whole second to answer before barging in. He pulls his covers over his head and rolls onto his side, facing the wall. It's late and I know I should've waited until the morning to tell him, but I can't wait anymore.

"What?" he groans, his voice muffled by his covers.

"I need to tell you something." I can barely contain my excitement. I wanted to tell him at the dance, but so much happened and he seemed busy with the girl who had asked him to dance with him earlier in the night that I didn't want to interrupt.

This time, he lowers his covers a little, just enough so that I can see his blue eyes peeking over at me.

I sit down on his bed. "I met someone yesterday." He sits straight up, forgetting all about sleep in a second.

"Was it her?" he asks immediately.

"No." I shake my head, giving him a weird look. "Remember I already found her? Danielle Peazer?" I ask.

"Oh, right," he slides back down into his blanket again, losing interest.

"So, as I was saying, you remember that girl with the red dress?" I ask.

"How could I forget?" he mumbles into his pillow. "That dress was unforgettable."

"We danced, and talked, and I," I clear my throat. "I think I like her." I finish, giving Louis a little nudge.

"What?" he sits up again. "What about that Danielle girl?"

"I know, I know. I haven't figured it out yet, but this girl, Louis, you had to be there. She was incredible." Just the thought of her makes my heart jump.

"Wish I could've met her." he says.

"But that's just the thing," I say, "you've already met her."

He raises his eyebrows.

"Ella," I say in response to the questioning look in his eyes.

He frowns. "Ella? But doesn't she have a boyfriend..." he trails off and his look softens. "I'm sorry, mate."

"Me too." I reply, staring at my hands. He was right. She had a boyfriend. I shouldn't even be thinking about her, but after everything that happened last night, how could I not? I remember her laugh and her smile and the way she made me feel all at once and I'm furious, because how could Connor just throw all of that away? I wonder if she's heard the news by now. A part of me wonders if they are still together, too. The other part of me doesn't want to think about that at all.

"I can't believe that asshole had the guts to say all that last night," Louis says, shaking his head. "She wasn't there when it happened, right?"

"No," I say, "She was gone by then."

Aubrey's POV

What feels like hours passes before I think it's safe to enter the house.

I slide the back screen door open and close it behind me quietly. My hand brushes against the wall and I use it to guide me. I don't dare turn on any lights for fear of being caught. Their voices drift down the stairs and I pray that they're all in their rooms. My room is in the farthest corner of the house and to get there, I'll have to pass all of them.

I say a silent prayer and start up the stairs.

I've successfully avoided all of the girls when I peek inside Layla's room to make sure that it's cleaned like Owen promised me. But I stop short. The cleanliness of the room is the last thing on my mind.