carpe diem. • l. stylinson (BoyxBoy)

xxvi

CHAPTER 26

[Louis' room, Four Seasons Hotel, Miami, Florida || November 30, 2014, 9:30 pm, 'Second Chance']

(Louis lays back on his bed, his TV plays an episode of his favourite show. He stares at it blankly, his mind seems lost, until he's brought back to his senses when he hears a knock on his door.)

LOUIS: "Come in."

HARRY: (slowly walks in and smiles, carrying a tray with food) "Dinner time, Lou."

LOUIS: (weakly smiles at him, sits up) "Thanks, Harry."

HARRY: (sets up the plates on Louis' table, then leisurely walks out) "Bon appétit."

LOUIS: "Where you going?"

HARRY: "I'll be downstairs. Gonna make test recordings for Drag Me Down with Julian. We were worried that you didn't come down for dinner, so I decided to bring it in for you."

LOUIS: "Did you have your dinner?"

HARRY: "Yeah. All of us. We were waiting for you, but then, we thought about what happened earlier, so ... we didn't bother you anymore." (continues to walk out) "Call me if you need anything."

LOUIS: "Harry!"

HARRY: (looks back at him, hand on the doorknob) "Louis?"

LOUIS: "I need you." (mumbles) "Stay with me?" (pats his bed, tries to hide his despondency) "I mean, The Walking Dead's on TV."

HARRY: (happy inside, looks at the screen) "That's the fourth season."

LOUIS: "Yeah. Why?"

HARRY: "I'm already on the fifth."

LOUIS: "They're having a re-run. Want to watch with me?"

HARRY: (pauses to think, gives in) "I'm sure Julian can wait." (smiles, walks and sits beside Louis, gives him his tray) "But, you have to eat all of these, or else ..."

LOUIS: "I will. Just don't leave."

HARRY: "Good."

LOUIS: "Thanks, chef."

(Harry and Louis watch in silence, both seem to think distantly, not really watching the show. Harry looks at Louis, and he looks back for a few moments, but Harry looks away, smiles awkwardly.)

HARRY: (heavy feeling in his chest) "So ... um ... how are you?"

LOUIS: "Confused." (finishes his dinner, sets it aside) "Still kinda sad that Andrea died. I want to kill The Governor for it."

HARRY: (chuckles) "Me, too." (nudges him, speaks in intervals) "But not about the show. I mean ... about ... you know. Eleanor."

LOUIS: (eyebrow raised, casually) "Oh. That."

HARRY: "Yeah. So ... you want to get back together?"

LOUIS: "She. She wants us to get back together."

HARRY: (breathes in, anxious to what Louis has to say) "And?"

LOUIS: "We'll cross the bridge when we get there."