Don't Let Me Go || l.s.

Chapter 15 - Long Distant Phone Call

A/N: These author's notes aren't suiting my fancy. (I doubt people even read them but oh well.) This chapter is choppy so I apologize in advance. Oh, and over 5k reads? My mind is absolutely blown! I thank you all for the votes and comments. Your support is what helps me continue on with this story. 

“Make sure to get your bags out of the trunk!” Karen, Liam’s mother, called out to her son as he stepped out of the car. “Mum, I know.” Liam chuckled, going around to the back of the car and opening the trunk, pulling out the few bags before slamming the trunk door shut. “I love you!” He called out to her before making his way up the rest of the driveway and to the front door.

Here goes nothing, Liam thought as he set down his bags and tapped his knuckles on the front door with a bit of force.

Listening to a bit of bickering going on inside, Liam let out a chuckle and shook his head. He listened to it go on for a few seconds more before the door flew open and there stood a grumpy looking Louis. “Hello-Liam?!” Louis screeched, jumping into his best friend’s arms with such force that it almost knocked the boy down. Liam smiled and hugged his shorter friend, shaking him slightly, “Hey, boo bear.”

“What - what are you doing here?” Louis smiled widely as he touched his feet back on the ground, holding Liam’s muscled biceps at an arms length to get a full look at him. “Have you grown? My God, you’re almost as tall as my tree of a boyfriend. And--” Louis gasped, placing his hands on Liam’s toned chest, patting down to his torso then back up. “Hot damn, you’re defined and your hair . . . you shaved it!” Louis squealed before pulling the other boy back into his arms.

Liam laughed and shook his head, nuzzling his head into Louis’ shoulder with a smile etched onto his lips. “I take it that you like it?” He asked while pulling from the hug, wiggling his eyebrows which caused Louis to grin and nod his head. 

“Come in, come in - mother! Girls! Liam is here!” Louis called out excitedly as he pushed Liam into the house and grabbed the bags from the ground. “In you go,” Louis smiled widely while pushing Liam inside a little further before bumping his hip on the door to shut it. 

Suddenly, four squealing girls came running down the stairs tackling the expecting Liam in a tight embrace. All of them asking questions excitedly that Liam couldn’t make out the things they all said at once. “I missed you dumplings!” Liam smiled and wrapped his arms around all four of the girls. Jay walked out of the kitchen with a laugh, shaking her head. “Now, girls, don’t suffocate poor Liam. It’s wonderful to see you again, Liam! Glad you could make it.”

Louis had already carried Liam’s bags upstairs and into his room, before making his way back downstairs. “Want to go up to my room, Li?”

“Of course. It was nice seeing you all again! I’ll spend some time with you later, alright?” All of the girls nodded while Liam wiggled his fingers to them before following Louis up to his bedroom. 

“In almost 5 months time,” Liam started while taking a seat on the edge of Louis’ bed before falling back onto the crumpled comforter, “your room hasn’t changed a bit. A bit more dusty . . .” Liam smirked whenever Louis gave him the finger before taking a seat beside him, but wincing in pain and quickly standing again.

Liam looked up to him in concern while sitting up slowly. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, fine.” Louis said breathlessly while cautiously sitting down on the bed, and whenever he shifted to get comfortable, his eyes squinted shut. It wasn’t very convincing to Liam. “Come on, Louis, what’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

“Just a wee bit.”

“Why?”

Louis could feel the warmth rising up from his toes to his face as he hung his head in shame, trying to hide the smile that was lingering on his lips--mind reeling with visuals from nights before, the night he had spent with Harry.