More Than You Know [l.s.] ✓

Chapter 14

As they're walking through the hotel lobby with their food in tow, Louis sees the face he always dreads seeing the most right by the elevator, waiting on the lift to come down. The timing couldn't be more shitty.

Hightailing it out of the building crosses his mind. Leaving Harry and Ben by themselves to say whatever they wanted about Louis wouldn't be as bad if he weren't there to hear it, but he figures leaving his ex boyfriend and his current....what are he and Harry anyway?

Leaving his ex boyfriend and his Harry together would be a recipe for disaster. At least if he's there, he can rebuttal any and all inaccurate claims Ben decides to spew out to Harry to be a dickhead.

Ben's eyes catch his, and the brief look of hurt is clearly evident. He glances down seeing one of Louis' hands in Harry's and Louis wants to curse himself for instinctually dropping Harry's hand like he is doing something wrong.

Harry doesn't seem to notice anything amiss as they reach the front of the elevators beside Ben, now humming some Fleetwood Mac song to himself. The silence isn't helping Louis' unease about the situation but he's praying it will stay that way. Talking would be much more disquieting than the silence.

But of course, Louis is Louis and things never quite pan out the way he hopes. Ben breaks the quiet bubble.

"I don't believe we've met," Ben says, his voice dripping with fakeness and a bitchy smile plastered on his face as he shoves a hand out to Harry. "I'm Ben Reynolds."

"Harry Styles," he says with a shake of his hand, his own face displaying a genuine smile because that's just who Harry is. He's obviously not a good judge of character which slightly concerns Louis given the realm of his profession. He tucks that to the back of his mind, deciding maybe one day, he'll work on teaching Harry how to read people better.

"You live here?" Harry politely asks, making Ben cut his evil eyes towards Louis, clearly enjoying this despite the ill-masked look of hurt he wore when they first approached.

"I do. Second floor. What about you?" Ben inquires.

"I live here too," Harry grins sheepishly. "Top floor."

"Wow," Ben whistles out. "Louis, you found yourself a rich one."

Louis shoots him a death glare while Harry blanches, looking like Ben's words smacked him right across the face. Louis is about to tell Ben to fuck off when Harry speaks up "I beg your pardon?"

"Harry, let's go. We can take the stairs," Louis tries right before Ben smarts off.

"Louis didn't tell you about me? I shouldn't be surprised. He likes to act like I wasn't important to him at all," Ben pops off. "We were together. I'm his ex boyfriend."

The smile on his face is a proud one, and Louis loathes it, hates every bit of how he's trying to toss that in Harry's face like it means something, as if he means anything to Louis anymore. If they weren't at his place of employment, Louis would consider shoving him just to knock the smug look off of his face.

Glancing up at Harry, Louis thinks he surprisingly doesn't seem bothered. Actually, Louis can't read the expression on his face at all

"I'm his potential new boyfriend," is what Harry ends up saying, no trace of malice in his voice at all, just clearly stated like it's a fact and Ben's mouth pops open like he can't believe Harry had the audacity. Louis has to tuck his lips into his teeth to not start cackling. "Louis never said a world about you actually. I can only wonder why," Harry says sarcastically.

"Because he's an asshole!" Ben erupts, and once he gets on a tangent, there's typically no stopping him, from Louis' past experiences. He didn't expect Harry to play back into his games and now he's going to throw a fit. "He used me and he'll use you too. He'll fuck you and leave and not think twice about it. Heed my warning, now," he continues while Louis grabs Harry's wrist starting to tug him towards the staircase. "And don't even think about falling in love with him. He won't love you back, and he'll end it days after you tell him you love him for the first time."