Right By Your Side ~ Larry Stylinson

Chapter 18: I won't let go of you, I swear

"As soon as I can hold you once again
I won't let go of you I swear..."
James Bay

Louis was preoccupied all day at work, barely able to concentrate with the nervous energy coursing through his veins. He had been trying, unsuccessfully, to go about his day as he normally would, and behave in the usual way. But there was nothing usual about this day for him – everything in his life was about to change and it felt like a monumental step that he was taking.

He was feeling such a mix of emotions – anxious, excited and madly, desperately in love – and he felt like his body was having trouble containing everything he was feeling, his skin threatening to tear open and spill all that emotion out. It was so overwhelming, and yet here he was, robotically going through the motions of teaching as if nothing had changed, outwardly appearing for all the world as if this was just another day.

On the inside, though, he was buzzing with the knowledge that this wasn't just another day. He desperately wanted to blurt out to his students that he was moving to Australia, that he was in love with the most beautiful boy in the world. Instead, he asked them to turn to page 52 and outlined their work for the day.

All the while, the need to speak to Harry was gnawing at him, leaving him feeling twitchy and raw. By the time class broke for lunch, it was the middle of the night in Australia and Louis was reluctant to wake Harry, but he knew it couldn't wait. He needed to speak to him and share the news before he burst. He also knew that there was a small insecure part of him that needed to know Harry wanted this as much as he did.

He pulled out his phone and dialed the number, his heart pounding in his ears as he waited for Harry to pick up. It went straight to voicemail, however, and Louis frowned as his shoulders slumped with disappointment. Harry's phone must be off. Damn.

He tried Niall and Liam again, desperate now to get a message to Harry, but neither answered their phones. Where was everyone when he had just made what felt like one of the most important decisions of his life?

*** 

"Niall?" Zayn answered his phone as he put the finishing touches on a new artwork. "Hey love! What are you doing awake? Isn't it..."

"The middle of the night? Yes, but it's urgent" Niall interrupted, his voice croaky with sleep. "Listen, we need to come up with a cover story to tell Louis! He keeps calling our phones – presumably because he can't reach Harry. We haven't picked up yet, but we can't just ignore him or he'll get suspicious!"

"Um, ok, sure. But, what should I tell him?" Zayn asked.

"Well, what about this? Tell him that Harry got called out on a rescue mission from work yesterday for some whales" Niall began. "And then, like, there was no reception on the boat? And he's still out there, like... with the whales."

"Whales?" Zayn repeated dumbly.

"Yeah" Niall replied. "What do you think?"

Zayn made a non-committal grunt. "I think it sounds a bit far-fetched, to be honest, but you're the marine biologist" he answered shrugging. "So what will I tell him about you and Liam not answering your phones?"

"Well... I could have joined Harry after I told you what was happening, which would put me out of range too" Niall replied.

"So you're on the boat now too?" Zayn asked skeptically.

"Mhm" Niall agreed.

"Saving whales?" Zayn added.

"Work with me here Zayn!" Niall answered, borderline hysterical. "It's the best I got – unless you've got any better ideas?"