The Only Way ✓

38. Speculate

Third Person

"Lou!" Liam who had been sitting only moments before greeted the blonde woman who stood at the doorway. The others, who consisted of Niall and Louis, stood up from their seats waiting for her to walk on in. 

"Liam, how nice to see again," Lou set her bags down to embrace the brunette. 

"How is everything? I heard that none of you are allowed to leave this room, why is that?" Lou, grabbed her bags smacking Liam's away from helping dashed in setting her things safely aside.

"Was it you again, Louis?" Lou's eyes snapped towards Louis who held a hand to his chest. The others with the exception of Louis, snickered. 

"Why does it have to be me, huh? Why can't it be Niall or- wait, where's Harry?" Louis looked over Lou's shoulder and there Harry stood within seconds. 

"Because we have common sense Louis. We don't go around trying to plan a surprise attack on the others," Harry responded and Louis gaped at his band mate. Liam took the moment to walk past Louis taking his seat. 

"Thanks mate, for the help," Louis said sarcastically, "Seriously, Lou I swear I didn't do anything this time. It's just our tour manager, Janice, the wicked witch of the west." 

"I'm thinking I won't be liking this Janice. But in the mean time, c'mere Louis," Lou stretched her arms out and Louis flew into them. 

"Hey Lou," Niall greeted Lou courtly with wave. Lou rolled her eyes and broke her embrace with Louis to embrace Niall. 

"Where's Lux?" Niall asked as he let go of her. Everyone turned to look at her, waiting for a response. Lou chuckled.

"Of course. Lux-ie is being taken care of by the sweet girl," Lou explained and the boys exchanged glances amongst each other. Lou watched as the boys silently tried to communicate with each other- rather fascinated with their ability. She counted the boys and then she looked around when she noticed that sh had in fact missed one. 

"Boys, not to interrupt your efforts in findng out who I was speaking of, but where is Zayn." Lou asked and the boys all turned to Liam to explain, a habit they couldn't break. Liam cleared his throat. Lou raised her eyebrow awaiting for his response. 

"He's in his room." Liam said and Lou scrunched her eyebrows together. 

"Why is he in his room and not out here with you?" Lou questioned. She wasn't oblivious to the grieving that had taken hold of all of them. She noticed the small things that referenced to their current states of grieving. However, she hadn't realized that Zayn would have distant himself from the rest of his clan. Knowing the boys, she knew that they covered for him most of the time, letting him sulk whilst they made sure to keep their grief together and well hidden when needed. 

"He's sleeping," Louis lied and Lou didn't have to even pay attention to Louis to know it was a lie. 

"You should all stop covering for him. You all hurt like him and he doesn't have the right to be selfish, letting you all live half heartedly while he acts this way." Lou gave them all a serious look before she stood up and directed herself towards Zayn's room. The others stood silent until they sensed she was far enough to speak privately within their circle. 

"She's right, you know," Harry mumured and they all looked at him. Harry didn't stare back at any of them. His thoughts were all jumbled up in his head and he was aking an effort to put them together. 

"Yeah, we know Harry. We all know. But what alternative do we have? If we tell Simon he'll compel his a*s. Zayn would never forgive us." Louis uttered and Harry scrunched his eyebrows, hearins snippets of Louis' explanation.