head over heels

9. flirts and hugs

Zayn picks up after the third ring and Louis breathes out in relief.

He's been calling Zayn for days now and it always went to answer machine.

"Finally Zayn, I was fucking worrying"

"Is that why you're calling me at one in the morning?" Zayn mumbles, voice sounding muffled and tired. Maybe he's talking into his pillow.

That's a thought that reminds Louis of a thing they invented at a sleepover a few years ago, a game where they talk into the cushions and you get a point when you correctly make out what the other one is saying and repeat it.

They call it pillowtalk.

"Yeah" He says rubbing his forehead and turning his head to look out of the window. He's pacing through the corridors. "Can't sleep"

It sounds harmless. The way he says it sounds like he's just had a bad day and that's why he can't sleep. That is only when you don't physically see Louis standing there in his pyjama, only an oversized hoodie thrown over his head, in the dark corridor, staring out of the window into the darkness. The glass shows his reflection and Louis wants to look away. He looks so fucking tired.

It sounds harmless if you don't know that he hasn't been asleep at this hour of the night in years. Always awake, always only falling into a light sleep after the clock hit two am.

"Tell me" Zayn mumbles, and Louis imagines him rubbing his eyes and rolling onto his back now, phone only laying on the mattress next to his head.

Louis probably pulled him from his sleep, probably keeps him awake right now but he needs to talk to his best friend. There aren't any other options anymore.

Ashton is a deep sleeper, you can throw a trampoline party on him and he wouldn't wake up, Louis can't wake Liam, because the boy is fast asleep for once, and he doesn't exactly know how to approach him about it.

Harry is also not an option, because Louis doesn't feel like they're on the level where he can just knock on his door and ask him to maybe join him for dumb late night talking sessions. Yet.

Calling his sisters or his dad is once again, something Louis can't do because it would just take too much time to explain the whole situation.

So Zayn it is. Zayn it's been on Sunday night, Monday night, Tuesday night. Today, on Wednesday - well, technically it's Thursday now - he finally answered. After four days.

"Why didn't you pick up before?" Louis asks, because if he now falls into a fit about everything that's been like shit for the last couple of days, he won't remember to ask this question he really needs the answer of.

"Oh, yeah, sorry mate. I was out and about with my sisters and my parents for trips, going shopping and to a zoo and all that. My mum took my phone for Monday and Tuesday as well, she was quite mad I didn't handle the situation with words like she's always taught me to do. It was fine though, because my dad bought me new shoes for defending you, so... I guess. Anyways. What's been bugging you, babes?"

"Oh, sounds nice" Louis trails off, one hand coming up to trace a raindrop on the glass. Like a tear. "Well" He doesn't know where to start. Preferably not with Liam. "Liam doesn't talk to us"

Well, shit.

"Hm" Zayn makes and it sounds like he's turning around again.

"And that puts Ash off. He's kinda just with Luke and Niall at the moment"

"What about Harry? When Luke and Niall are with Ash?" Zayn asks and Louis knows that he just wants to change the topic. He senses that Zayn doesn't want to talk about Liam, so he lets him.