"Oh my god," Hannah squeals as the champagne explodes from the bottle. Ali quickly gets under the bottle, allowing it to pour into her mouth, and I burst into a fit of laughter.

"Jesus, you girls are going to make a mess all over our carpet," Shane snorts.

"Oh, be quiet. You literally have stains all over it," Hannah giggles. It's eight at night, Saturday night, and we are at the guys' flat. Unlike us girls, they ended up in one of the on-campus flats that were run down and old. It's the kind of flat I half expected Louis to have with worn-down walls, a nasty grey carpet and some uncomfortable furniture. However, they have the perks of a private bathroom, a mini kitchen and a seating area. "Derek, this is for you. Happy birthday," Hannah cheers while holding out the bottle. Even Ali has a couple of wet spots on her black shirt.

"Don't mind if I do," Derek takes the bottle and immediately starts to guzzle some down. Josh takes my hip into his hand, and any trace of a smile escapes my lips. "Who even thought to buy champagne for him?" Josh asks in an off tone, close to my right. Just his touch alone is making me queasy.

But in Josh's terms, it's been a good day. I'm unsettled and nervous after last night, but he has been sweeter tonight than the last. Only gentle touches and frequent soft kisses have been left on my skin. He even surprised me with a coffee earlier, a caramel one he usually dismisses. Sometimes I swear it's to make up for the bad nights, like last night. I never know if the good days are genuine anymore. I prefer the good days. I long for the good days, where things are like this behind the scenes and not just because others are around. I can't appreciate today's good day after my night with Louis.

"I did. Have a problem?" Ali snickers. Josh mutters, and she waves him off with a laugh. I move from his touch and make my way to the worn-down, red couch. I've been quiet most of the night and isolated most of today. I could only think about last night with Louis and how Josh had aggressively pulled me around by my hair. I don't want to be near him, despite him treating me better today. Hannah sits to my left, moving her blonde hair over her shoulders.

"I didn't think you'd come after disappearing all day," Hannah notes, grabbing her water bottle from the wooden table before us.

"I didn't disappear. I was just reading for my project all day," I twitch my nose a little. "Besides, I wouldn't miss out on Derek's birthday," I add before watching Shane go to open the door. My face falls just as I catch a glimpse of that tattooed arm. Oh god. Hannah looks towards the door and clears her throat. "Guess he wouldn't either," she mumbles for my ears only. I look away, grabbing my water bottle to take a sip. My throat is already parched, and my heart has already sunken to my stomach.

"You made it," Derek grins. Hannah hums a little and picks at her nails. Ali is by Derek and instantly plays with her long curls, with doe-like eyes focused on him. I can only imagine the two of us almost kissing last night, and my heart thumps heavily against my chest. Josh sits to my right, and I can't look at him. The guy I cheated on him with and have recently snuck around with is here, and this room is airtight. It's bone-chilling, wondering if somehow he knows. I bite on the inside of my cheek to keep steady, this nausea creeping in. Josh puts his hand on my thigh, and I jump so fast with a sharp intake of my breath. Both he and Hannah look at me, and I clear my throat.

"Back spasm," I awkwardly state before lifting the water bottle to my lips. I take a few sips, and Josh's hand tightens a little more on my thigh. I lower the water, my eyes briefly locking with Louis as he steps further inside. Everyone else seemingly fades at the moment that our eyes do meet. There's an intense burn in my chest, and I look away. It's official. The universe is playing games with me.

"Oh, Louis, there's pizza. Come with me," Ali happily waves him over to follow. Eyeing the art on his skin has that heat building between my thighs. My god, what I would give to go back to last night so I could say yes to going back to his flat. Now the temperature in this room is climbing, and I am antsy to leave.

"I'm going to grab another slice. Want one?" I ask both Hannah and Josh. Neither accepts my offer, and I stand up, freeing myself from his suffocating touch. Shane curses under his breath as he struggles with the Bluetooth speaker, his pale skin quickly becoming red.

"I'll take a beer," Josh notes before I have a chance to walk away. I nod slowly before making my way into the kitchen area. I'm carefully out of Josh's sight when I make my way into the small kitchen, but Ali and Derek are both in here as well. At least I'm out of Josh's grasp and out of his sight, even if just a couple of minutes. I help myself into the old, white fridge and take out a beer for Josh.

"We missed you last night at the party," Ali starts up her usual charm. I'm never bothered by her flirting. Never. Compare her to Heather, the girl that genuinely gets around, and she is almost as pure as a virgin. That's an exaggeration on my behalf, but still. I have never been bothered by her flirting with someone until now. My hair falls before my face as I shut the door and straighten up, fighting back a scowl. However, Derek beats me to it with a little eye roll.

"Hey, Al," Derek starts in a light tone. She hums and innocently faces him. "I'll help him out. How about you help Shane with the Bluetooth since it's yours," he remarks, trying to keep her away from Louis. I watch as her lips purse together, and she gives him the slightest hint of a glare. She heads out, and Derek just gives me a knowing look with a subtle shake of his head. I bite down on a laugh and make my way to the box Louis has opened. That heavenly scent of his cologne takes over my senses, making my knees weak. Ali screeches Shane's name, and Derek curses under his breath before slipping out of the kitchen. I swallow, these nerves hitting me with full force, but I try not to show it. I grab a slice of pizza, briefly glancing at the black shirt that fits his body all too well. I love the black-on-black look that he mostly wears. It's a tease.

I catch him looking at me, taking me in with those mesmerising eyes. I have on a long-sleeved, black bodysuit with a red skirt, but I almost feel exposed when he looks at me like that. I am barely breathing, and my cheeks are so quickly becoming pink. I touched myself last night, thinking about him. What the hell is wrong with me?

"Did he tell you how good you look today?" he whispers lowly, my throat instantly drying. I glance back towards the doorway, worried someone may walk in.

"No, he didn't," I start, my voice so tiny. "But you shouldn't have said that," I add quietly.

"And why not?" his eyebrows are furrowed together.

"Because I already can't stop thinking about that night at the beach," I whisper. I reach over him, grabbing myself a napkin and my chest barely brushes against his arm. Accidental, but enough to form goosebumps on my skin. His muscles tense, and he lets out a heavy breath, which only sends a rush through me. It's risky but so thrilling. I need to stop. I can't help but have the tiniest smile after making him react that way. I walk away, my heart beating rapidly in my chest. I take a bite of the pizza and return to the couch, handing Josh his beer. I sit between him and Hannah, watching as Derek collapses on the red couch across from us. I cross my right leg over my left, hoping to hide any trace of need for him.

"About time," Shane scoffs after fixing the speaker. Louis appears out of the kitchen, and Ali is quick to part away from Shane to sit on the couch, getting a chance to sit next to him. My stomach twists in knots, and I almost want to call her out for being so obnoxious about it. She's my friend—one of my best friends. I can't. "What do you think? These flats on campus are hard to get into, but being on the football team helped," Shane boasts with a crooked grin. If only he knew what Louis' flat looked like.

"It looks like crap in here. You can tell the truth," Ali lets out a hint of a laugh. Shane flips her off with a snort of a laugh before entering the kitchen. I finish off my pizza and wipe the crumbs off my hands. Hannah distracts me with a tap on my arm, and I miss out on his answer. "Our dorm is nicer," she whispers jokingly, and I nod in agreement, letting out an airy laugh.

"Oh, how was it with that girl last night?" Derek asks, loud enough for my heart to drop. I can't help but look at him, but I'm terrified that he will look back at me. It's not suspicious, looking at the person talking, but I wouldn't be able to explain why he would be looking my way. Louis just lets out a breathy laugh with a twitch of his eyebrows, saying it all without saying a word. Ali has a hint of a frown, and she looks away, disappointed that he was with someone at all.

"Was it that blonde from the party?" Josh asks, intrigued instantly. The same blonde he mentioned wanting at least one night with, not realising I was in earshot. Hannah mumbles something under her breath but doesn't say much else. She never mentioned what he said, and I thought she would. I'm curious how often he has said something about other girls around her. My eyes lock on Louis, and he is just giving Josh a look, his eyes slightly hardened. My chest is tight, and I'm secretly begging for him to keep his mouth shut about last night.

"No, someone better than her actually," Louis makes a snide remark back that makes my heart stop in my chest. Please, do not look at me. He just gives Josh a twisted smile that shoots a chill down my spine. "A hell of a lot better," he adds, suffocating me with his words. Now Ali is frowning and grabbing her beer to guzzle down. Louis just smirks behind his cup, taking a sip of his drink. There's a heaviness in my chest, and I can't tear my eyes off him. What is he doing to me?

"Same girl two weeks in a row. Are you two official or?" Shane drags out his question, plopping down on the couch with a beer in hand. Louis lets out a faint laugh with a shake of his head.

"So you two aren't together-together?" Ali's pitch in voice raises. Louis shoots her an odd look, and Hannah now coughs, silently telling her to cut it out. "Just curious. Oh, Hannah and Ben are definitely about to be something after last night," she sings a little with a wiggle of her eyebrows. Hannah lets out a nervous laugh, and even I grin giddily.

I beat her back to the dorm last night. When she came back, sober and glowing over this guy, I couldn't resist asking her all about it. That undoubtedly kept my mind off what happened with Louis, at least for a little.

"We are going out later tonight," she admits, her cheeks becoming flushed. I'm amazed by how taken she is over this guy. Never has anyone made her this flustered.

"Oh, come on, you're leaving me on my birthday," Derek scoffs with mock disgust.

"I'll be here for another two hours, and I was with you all day. Don't even," Hannah warns, but he only lets out a small laugh.

"Oh, if you two start dating and are still together come December, he should come on the holiday with us," Ali's eyes brighten with excitement. Hannah giggles softly, burying herself deeper into the couch.

"Oh yeah, you should come as well. We go to Blackwood Forest in Winchester after finals every year. My mum's side has a small cabin out that way for family gatherings, and we take advantage of it. Hell, if you and that girl do become official, you can bring her as well. The more, the merrier," Derek offers in a chipper tone. Any trace of a smile has vanished from my lips, and I want so desperately to tell him no. Not with Josh. Blackwoods Forest does not sound like a good idea at all. Not this year.

"I don't know," Louis falters a little. I turn my head, so he doesn't dare make eye contact with me.

"Have you ever been there? It is such a beautiful area," Ali questions.

"Plenty. My father has a home there that we only used so many times when younger," he answers, almost sounding like he is fighting back that miserable tone he gets about him. His father. The man that is marrying the woman he cheated on his mother with. There's more to the story. There has to be. He has so much hate for him, and I want to know why.

Maybe his father was like Josh towards his mother. Perhaps he noticed the warning signs before anyone else in this group did because of his father. My family and friends I have been around for years are oblivious, and he noticed instantly. Although he confirmed his father wasn't an alcoholic so that rules that part of curiosity out for me.

"A home. As in multiple homes. Your family has multiple homes," Ali breathes out slowly, sounding star-struck.

"Well, yeah, his dad is some hotshot CEO that can afford it," Shane answers with a snort. My head lifts to gaze at my blonde friend, who is flashing a dimpled smile. Louis told him that. Louis actually confides in Shane. I almost don't believe it.

"I didn't know that," Derek mumbles. So Shane is the only one. Only Louis is gazing at a wall with his lips pressed into a tight line, and he isn't pleased one bit.

"So you're rich?" Ali twirls her hair around her finger with her doe eyes focused on him.

"You're drooling," Josh calls her out bluntly, his tone filled with aggravation. Her face falls instantly, and her hand leaves her hair. He suddenly has a protective hand on my thigh, with a tight hold. I shrink a little, knowing he's pissed that she's flirting. In other words, he's pissed because he believes I am drooling over him, too, simply because she is. The negative energy radiating from him makes it unbearable here. I guess the good day is over.

"What company does he own?" Hannah asks, curious herself.

"He owns several different ones. I don't keep up, and I don't talk to him," he mumbles before clearing his throat.

"Oh," Ali has a hint of a frown. "So, where are you from? Like, where you mainly grew up," she changes the topic a little before sipping her beer. As annoyed as Louis might be with this conversation, I'm intrigued. Let my friends try to open this closed-off book. I'll just sit back and watch.

"Surrey. Virginia Water," Louis sighs.

"Damn," Derek breathes out. I'm even in a daze. One of the wealthiest areas I know of, around here at least. "Hey, that's pretty close to Megan and Hannah's area, although Megan's little three-bedroom house is nowhere near as luxurious as any home in that area. Hannah may be a little closer, though, with a home all of us would kill for," Derek pokes fun at my house.

"Shut up. It isn't Newham either, where I was born," I let out a small laugh, trying to save some sort of face.

"Yeah, but your house is pretty tiny. It is pretty crowded for a family of four. Your room is meant for a tiny office, not a bedroom," Hannah pokes fun as well. I scrunch my nose a little, no longer trying to defend my home. It is tiny. Honestly, it's probably smaller than Louis' flat. Most definitely tiny and cosy, mine and Jason's bedrooms probably being the size of my dorm room. I never minded it, although I have always been fascinated by Hannah's giant home.

"That'd be pretty funny if you guys have crossed paths before, being so close," Shane points out between Louis and the two of us girls. My heart is no longer beating in my chest, and even Hannah is stiff to my left. The universe is most definitely trying to test me. Instead of last night being on my mind, it's that night at that beach where I fumbled with the buttons of his shirt as he kissed me.

"Yeah, small world," Hannah coughs a little to ease this tension. For the thousandth time tonight, all I silently plead for is that he will not look at me.

"Megs, wasn't your first boyfriend from Surrey?" Ali asks nonchalantly.

"Oh yeah, that Nick guy," Derek points out. Suddenly a sharp pain is felt in my thigh, and I let out a gasp, Josh's hand fleeing from my leg. His nails dug right into me out of fury, and my heart is now spastic in my chest.

"What's wrong?" he asks, giving me a questionable look to save face. My heart is pounding so hard in my chest as I look at him. The fact that he is looking me dead straight in the eyes in such an innocent manner is bone-chilling. That damn innocent look that he passes off so no one will know. My blood begins to heat up with anger, and I bite down on the inside of my cheek.

"My back again," I clear my throat a little, looking up to the ceiling briefly to regain my posture. My lashes flutter, and I am gripping hard at my water bottle. One glance at Louis, and he is staring Josh down with a clenched jaw. He knows. "Yeah, Nick," I look away and swallow.

"He was pretty cute, based on those photos I saw," Ali adds a little, with a side eye towards Josh after he called her out for drooling over Louis. That's rare for her, taking a jab at someone, but I'm glad she did.

"I was always a sucker for blue eyes," I admit freely, out of spite towards Josh, before my eyes lock with Louis' blue ones. Holy hell, the way his blue eyes are darkening is holding me hostage.

"Looks like I'm more of Megan's type than you are," Shane throws a joke Josh's way, poking fun because Josh has brown eyes. He's steaming to my right. A silent rage with his fist balled up in his lap. That dark cloud is consuming me, and I am slowly starting to regret that moment of revenge. I'm sure as hell going to feel the repercussions later.

"Fuck off," he tries to make it sound like a joke. He's pissed—the instant fear of me screwing up runs rampant through me.

"Keyword. That was my type, not anymore. Besides, being with you has got to account for something. I was heads over heels about you before we dated, despite you not being my type at the time," I try to save face, my chest tightening. I'm not wrong either. I was crazy about him at one point but admitting that in front of Louis feels like I just threw a low blow at him.

"She isn't wrong. I swear she blushed like mad anytime you were around, and we could see it before you two could see it," Hannah notes with a hint of a laugh.

"I swear, the number of times she said she thought you were the one...God, I envied the two of you. She was on cloud nine when you two finally got together," Ali adds. If I wasn't already beaten to a pulp by guilt, I am now. My eyes stay locked on Josh's, and my chest hurts. I don't know if I'm more upset that Louis has to hear this or if I just miss what Josh and I did have at one point.

Josh gives a weak smile, and I don't know if it's for show or not. His hand moves to my lower back, and he grabs his drink. Why not wreak havoc on my emotions?