Young & Beautiful

Louis nods slowly. “Who’s Nick Grimshaw?”
“That bloke who sings for that one band—what is it? Electrolytes?”
“Electra,” Louis corrects, and he’s almost impressed. “I actually quite like a few of their songs.”
Their energetic, fancy grooves often fill the darkness of the seedy clubs Louis loves to attend, and
he finds they go excellently with cosmopolitans.
“Yeah, that’s it. He’s camp as hell and he’s an even better time. You’d like him.”
Louis rolls his eyes. “Nice. So Des is doing well, then?” And Louis can’t explain why he needs to
know so much about Des Styles and how he relates to Harry lately, but he needs to ask. So he
grabs himself a bottle of water and clomps onto one of the velvet armchairs near Niall who is now
twirling his drumsticks in his hands.
“Erm…” Niall begins, and ceases his twirling, instead focusing on a chip that’s developed on the
tip of one. “I don’t think so. I guess he’s trashed the studio twice already.”
Louis almost spits out his water. “Sorry? He trashed the fucking studio?? Did he get arrested?”
“Nah. Friends in high places and all that.” Niall sets down the drumsticks, turning to Louis, face
even, cheeks rosy. “He’s had to have security called a couple times though. He’s pretty violent.”
“Oh.” Louis swallows, feeling a bit sick.
“Brilliant, though. Dad says his new track’s sick. But… Well. I guess he’s relapsed again, so.”
Niall shrugs, then gets up and marches to their makeshift bar on the other side of the room,
pouring himself a glass of whiskey.
“Is it, like, alcohol or…like, heroin or something?”
“Eh, if the rumors are true, then both I guess? I dunno, I know he had a problem with coke. And
I’ve seen him smoke crack myself, so…” Niall clears his throat, downing the dregs of his
whiskey. “It’s a bit fucked, to be honest.”
“Is he dangerous?” Louis asks, watching Niall closely.
“I dunno. I guess maybe?”
“Then why the fuck is he allowed to live with Harry?” Louis immediately clips, standing up and
feeling his veins fill with indignation. Because, yeah, Louis would probably turn into a raging
piece of shit as well if he had to live with the likes of Des Styles, legendary status be damned.
“Look, Louis, I don’t know,” Niall sighs. “All I know is that I get to do the drums for his track,
and if Nick Grimshaw chose to work with him, then he can’t be all that fucked, right?”
No. No, that doesn’t make sense at all.
But Louis really doesn’t feel like arguing and his head is on the verge of swimming, so he just
shrugs and sits back down.
“I miss when I had no friends and was destined to die alone,” he mumbles.
Niall chuckles. “You’re so dramatic.”
Louis shoots him a glare.