Louis awoke with a start to his cellphone buzzing and ringing on his nightstand, rolling his eyes and answering assuming it was the office. He had taken a personal day today, and made sure to tell his employees to contact their regional managers, not him.

"This better be fucking good, I already-" He was interrupted by a gasp and a shriek from the other end of the line.

"Louis! Don't curse me!" He mentally slapped himself when he realized that it was from Lottie. Serves him right for not checking the caller ID. He gave a little nervous laughter and apologized, explaining that he thought she was an employee.

"Yeah, yeah. Why're you still in bed anyway you twat?"

He laughed and skipped telling her about how stressed he'd been at work, trying to manage fifteen stores on his own, all with their own managers and employees and extremely different attitudes. He'd gotten into the swing of it quite some time ago, but lately it had seemed a bit much. He was only thirty for chrissakes. Wrinkles seemed ineveitable.

"I know. I was actually about to get up," She gave a dissaproving tsk from the other end of the line, "What are you doing calling me anyway? What is it you need, ya little pissant?"

Lottie snorted, "I don't need anything Lou, mum told me to call make sure you were still coming to cousin Shanes' wedding this weekend? Or are you too big and important to attend family functions now?" She teased.

In honest, he had forgotten about the wedding entirely, but he had wanted to see his family all together for a while now, and what better way? Maybe he'd treat them all or something afterwards.

"Yeah love I'm still coming. It's in that tiny little town right? Holmes Chapel? I honestly don't understand why they couldn't just have it in London." He sat up in bed and pinched the phone between his neck and shoulder, picking at a hangnail on his pinky finger.

"Well apparently Gemma wanted to have it in her home town, at the church that her mother got married at or something. She's like, a sentimentalist. I don't think she's gonna last in this family, honestly." She chuckled in her little way which made Louis smile. No matter how rich or how busy he got, he would always have time for sisters.

"How are Daisy and Phoebe doing in school?" He asked suddenly, and she made a wonky noise.

"Now Louis, you know good and well that I, like you, don't live at home anymore. I'm sure they're perfect as ever though. Probably getting more into boys now, I reckon." He winced, partly because it was his baby sisters, and partly because he knew it was true. They were eighteen now. Where had the time gone?

"Um, Lou you've been silent forever. I've gotta go anyway, actually. Gotta wrangle the little ones up and get them ready for school. I love you boobear!" He returned the sentiment and hung up the phone, staring at it for a second. God he was so old.

He got up eventually, stretching his body and cracking the bones in his back with satisfaction. The light was peaking through the sheer white curtains and it cast a shadow on the floor that looked like a hand. He amused himself with that for a moment, even grabbed his phone to snap a picture and post it to facebook, adding a cheesy caption that went like 'The day's greeting me," or something else stupid like that.

He pulled on a pair of baggy grey sweatpants and didn't bother with a shirt, making his way downstairs to grab a bowl of cereal. His open, windowfilled home required little to no electricity on sunny days, and he was thankful that today was one. He had to admit, though, windows were quite scary in the middle of a thunderstorm.

He spent his time eating his cereal, crunching what seemed to be every piece while he checked his phone. He almost didn't know what to do with himself. He hadn't had an actual personal day in so long, and while he'd had his 'days off', they were really anything but. He spent that time making business calls and meeting important figureheads for lunch to discuss marketing and advertisements.

What was he to do?

At this exact moment, his phone started to ring. He was careful to check the caller ID this time, realizing that it was Niall. Oh god. Anytime Niall ever called him, it was to go out to a club or for an under the table favor for office supplies. He let it ring for a few seconds, as was his rule of thumb for any call, and then answered.

"Hello?"

"Louis! Its been too long mate, too long. Whats say we go out tonight, huh? I've got a few friends and-"

"Woah, woah Niall, I can't," He paused and thought about what he was saying. He usually said that he couldnt go out because he was working or that he needed to do something important, but he really didn't have any reason to say no this go round. "Actually, where were you thinking?"

Niall gave a little scoffy-laugh. "Well, we were gonna be a bit crazy tonight. Hit up some bars and strip clubs. See where the night takes us."

Louis was very prone to being a shut-in. He rarely drank, unless it was tastefully, and you wouldn't catch him dead in a strip club. But what the hell would it hurt to have some fun for once?

"What time?"

They had all piled into Louis' house by eight looking dapper, smelling of expensive cologne and spearmint. There was Niall, with his easy smile and bright blue eyes that crinkled at the edges when he smiled. Even though he was one year younger than Louis, he certainly didn't look it at all. He had brought his two friends whom he'd introduced to Louis as Zayn Malik and Liam Payne. Liam had a girl with him by the name of Danielle. She was very beautiful with spiralling curls and a dark complexion.

"Alright then Louis, you've anything to drink? We should start now!" Niall enthusiastically clapped his hands and grinned. Who could resist that charm?

They spent nearly an hour blasting music and drinking shots of vodka out of swavroski encrusted glasses that Louis had impulse-bought.

The burning liquid seeped down Louis' throat and into his stomach, making him close his eyes and sway to the music. He wanted to get completely and utterly fucked tonight. He wanted to forget his fucking life and be a completely different person.

"Mate less..We've gotta go. Lets go to a fuckin- A mo- a club m.. yeah." Niall burst out laughing at himself but recovered with "No really lesso get outta here." Everyone seemed to agree, so in buzzed stupor they hurled themselves into Louis' Mercedes and sped off into the night.