You get me dizzy

Chapter 19

It’s Saturday evening and Leo’ just finished the last tattoo he had scheduled at 6:30pm. Tom agreed to take over until closing time, since him and Zayn have to be at Noah’s in an hour to unload the drinks.

“Are you sure you’re going to come in tomorrow? You know that we have seven days full of work starting 8am because tattoo appointments have been piling up and-” Tom asks as he’s getting ready for the next client by putting on gloves in the office.

“We’ll try.” Is all Leo can say. He’ll genuinely try, but he’s not sure whether he’ll have fun at this party or if he’ll want to leave early. It’s because James sort of auto-invited himself, even though he works until midnight, and Leo knows how he can be when he’s had too much to drink. That’s when he decides that it’s been a long time since he’s gone out drinking with someone other than Zayn or James, so he makes it his mission to get as drunk as possible tonight.

“Zayn?” Tom asks, going right over Leo’ head, because apparently Zayn is the mature one out of the two of them. In Tom’s eyes at least.

“Thomas, I’m offended.” He says, placing a hand on his chest.

Tom ignores him and takes Zayn’s word for it that they’ll try and make it.

Back at their apartment, Leo spreads out three possible outfit choices and looks at them for five minutes before he calls Zayn in, hands on his hips.

“Why do you even care what outfit you’re going to wear?” Zayn wonders, although his voice is telling Leo that he might have an idea as to why. “James is going to f**k the s**t out of you at the end of the night either way. Or-wait. Maybe it’s got something to do with the fact that a certain indie rockstar will be attending? Hmmm…”

“Oh bite me Zayn.”

“What should you wear, you ask?” Zayn continues and walks over to the closet, where he pulls out a pair of black jeans. “Why, what do we have here? Are these the look-at-my-ass jeans? Left to rot in the closet?”

Leo rolls his eyes and takes them from Zayn’s hands. “To go with what?”

Zayn points to the plain white tank top on the bed. “With your black Vans.”

Leo agrees.

They meet up in the living room fifteen minutes later after Zayn’s taken a shower and put on a plain black shirt with black jeans and a leather jacket. Leo grabs his jean jacket from the hanger and looks at himself in the mirror.

“Let’s go get drunk.” Zayn deadpans and Leo nods, sparing one more look at himself in the mirror before they’re out the door.

Zayn’s driving this time while Leo holds the phone with the navigation system. It’s a thirty-minute drive so they get there just in time.

“I swear, who’s got so much money they can afford to live here? What does one have to do?” Leo wonders as he looks up at the giant glass apartment building. It’s ridiculous; it has about twenty-five stories (Leo counted) and is overlooking the water. Not to mention that even the underground parking lot looks expensive.

Leo calls Noah as Zayn presses a button on the key they found in the glove box so the barriers open for them to drive in.

“Hi, we’re in.” Leo says into the phone before he puts it on speaker.

“Okay, our parking spots are in the back, check for number 13.07 and just pick an empty lot. I’m going to come down and help you with the bottles.”

Zayn drives around for a few minutes trying to find the space, and they eventually do, right next to the entrance into the building. There are two empty parking spaces in the roped area titled ’13.07’, and Leo can’t do anything but stare.

“You know that’s a Bentley and a Tesla, right? I mean, an actual Tesla.” He says when he gets out of the car and looks at the other cars in the lot.

“What did you expect? He’s a producer, Leo.”

“What?”

“Noah. He’s a producer, just like Levi.”

Leo knew that Noah had met Levi during Uni while studying Music Engineering, and he also knew that Levi’s a producer, but what he didn’t know was that Noah’s also a producer. He never really thought to ask.

There are two more cars in the lot; another Range Rover and-

“A black Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid? I think I just came in my pants.” Leo says to no one in particular but himself as he walks over to the car. “I’m literally touching it. Zayn, take a photo.”

He hears someone laugh behind him and soon enough Noah comes into view, pushing a trolley. He’s got sweatpants and a hoodie on, looking as bright as ever.

“How?” Leo asks, motioning to all the cars around them.

“We got a guy.” Noah cryptically answers as Zayn opens the trunk of the Rover.

“What’s the missing car? A Lambo?” Leo jokes. Noah doesn’t think it’s funny. “Are you-are you serious? Is it a Lambo?”

“Urus.” Noah confirms.

“I’m dead.” Leo says, not a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Yeah, well, my roommates are car addicts. I only have the Rover.” Noah explains.

They unload the boxes onto the trolley Noah brought before they head over to the elevator in the corner. It’s spacious and has mirrors on every wall, which isn’t good for Zayn’s vanity. Or for Leo’ sanity. They both watch as Noah presses the button for the lobby, where they switch to a smaller elevator.

“If you’re telling me that the elevator opens up in the apartment, I’m going to get down on one knee right now. Or both.”

Noah throws his head back and laughs as he punches in a code, before the elevator starts moving. It takes them to the twentieth floor, and as the doors open, Leo swears he can hear angels sing.

All the lights are on and Leo is…Leo is.

There’s a long hallway with an unsettling number of coatracks and a giant shoe closet against the wall, at which Leo stares as they walk down the hallway. He takes his jacket off and places it on one of the emptier coatracks, and even though it’s an expensive apartment, it looks lived-in. But to be honest, the only thing Leo can compare it to is the expensive apartments he sees in the movies, or Harvey Specter’s apartment in Suits.

“These are the two guest bathrooms.” Noah explains, pointing to two doors on the left. “That’s the storage room. That’s the master bedroom.” he points to the furthest door on the right, which is actually a double door. “Then that’s my bedroom.” He says, motioning towards the closed door. “Right next to the living room area and the kitchen.”

“What’s that door? The Gucci handbag closet?” Leo jokes. “If you tell me I’m right I swear-“

Noah cackles. “No, that’s Levi’s bedroom.”

Zayn’s ears perk up at that and Leo stifles a laugh as they enter the dining room/kitchen. Leo falls in love all over again. It’s just like those you see in movies, with marble counter tops and an island counter in the middle, a bar on the side and a dining table in the corner, right next to the archway that leads into the living room.

“That’s the biggest TV I’ve ever seen in my life.” Leo states. There’s a huge semi-circle couch in the middle of the giant room, the biggest TV Leo’ eyes ever seen against the wall, two armchairs that could easily pass as loveseats, all pointed towards the TV and a giant set of shelves filled with books, photos and what looks like awards against the wall with the archway.

The other two walls are windows from the floor to the ceiling, with glass sliding doors leading to a huge (every single synonym for ‘big’ could be used to describe this apartment) balcony that covers both walls. There are lounging chairs on the balcony for f**k’s sake. There’s even one of those big umbrellas with a beer brand on it that you see on restaurant terraces.

While Zayn and Noah start unloading the drinks and putting them into the bar, Leo busies himself with looking at the photos on the left side of the archway. Before he can squint to see who exactly is in those photos, or read the names on the awards on the other side, Zayn calls him into the kitchen.

The fridge is-well, you already know. He stocks some bottles in the fridge and others into the freezer, before Noah pops three beer bottles open and hands one to each of them.

“Cheers! Thanks for helping me.”

“Thanks for giving us your car.” Zayn laughs as they bump their beers together before taking a sip. Or in Noah and Leo’ case, a big fat gulp. Leo wasn’t lying when he said he’s on a mission to get drunk tonight.

***

Half an hour later, the guests start coming, and Leo is too busy helping Zayn arrange the food brought over by the catering company to notice who exactly is coming through the door. So it really shouldn’t surprise anyone that the moment he walks into the kitchen to fetch himself a glass of Gin&Tonic, he nearly collapses at the sight of a certain redheaded singer.

“Fuck.” He says and Ed f*****g Sheeran turns around. Noah laughs at that and goes on to introduce them.

“Ed, this is Leo. Leo, this is Ed.”

Leo smiles and shakes his hand.

“Love your songs man.” Leo says, as composed as he possibly can.

“Love your tattoos man.” Ed replies and Leo nearly chokes.

“Thanks, did some of them meself.”

Ed’s eyes light up at that and then starts telling him that he tattooed some of his own on himself as well, and conversation just flows easily after that. Leo tells him about his tattoo place and in return Ed talks about his upcoming album, so when Zayn walks over with a new drink, they’ve already become friends.

“How do you know Levi? I don’t think I’ve seen you at his last party.” Ed ponders as they refill their glasses at the bar.

“Oh, we met Noah and Levi at Coachella, Noah was our neighbor in the camp.” Leo explains and Ed nods. “How do you know Levi?”

“I’ve been writing songs with Harry for the past few years, and Levi was producing the beats. That’s how I know Noah too.”

“Eddie! Long time no see.” Someone behind them laughs and okay, Rita Ora just walked into the room looking like Leo’ celebrity crush. And honestly, f**k Coachella, because apparently this is the place where Leo gets to meet all his favorite artists.

It only escalates from there; one thing leads to another and Leo finds himself playing a round of beer pong with Zayn and Ed against Noah, Shawn and Cara.

It’s only a little past nine and Leo’ two beers and one G&T mix in when Noah turns down the music to announce that ‘LEVI PACKER HAS ENTERED THE BUILDING’.

There’s about forty guests in the living room that still looks way too spacious, so they turn off the lights and try to be silent. Three minutes later, the elevator in the hallway beeps and two voices get closer and closer. “Harry just turn on the lights, I can’t see shit.”

When the lights come on, everybody jumps up and yells SURPRISEEE!, which startles a very surprised Levi. Leo watches him for a moment, all happy and genuinely surprised, before his eyes fall on the person next to him.

Green.

***

“We’ve got a radio interview scheduled for Monday morning with Nick, but then you’re on holiday until late August.” Levi tells Harry as soon as they climb into the car after their boxing session.

Harry turns the key into the ignition and nods, waiting for Levi to put his seatbelt on. He’s proud of himself for keeping the surprise party from his best friend up until now, because he’s never been able to keep things from Levi for too long. Ever.

“Noah texted.” Harry starts as they wait at a red light. “Asked if you want pizza tonight. I said yes.”

Harry knows that he has to be as unsuspicious as possible in order for Levi not to start asking questions, so he turns the radio on and pretends to be very concentrated on the road ahead.

When he parks the car, Noah’s Range Rover is back and Harry wonders how out of all the things in the world, Levi hasn’t noticed that the car had been gone for the past few days. He texts Noah that they’ve arrived in the parking lot and Noah replies with a row of emojis, so Harry just shakes his head, a smile playing on his face.

“What kind of pizza did Noah order though?” Levi asks once they’re in the elevator, and Harry’s heart starts beating faster because even though he can’t really keep them, he loves surprises.

“The usual.” Is the best answer he can come up with, watching the numbers on the elevator go up.

“Last time he ordered ‘the usual’ I nearly burned my tongue off from those jalapeños.” Levi reminds him and the elevator stops, doors opening.

The apartment is pitch black and Harry would turn on the lights but he’s pretty sure that the surprise would be ruined by the new coats hung on the racks, so he turns on his phone to light the way.

“I think the power is out, let’s try the living room.” It’s the worst excuse ever, but he just needs to get it over with.

“Harry just turn on the lights, I can’t see shit.” Levi says and Harry does, as soon as they’re in the archway.

“SURPRISEEE!!” everyone screams, jumping up, and Levi nearly chokes. Harry laughs, looking at Levi’s face, before he looks back at the people in his living room.

He can see Rita, Cara, Ed, Noah, Shawn and-

Blue.