You get me dizzy

Chapter 18

An unknown phone number is calling Leo.

“An unknown phone number is calling me.” he says, pausing the movie him and Zayn were just watching. Before Zayn can make any wise-ass comment about holding Leo’ hand so he can answer it, he slides his finger across the screen and puts the phone to his ear.

“Domino’s pizza, how may I help you?”

“Ah s**t! Did I get the number wrong?” there’s a short pause “Oh well, since I reached you anyway, I’d like to order two large Philly Cheese Steak pizzas and a medium Pacific Veggie pizza. I’m at St. James, the Dumont. Address is-”

“Who the f**k orders a medium ‘pacific veggie’ pizza?” Leo bursts out laughing and Zayn gives him a confused look. Leo presses on the speaker button.

“Leo?” Noah asks.

“Yeah.”

They wait for Noah to stop laughing. He eventually does and gets to the point.

“Tried calling Zayn but he didn’t answer so I’m calling you now.”

“How did you get the number?”

“Emma.”

“Right.”

“So. We’re doing a thing for Levi’s birthday this weekend on the 25th. He doesn’t know it’s happening yet, but we’re thinking of-“

Leo gets distracted by Zayn nodding like he just took way too much Molly, so he turns his head in the other direction.

“Yes, Zayn and I would love to come. Where is it?”

“It’s going to be here at the apartment, you know.”

“At that insane Singapore building?”

“Yes! His birthday is on Wednesday next week but it’s a workday and he probably has some s**t planned, and it also takes the element of surprise out of it, you know.”

“Well, we’re both going to be there. Do you need help with anything?”

“I’m in charge of inviting people and Harry’s taking care of-“ Leo’ mind tries to process the fact that Harry’s also going to be there. For some reason, his last two neurons didn’t even make the connection until just now. “-and he’s going to be home around nine-ish or so, so everyone should be there around eight.”

“How can we help?” Leo repeats the question, hoping that Noah didn’t already tell him while he was zoning out.

“Do you have a car?”

Leo and Zayn exchange looks, both of them having subway station war flashbacks.

“Not really. No.”

“Can you drive?”

“That I can do.”

“Then I’m going to give you my car and a list of drinks. We have a guy who has a liquor store and you can get it from there because he gives 15% off bulk buys.”

“How many people are coming?” Leo asks when he hears the words ‘bulk buy’.

“Around sixty maybe? I don’t know yet. You’re the first one I called.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to just make a group?”

“I will, but I had to ask for help first.”

Leo snorts. “I’m honoured. But yeah, we’re going to take care of drinks.”

“GREAT! Knew I could count on you lot! I’m going to drop off the list and the car tomorrow-are you working?”

“I am.”

“Would it be better if I came to your house then?”

“If you can find parking in the city, you can drop it off any time during three and eleven.”

“Maybe I’ll come in and get a tattoo eh? Ahahhaha, who knows!”

“If it’s not on your ass I’m not going to let you in.”

There’s a laugh in the background that’s not Noah’s, and Leo wonders for a second whether it’s Harry.

“Hahaahah, I’m going to save your number by the way.”

Zayn smiles.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Great. Great. Alright then, see you tomorrow!” there’s a shuffle in the background as Noah probably puts his phone down and yells ‘Oi! Where’s that Domino’s menu with the number on it?’, so Leo ends the call and looks at Zayn.

“So.” Leo starts. “Remember when I said that good things come to those who wait when you were high last week and complained about how you can’t find anyone better looking than Levi?”

Zayn nods.

“Well. I guess you’re not the only one who’s always right.”

***

It’s around 9pm when Noah walks into the tattooing room with a grin on his face and a piece of paper in hand.

“Oi!” he greets and walks over to shake Leo’ hand, who’s just finished a small ankle tattoo. Tom looks over from where he’s piercing a guy’s lip. “Emma said you should be done with a tattoo by now.”

The girl on the bed stands up and checks her tattoo out before she checks Noah out and then turns to Leo.

“Do I just pay upfront?”

“Yes please. Cash or card.” Leo gives himself a push with his legs to go to the small coffee table in the corner by the door that leads to the office and takes a piece of paper from there. “These are the steps you should follow to take care of your tattoo.” She takes it and looks at it. “Don’t go into the pool or anything like that for a few days.” He adds as he places the foil over the tattoo and secures it. “You can also buy the ointment at our front desk.”

She thanks him and Leo smiles at her until she leaves the room, closing the door behind her.

“Let’s go into the office.”

Zayn’s in there doing some work and Max is in the smoking area outside, so Leo takes a seat at his desk and invites Noah to pull Tom’s chair out and sit down after he’s greeted Zayn.

“This is the address. Say Noah sent you and ask for Sam. And then here’s a list of everything you need to get.”

Leo takes the list from him. “Ten liters of Vodka? EIGHT bottles of Hennessy?” he gasps, and that’s just the first two on the list. “What are you hosting? The national alcohol convention?”

Noah laughs. “No, but that’s a good idea.”

Leo folds the list up and places it in his pocket. “Anything else I should know?”

“Yes. I parked the car in that paid parking lot right around the corner, here’s the ticket. Just bring it over on Saturday. Oh, and the key for the underground parking at the apartment building is in the glovebox.”

“You’re leaving us your car for three days?” Zayn asks incredulously.

“It’s fine, I’ll just borrow one of Harry’s.”

“Of course you will.” Leo laughs. ‘One of Harry’s’. How many cars does one even need?

“When are they open?” Zayn asks. “Your liquor plug, I mean.”

“Nonstop. But it’s better if you go there today or tomorrow, since they won’t have anything good left in stock by Friday.”

“I’ll say.” Leo snorts.

“And in case you were wondering but are too polite to ask, you can use my car to drive to work.” Noah winks and Leo is in love. Would it be too soon to ask Noah to marry him? Maybe. Maybe not. “Leo?”

“I think he’s in love with you, give him some time.” Zayn speaks up from behind him, and Leo flips him off without even turning around.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Noah laughs and stands up. “I have to go meet the other party planner, but I’ll see you latest this weekend yeah?”

They say goodbye and Leo watches Noah leave until the door closes behind him. Then he turns to Zayn.

“Shotgun on driving!” he says before Zayn beats him to it.

He can’t finish the last tattoo of the day fast enough, and by the time they get to the parking lot, it’s a bit past eleven.

“What car does he drive?” Leo wonders.

“I really hope it is but I know it’s not that Lambo over there.” Zayn ponders and Leo holds the key up, both going silent. He presses the button on it. Somewhere behind them, a car beeps.

“YESSS.” They say at the same time. It’s a black Range Rover with matching black wheels.

“As black as my soul.” Zayn adds when they climb inside, Leo in the driver’s seat.

“My ass has never been happier than on this seat right here.” Leo concludes on their way to the liquor store. “Maybe we should just buy one of these and move out of the flat. I mean, we could sleep in here, it’s roomy, right?”

“And relieve the whole tent fiasco from Coachella?”

“What tent fiasco?” Leo asks, although he knows very well that Zayn’s referring to the fact that Leo would spread out in his sleep and force Zayn to sleep with his face against the side of the tent. “If I remember correctly, you were always cheery in the morning.”

“I was smiling through the pain, Leo.” Zayn dramatically says.

Sam is a tall man with outrageous amounts of muscle, but he’s got an Irish accent and matches Noah’s good vibes. He gives them half of the bottles on the list, helps them load all of it into the car, and tells them that the rest of it will be ready for pickup in two days.

On the way back to the flat, Leo wonders whether they should actually put their money where their mouth is and invest into a car.

“If we were to actually buy a car, what would it be?” he asks Zayn when they’re out on the balcony, smoking a good night spliff.

“I don’t know…” Zayn trails off, blowing smoke into the air.

“It would be a Range Rover, wouldn’t it.”

They look down at the sidewalk under their balcony, where the car is parked in their designated parking spot. It’s kind of sad that it’s always empty, since every apartment gets a parking space, and theirs is always deserted.

“Yeah. Do we have the money though?”

“Well we can pay it every month for a year I guess, and then it’s ours. We just have to find a good deal on it.”

Zayn hums in agreement. “Let’s see how it drives to work tomorrow and then we can decide.”

***

As it turns out, to no one’s surprise really, the car is a God-send in the morning, because they don’t have to smell some random guy’s sweat as they wait for the subway, nor uncomfortably squish themselves between two people just to make room for the next person.

“So we agree that we’re going to a dealership next week.” Leo says on their way out of the parking lot.

He doesn’t even have to turn his head to know that Zayn is nodding.