Pairing Hearts |louis tomlinson|

Chapter 12

I didn't hear from Harry for a long time. When summer rolled around I was beside Marcy's pool when Louis called me.
"Kate if you ignore a call from Louis Tomlinson because you're at my house, while there are rumors that he's having a kid floating around, I'm going to tell my parents to kick you out," Marcy said and Bailey laughed next to me.
"Alright," I smiled accepting the call and placing it to my ear.
"Hey Lou," I smiled as the girls excitedly squealed next to me.
"Sorry are you with your friends?" Louis asked.
"Yeah, but don't worry about it," I smiled. "I'm with them all the time."
"How was the end of your semester?" Louis asked.
"Good," I replied. "Where are you now? Are you still with the guys or..."
"We finished everything about a week ago," Louis replied and I could hear a hint of sadness in his voice.
"How are you?" I asked biting my lip.
"I'm okay. I don't know if you heard but I, uh, I got a girl pregnant," Louis sighed. He was embarrassed by it.
"I may have heard some rumors," I said and Bailey's eyes went wide. I had to hold in the laugh because I knew Louis wouldn't appreciate it.
"I didn't ever mean for it to happen. You know I'm always safe, but fuck this girl just wants to take me for all I'm worth. Obviously, I'll do anything for the kid, but I just feel so stupid."
"Everything happens for a reason, you know that," I answered.
"Yeah, well anyways I'm in LA now and I was wondering if you would want to meet up," Louis said. "It could just be at your place or mine, something out of the public eye. I would love to meet your friends too."
"How long are you in LA for?" I asked resting my head against the chair.
"I'll be here for at least a few months," Louis replied.
"Oh good. My friends and I are in San Diego until next week, so definitely after that. I'll text you alright?"
"That sounds great," Louis replied. "It's really good to hear your voice."
"You too," I sighed.
"Have you heard from Harry?" Louis asked.
"No, have you?" I sighed. "I didn't think I was doing anything wrong when I asked about..."
"You didn't do anything wrong, he was an ass towards the end and you just called him out. Don't blame yourself okay?" Louis promised. "Don't let him ruin your summer break."
"All right, well if you need anything, you just give me a call and I'll answer," I said.
"Bye love, enjoy the beach."
"He's having a kid?" Bailey asked her eyes going wide.
"Bailey," Marcy said smacking her shoulder.
"Yeah, but keep your mouth shut about it, he's already embarrassed," I said rolling my eyes. "He wants to meet you guys. I told him we could all meet up when we get back to LA. How does that sound?"
"Kate being your friend is like leveling up," Bailey grinned.
"I'm still not over you hearing the album early without me," Marcy pouted.
"Can't help that you have a boyfriend," Bailey shrugged.
"Speaking of, is Sam joining us on this trip?" I asked.
"No, his internship is apparently a lot more labor-intensive than he thought, so he is super busy," Marcy frowned.
"I'm sorry," I frowned.
"At least one of us will be rich," she grinned.
--
Three weeks later, we were all sunburned and wind burned. My freckles were dark and taking up almost my whole face and my hair was still struggling with all the saltwater it had been exposed to. Bailey and I had finally mastered the skill of surfing and we were actually all pretty decent at it now. Weeks of nothing else to do proved a good teacher. Bailey and Marcy were both at my place as I cooked dinner and Louis was expected any minute. Louis had never been to my place before, so I was a little worried he would judge how small it was, but the girls just rolled their eyes at my concern. There was a knock on the door as I pulled the pan out of the oven. Bailey squealed with excitement and Marcy hit her shoulder to shut her up.
"Don't embarrass me," Marcy said and Bailey just gave her a wide grin.
"Go answer it, Kate!" Bailey said her smile so wide I knew she wouldn't be able to remain calm when she actually met a member of One Direction in person. I walked over to the door leaving the girls in the kitchen.
"Hey love," Louis grinned when I opened the door. "I brought dessert," he grinned holding up a container.
"You didn't have to," I laughed taking the container from him.
"I know you don't do dessert," Louis laughed. "So someone had to. I missed you." He stopped me from walking away by wrapping me in a tight hug. I rubbed the back of his head with my free hand.
"Doing alright?" I whispered.
"Better now," he nodded.
"Come on, my friends are just in the kitchen and they're dying to meet you," I smiled as he pulled away.
"Should I be nervous?" Louis asked with a laugh.
"No, you brought dessert," I smiled pulling him towards the kitchen. I laughed as Marcy and Bailey pretended they had been talking when I knew they had been watching us closely.
"Louis, this is Marcy and Bailey," I said pointing to both of them.
"Marcy, Bailey, this is Louis and he brought dessert," I smiled.
"Thank god," Marcy said taking the dish out of my hand and placing it on the counter. "Kate never makes dessert."
"Oh I'm well aware," Louis grinned causing the girls to laugh.
"Well any friend of Kate's is a friend of ours," Bailey said walking over and giving Louis a hug. I was impressed at how well she was holding it together.
"Come on and sit down, dinner's ready," I said placing the containers on the table. There were a hodgepodge of unmatching chairs from around my apartment set around the small table. The plates were mismatched too.
"I love this place," Louis grinned taking a look around. "This is exactly what I'm looking for now that I can settle down a little. I remember your sister's place was just ginormous. I could never live in a place like that."
"Kate still hasn't taken us to her sister's mansion," Bailey said giving a fake pout.
"Why would we go there when Marcy has a mansion on the beach?" I laughed.
"It's hardly a mansion," Marcy grinned rolling her eyes.
"Is that where you all were last week?" Louis asked. We nodded. "You all look like you spent a little too much time in the sun."
"Because we did," I laughed. "Marcy's place is just a bike ride to the beach and we're learning how to surf."
"I'm glad you were able to get that spring break back," Louis smiled.
"It was better because I was able to go," Bailey piped up and we laughed.
"Kate, this is so good," Louis said through a mouthful of food. "I didn't know you could cook... Harry always... sorry."
"Harry always said I was a bad cook," I shrugged. "He ate everything I put in front of him though."
"Still haven't heard from him?" Louis asked. I shook my head.
"You're our new favorite," Bailey said.
"But first you have to tell us one secret about the band," Marcy said with a glint in her eyes and I laughed. Louis laughed as well but leaned on his elbows in a mock whisper.
"We said it was an eighteen-month hiatus, but we're really never getting back together," he answered.
"Are you going solo?" Marcy asked. I was nervous that this was going to verge on something he wasn't comfortable talking about, but he seemed really at ease.
"I mean I wrote most of the songs for One Direction, so I don't think that creative energy is going to stop. I'm not sure I'll sing the songs I write though," Louis shrugged. He had always been self-conscious about his voice.
"You have to," Bailey pouted. "Your voice was always my favorite."
Louis blushed, but a grin ghosted his lips as he shoved another bite into his mouth.
"Are you planning to stay in LA or move back home?" I asked curiously.
"Probably a bit of both. I miss my mum and sisters quite a bit, but I love LA," Louis replied.
"We like having you," Marcy replied. "Now there will finally be another guy to keep Sam company."
"Who's Sam?" Louis asked turning to me.
"Marcy's boyfriend," I replied.
"And our personal bodyguard when we go out," Bailey answered.
"Kate going out?" Louis laughed.
"Her twenty-first birthday is in a month and we're finally going to get her wasted," Marcy sang and we all laughed.
"I told you just one drink," I blushed and Louis laughed beside me.
"Always been a goody goody," Louis smirked and I rolled my eyes.
"You know when I met Louis he had never smoked a cigarette and he didn't have a single tattoo," I said giving him a smirk. Two could play at this game.
"Not fair, I was still young," Louis said as the girls laughed.
"Alright Louis, let's see what you brought for us," Bailey said standing up and going to the container resting on the counter.
"Chocolate cake. My mum's recipe," Louis smiled a little blush on his cheeks.
"Kate you have to have a piece," Bailey said as she grabbed a knife from the drawer and cutting us each slices.
"Just the tiniest piece," I answered and Louis rolled his eyes.
"She needs a thick piece," Louis said shaking his head.
"Oh I know it," Bailey said. "My momma would never let her leave the house so skinny."
"She's southern if you couldn't tell," Marcy said causing Louis to laugh as Bailey rolled her eyes. Bailey placed plates in front of each of us. I was given a thick slice, which I cut in half.
"Nope you have to eat the whole thing," Louis grinned. "Just think how upset my mom would be if she knew you left half her cake on the plate."
"Tell your mom she should be a baker because this is delicious," Marcy said taking a big bite. It was really good and I ate the whole slice even though I felt guilty. After a while, Louis decided to go. I walked him down to the front of the building.
"We should get coffee sometime, just the two of us," I said leaning against the wall.
"I'd like that," Louis replied. He was resting against the wall opposite me. "How are you doing?"
"I'm good," I promised giving him a little smile.
"You're not telling me your fine and then crying to your friends about how much you're struggling?" Louis asked.
"I promise I'm fine," I said pushing off the wall and wrapping him in a hug. "It's good seeing you. I miss..."
"I know, I miss it all, but it sucks losing your family."
"Just don't leave me too," I said with a frown.
"You're the only person I talk to in LA," he said patting my back. "Now go gossip about me with your friends and eat the rest of that cake."
"I'll call you," I said giving him a wave.
--
"Kate I really like him," Bailey said when I got back upstairs. They were sitting on the couch scrolling through the channels.
"He's about to have a kid, but he's single," I smirked. "I could set you up."
"No, we like him for you," Marcy replied.
"Clearly Harry didn't know what he had," Bailey said rolling her eyes.
"I'm not dating either of them," I said rolling my eyes. "Please drop it."
"Alright, fine," Marcy sighed as Bailey settled on a channel.