Pairing Hearts |louis tomlinson|

Chapter Seventeen

On New Years' Eve Louis, Sam, Marcy, Bailey, and I sat on the beach watching the sunset. "It's tradition every year, to watch the sunset on the last day of the year," Marcy told us her head on Sam's shoulder.
"Louis do you want to go on a walk?" I asked taking his hand in mine.
"Sure love," Louis smiled helping me up. We walked for a while in silence hand in hand letting the water wash over our feet.
"It's been a shitty year," I said softly.
"There have been some really shitty parts, but there have also been some really good things that happened," Louis replied rubbing my back. "Your birthday was a really good day. Christmas was a really good day. The day I met Marcy and Bailey."
"I haven't always been the most open, but you make me feel so safe and loved. I want to be more with you," I whispered looking down at the water washing over my feet.
"That's all I've ever wanted," Louis laughed wrapping me in his arms. "I promise I will keep you safe and make you feel like the most special girl in the world."
"Will you kiss me?" I asked looking up at him. He grinned and instantly connected our lips. It was electric.
When we got back to the group Bailey said, "so are you guys finally a real couple?"
I turned and blushed, but our smiles told them everything they needed to know.
--
About three weeks later Louis was practically living at my apartment. Harry invited us both to go to his album listening party that weekend so naturally, we decided to go. Marcy and Bailey sat in the living room as we got ready.
"Are you sure you don't want to take Bailey?" Marcy asked. "She needs a man and who better to comfort Harry when he realizes you're taken."
"Trust me you don't want him," I told Bailey.
"Oh, I'm well aware. He has had a different girl leave his house every night for the past month," Bailey answered. Louis came out rolling his eyes.
"Are you three talking about Harry's escapades again?" He asked rolling his shirt cuffs.
"What else would we talk about," I grinned kissing his cheek.
"You are beautiful," Louis smiled brushing his thumb over my cheek.
"You two are disgusting," Bailey replied.
"So you two are spending the night?" Louis asked pretending disdain.
"Don't even pretend you hate us," Marcy laughed rolling her eyes. "We know you're only with Kate, so you can hang out with us."
"It's true," Louis said giving me a shrug. I laughed rolling my eyes.
"Come on we need to get going," I said.
"Duty calls," he said giving the girls a wave.
--
When we pulled up to Harry's giant house music was thumping and people were everywhere. "You know I hate these things," I sighed letting Louis pull me closer.
"Oh I'm well aware," Louis laughed. "Do you know that first night, when you met Harry, I was the one who pointed you out, but he beat me to the punch."
"Everything happens for a reason," I told him kissing his cheek lightly.
"Let's get you a drink," Louis said pulling me further into the house. I followed him to the bar and let him order my drink. I had never actually ordered a drink for myself. Everyone else appeared to know what I liked more than I did, so I just let them do it for me. The bartender handed me my drink and Louis watched me take a sip expectantly.
"Well?" He asked.
"Perfect," I said and he gave me a smirk and kissed my cheek.
"Lou!" We heard something call excitedly. We turned to find Niall grinning at us. "Oh my god, Kate too!"
"Hey Niall," I smiled instantly getting wrapped in a hug.
"I missed you two," Niall said wrapping Louis in a hug as well.
"How are you?" I asked.
"You know I'm almost done with my album, things are coming along," Niall said and we nodded. "Wait are you two... Are you two together?" His voice was filled with excitement and we were instantly wrapped in another tight hug.
"I always knew it would be you two," Niall grinned. "Zayn always thought it would be Harry, but I knew."
"You guys were taking bets?" I laughed.
"Hey I was never part of this," Louis laughed holding up his hands.
"Have you seen Harry?" I asked.
"Last I saw he was outside smoking," Niall said and I scrunched my nose. Obviously, weed was legal and I never judged anyone who smoked it, but I hated the smell so much. Louis knew that which is why he had stopped when we started dating.
"We'll wait until he comes inside," Louis said.
"You're going to break his little heart," Niall said with a frown. Eventually, we saw Harry drift inside towards a table full of people. I took Louis' hand and led him over to the table.
"Harry," I smiled rubbing his back lightly.
"Kate! Louis!" Harry grinned wrapping each of us in a hug. He smelled strongly of weed and his eyes were glassy.
"Come on Harry," the people at the table called.
"Give me one second," he told us before turning around and bending his nose towards the table. He took a huge breath before coming back up and turning towards us again rubbing his nose.
"Woo!" He grinned wrapping me in another hug. "I have to play you, Carolina. It's about you," he grinned pulling out his phone and a pair of headphones. I obliged putting a headphone in my ear. For some reason, I felt nervous around him. I reached back and took Louis' hand placing it on my hip as Harry started the song. It was about sex I could tell. Someone who felt so good. I blushed slightly at the lyrics and when the song was over I handed the headphones back to Harry.
"You know," Harry said coming to stand incredibly close to me. "Well I haven't fucked you, but this song is about what it would be like because I've always wanted to fuck you." His fingers went to my chin and I instantly took a step back.
"Hey man back off," Louis said pulling me behind him almost instantly. "You know that's not her thing."
Harry looked up shocked at the interruption his eyes almost black. "What the fuck Lou?" Harry asked. "Are you two a thing?"
"Yeah, we are," Louis said keeping me behind him. Harry let out a loud and harsh laugh.
"How does it feel being the second choice? You like my leftovers?" Harry laughed and I instantly took another step back appalled at his comments.
"She is no one's leftovers," Louis replied anger dripping from his voice.
"Lou, forget it, I want to go home," I said fisting the back of his t-shirt.
"It was supposed to be us Kate, but you fucking gave up on me," Harry said eyes wild.
"You aren't the boy I met five years ago," I whispered. "I don't know who you are anymore."
Louis wrapped his arm around my shoulder and led me out of the house. His jaw was twitching and I could tell he was upset. He helped me into the car and then shut the door getting into the driver's side. He sat for a minute unmoving.
"Lou..."
"Am I your second choice?" He asked eyes sad. "Was Harry right?"
"No," I said quickly taking his hands. "Louis I had five years to date Harry and I never did for a reason. We were so young and I had been through so much and now he isn't the person I ever knew. You are the exact same person I met five years ago, obviously a bit more mature, and I love you more than anything or anyone else. I've never felt this way about a person before. Please believe me."
"I love you," Louis said kissing my hand. "I need you to know that you're not anyone's leftovers. You are so perfect and special and beautiful. No one compares."
I took his hands and placed them on my cheeks caressing the backs of his hands lightly. "Will you take us home now?" I asked with a little smirk.
"Your friends await," he replied and I let out a soft laugh.
--
"So how was it?" Marcy asked as soon as we walked through the door. The girls were sitting on the couch in their pajamas watching a movie.
"Harry was an asshole," I replied rolling my eyes.
"I'll let you have some girl time," Louis said kissing my cheek.
"I love you," I said squeezing his hand before I joined the girls on the couch.
"You guys okay?" Bailey asked softly. I nodded explaining to them what had happened.
"He must have been such a different guy when you met," Marcy said shaking her head. "I mean lord knows you wouldn't put up with that shit."
"He didn't seem like this person when we facetimed," Bailey replied. "Did the fame change him that quickly?"
"I don't know what it is. He's doing a lot more drugs and alcohol. He's having so much sex. I don't know what changed," I sighed. "It's not like I want to be with him. Louis is the love of my life. Harry helped me through some really tough shit and I won't forget that, which is why I still worry about him. I mean we were really good friends."
"You don't have to explain it to us," Marcy said. "I get it."
--
The next morning I woke up to Louis whispering expletives as he maneuvered out of the bedroom. Marcy and Bailey were still asleep on my floor.
"Kate, when are you going to let me buy us a bigger apartment?" Louis asked as we all came into the kitchen. "I'm getting just a little sick of tiptoeing around these two every weekend."
"Yeah we wouldn't mind a guest bedroom," Marcy nodded and I rolled my eyes.
"You know if we got a bigger place they would never leave," I laughed.
"True, I may need to reconsider," Louis said placing plates of eggs in front of us.
"Why would we leave when we get free breakfast?" Bailey said picking up her fork.
"I'm creating my own nightmare," Louis said shaking his head a smile still on his face.
"Honestly best boyfriend award goes to Louis no question," Marcy said. "Sam would never..."
"Maybe I should get a trophy," Louis smirked.
"Aren't I trophy enough?" I asked resting my chin in my hands.
"Course love," Louis grinned patting my cheek.
--
Later that day it was just Louis and me in the apartment, sitting on the couch together.
"You know you really are the best boyfriend," I said climbing on to straddle his lap. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed his jaw. "I don't know a single other guy who would accept having all these random girls around all the time, sleeping in the same room with us and eating our food, gossiping, and distracting us. I am so thankful for you."
"They're your family, so they're my family too," Louis grinned. "They've taken care of you and I can never thank them enough for that."
"I love you," I said kissing his neck and jaw.
"I love you too babe, but you can't sit on my lap like this," he groaned tossing his head back onto the couch.
"Sorry," I said looking down and immediately moving to the opposite end of the couch.
"Well I don't want you a million miles away," Louis grinned pulling me over so I was against his side. "You know it doesn't bother me," Louis said kissing my jaw. He knew about my hesitance about being physical and he had never once made a complaint. Whenever things got to heated for him, he was honest, but always kept me close never wanting to push me away. I was appreciative of him forever.