Don't know yet

Chapter 33

Louis falls to the floor, his arm hitting the ground before his head does. A football flies over his head and he follows it with his eyes until it hits the net behind him.

"Come on, Lou. I thought you were the football player." Lottie says as she approaches him, Fizzie and the twin laughing behind him.

"Oi don't be rude. I'm not a goal keeper."

"Clearly, you're rubbish." Lottie replies while chuckling.

"I know right? And I have to cheer for him every game." Laura says. She walks over to the girls and gives each one a hug before going over to Louis and holding her hand out. Louis takes her hand and gets up with a jump.

"Good to see you too."

"Oh don't be so grumpy, you'll get better." She ruffles his hair for a few seconds until he paws her hand away. They share a look and Louis nods his face turning a bit more serious.

"Girls, you keep playing, I need to talk to Lau for a bit."

The girls start playing again as Louis and Laura step away from them and sit on a bench nearby. Laura starts to fiddle with her hands and looks down before opening her mouth.

"So, um... I talked to Harry after the game."

Louis throws his head back while sighing. "Can we not do this now? I was having a good time, I don't want to think about him right now."

"Just hear me out, ok?" Louis gestures to her to continue, his eyes rolling at the same time. "He's been nagging me to get you to talk to him. Before you say anything, I already told him you didn't want to speak with him..."

"Good, I don't"

"But" She draws out the vowels, "I think you should at least hear him out. If not for him at least for you. Or for me, whatever gets you to at least listen for a minute. I'm not saying you should forgive him right away, just give him 2 minutes of your time, that's all I'm asking."

"I'll think about it"

"Thank you."

"Are you going to stay and play or are too scared you're going to lose?"

"Pff... With the way you were playing before,you'll be lucky if you score at least one goal"

***

"And that is 7 to nothing." Louis says with his arms held out and a smug look on his face.

"I think I should stick to cheerleading." Laura pants out while Louis chuckles next to her. Louis nods his head to the right with a questioning look on his face.

"Want to go back to mine and watch a movie with us? It's my time to pick but I can let you pick if you want."

"Sure as long as you carry me."

"Carry me too!" Phoebe shouts from next to him.

"And me!" Daisy chimes in.

"Alright how about we all walk..." All of the start to pout, Louis' smile growing fonder. "...and I carry the ball."

"So basically what we were doing anyway'" Lottie says, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't get smart with me, young lady, or you'll be carrying the ball." He pretends to throw the ball her way and she ducks while winning.

When they get to Louis' house they all look properly tired. Louis' muscles ache and the thought of sitting on the couch for the rest of his life is becoming more and more pleasurable as they get closer to the house. The girls are walking in front, Louis and Laura following close behind while chatting about nothing. Right as Laura is telling Louis about how Niall asked her out to be his girlfriend A deep voice broke their quiet chatter.

"Louis." Laura and Louis turn around at the same time to find Harry standing in front of them, with his hands in his pockets and his face already with an apologetic look.

Laura looks at Louis for a couple of seconds before starting to speak.

"Please?" Louis throws his head back as he growls.

"Fine." Laura mouths a thank you and enters the house with the rest of the girls, leaving Louis and Harry alone. "What?"

"I just want to talk to you."

"I thought that's what we were doing already." Louis raises his eyebrows with a questioning look.

Harry sighs, lifting his shoulders. He takes a deep breath in and puts his hands in his pockets. "Look, I just wanted to tell you again how sorry I am. I know I've done everything wrong and I know that I don't deserve to be forgiven but I am willing to do whatever it takes to deserve it. I've acted like a dick because I was afraid and selfish and a complete asshole and you didn't deserve any of that so I'm willing to do anything to fix it."

"Harry, I'm sorry but this can't be fixed. You said it yourself, you don't deserve my forgiveness and quite frankly I don't think there's anything you can do to fix it."

"So that's it? You're giving up on us?" Harry's eyes start to water but he blinks them away.

"I'm not giving up, I'm moving on" Louis shrugs with a tried expression.

"Please, just give a minute. I promise it won't be one of those corny, meaningless speeches, I know you hate those...."

"I do" Louis interrupts.

"... I won't say that I can't live without you, don't worry. And if I'm being honest it wouldn't be true."

Louis huffs out a cold laugh while crossing his arms. "Great start so far" he says bitterly.

"It wouldn't be true because I can live without you. If you leave right now my heart will still beat, the air won't suddenly leave and the earth won't stop turning."

"Is this some sick way of telling me you don't care anymore?"

"Please, just let me finish." Harry says, holding his hands out. "I can still live my life without you in it, that's true. But I really don't want to. I want you in my life, I want you to talk to me. I want you to spend time with me. I want you, Louis."

Louis stands in place, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. Harry steps closer to him, his moves careful as if he was trying not to scare a small animal.

"If you left right, sure I would be sad for a while but it wouldn't be forever. And even though I know I would move on the mere thought of you not being in my life stings. I'm not asking you to forgive me right now, say all is good and forget everything else but, please, at least give me a chance to show you what you mean to me."

Louis takes in a deep, shaky breath before opening his mouth to speak. "I... Fine, you have one chance but that doesn't mean I'll forgive you after that."

Harry blows out a breath, his shoulders relaxing. "Thank you so much, Louis!" He fumbles on his feet not sure if he should hug Louis or not. He decides on not doing so, instead clapping his hands together and then pointing his thumb over his shoulder. "I should get going now." He turns around on the balls of his feet but quickly turns back to face Louis again. "Thanks again, Louis." He says with a smile.

"Bye" Louis says dryly before turning around and walking away.

Harry watches him walk away for a moment before looking down while smiling. He turns around and starts walking away with a hopeful smile plastered on his face.