168 HOURS (Larry Stylinson)

7// But he did

"I'm going out to get breakfast Gem. Do you want anything?"

It was now 8:26-as Harry's stopwatch read- the day before the wedding. Harry was craving some waffles with the little chocolate chips scattered throughout, and being the nice brother he was, asked Gemma if she wanted anything also.

"No thanks Harry. But would ask Louis to tell his parents I'd be happy to watch the girls? I know you two hang out a lot." Gemma dictated from the bathroom; she had been straightening her hair.

Harry paused his actions before biting back the previous night's memories on the inside of his cheek.

"I'm done with Louis." He spoke as if there were rocks in his throat; hard and gravelly.

"Come on Harry be serious. You two haven't known each other for more than a week and you already get along better than me and my boyfriend do." She pressed with a small laugh.

Taking a deep breath he replied, "I mean it Gem."

But he didn't.

Gemma's head popped out of the bathroom, watching Harry's wounded expression for a sign that he wasn't serious. Finding none at all, she fully stepped out of the bathroom with her straightener in one hand, the cord pulled tight.

She gave him a small pity pout; one like a teacher may give after hearing your pet died. "Oh. I'm sorry Harry."

He shook his head at her to let her know it was nothing and he was fine and left the room with a small wave. Harry then headed towards the small restaurant the resort had, passing the kooky statue made of iron pipe, and the entrance to the waterfall where he told Louis he loved him.

Get a hold of yourself Styles. You don't love him. You don't need him.

Harry shook his head to clear his thoughts. A cliche thing yes, but sometimes it works.

"Hi yes; could I have one chocolate chip waffle with extra chocolate chips, and a french vanilla coffee with whipped cream please."

While he was waiting for his order, he had pulled out his phone to pass the time. As soon as he unlocked it all of his messages with Louis popped up. Harry smiled down at the screen with one of those stupid grins he was getting tired of because Louis was what caused it.

That is too funny XD

Shut up Harold it was an honest mistake!

Sure it was babe

Louis had a spelling error just messages before about how he had to "shit the hotel door" and Harry found this utterly hilarious. This conversation was the day after they bumped into each other. He never got a response back.

His phone suddenly buzzed to alert him of a new message.

Your smile is pretty damn cute. Do you know that?

Looking up, he locked eyes with Louis who appeared to just have entered the place. His hair was disheveled from the wind outside and he himself was smiling at Harry. Harry wasn't sure how to react; Louis was giving and treating him with mixed feelings.

"Sir, your food is ready."

Harry turned away from Louis to retrieve his food from the lady. When he turned back, Louis was only a few feet from him.

Harry's eyes quickly darted around. He could easily ignore Louis, take his food, and walk straight through the doors without a glance back. He could make it more awkward and just give a small wave and walk past as if nothing happened. He went through all the possible escapades in his mind whilst Louis was trying to manage the right words to say to corner Harry so he could finally explain himself. The two were caught in a speechless silence.

"Could we talk Harry?" Louis finally asked with his eyes cast to the ground where the toes on his right foot were tracing circles.

Harry let out an exasperated sigh as he tried to find a way to answer because he didn't even know how he felt. "I have to get back soon," he finally said.

But he didn't.

Louis let out a little "oh" and nodded his head, swallowed once, and looked back down before Harry could see the hurt in his eyes. But Harry saw it anyways and even though his heart was telling him not to do it, he did it anyways.

"But you know," Harry almost stopped there and left, but the hope he could see in Louis' eyes made it nearly impossible to, "I could stay if it was important."

Louis's blue eyes had a new shade of hope and joy banding around them. Harry could feel his heart twang with love from his reaction, and it hurts him to feel so because in his mind Louis had made his mind up on Eleanor and not him.

Louis walked beside Harry to a booth in the corner. He tried to subtly shorten the distance between them and was relieved that Harry didn't step away like he had the previous night. All Harry tried to do was stop himself from kissing Louis on the spot.

They sat down on opposite sides of the booth and Harry cut up half of the waffle, turned the cut up half of the waffle to Louis, then offered him a fork. He also purposely placed his foot right next to Louis'. Louis couldn't stop himself from smiling like a stupid idiot.

"So, uh the wedding is tomorrow." Harry looked up at him to let him know he was listening. Louis continued, "Our bet will be over and we won't see each other after that." He hoped Harry would pick up on his tone and-it was a long shot-possibly suggest they buy a flat and move in together. Or maybe they could just maintain a long-distance relationship. Either one works.

Harry had picked up on Louis's tone and brushed it off as a im-sorry-I-rejected-you-but-lets-stay-friends tone and just laughed.

"Do you really believe that?"

Louis shrugged.

"This is a small world we live in, and the United Kingdom is even smaller. Do you honestly believe there is no chance we will see each other again? The average distance from Holmes Chapel to Doncaster is just under two hours so don't tell me we won't be seeing each other again after this wedding."

Harry could have been subtle about this, but he wasn't. He didn't even care anymore. He came to realize something in between the time Louis walked through the cafe door and now. It was that even it was set in stone for Louis to love somebody else, Harry wouldn't stop loving him.

Louis grinned at his answer.

From there Louis proposed that they spend one last "Larry-a mix of their names he came up with himself-day of fun" before the busy wedding tomorrow. Louis almost expected Harry to decline because he had been an ass to him the past few days.

But he didn't.

Louis half expected Harry to make it full of romantic gestures, but only got a free lunch out of it. He didn't care though. He thought any time spent with Harry and away from his teasing friends was perfect. Harry just liked the fact that Louis wanted to spend his last free day with him and not his friends or the oh so annoying Eleawhore. He was proud of the nickname.

They had gotten around the golf course -something Harry was surprisingly good at- and gone to the arcade where they spent all of the 29.72 dollars of American money they found in their pockets.

And the entire time Harry tried to calm himself and not wrap his arms around Louis' smaller body, Louis knew it and Louis felt it. He had been dragged in. He could see himself under the dark sky and trapped between the darkness and the abyss. He was nothing but a silhouette masked in with the lack of light around him, sucked into the black hole of despair and devastation. He loved Harry. He hardly knew Harry but he knew that was certain. He loved Harry so goddamn much.

Harry was in his room that night, just laying in his bed staring at the ceiling like all normal teenagers do these days. His mind was on Louis, and how his heart felt physical pain whenever he was awakened by the reminder that Louis loved Eleanor, not him.

"What's wrong Harry, do you miss your precious little Louis?" Gemma teased after she had walked in the room and observed her brother. He rolled his eyes at her and snarled but she teased on, "I bet you miss your boyfriend so much." She dragged out the so for effect.

Harry scoffed out loud, "You couldn't be more wrong; I do not miss Louis one tiny bit."

But he did.