We Had the Right Kind of Love // L.S.

Chapter 22. Ink

(Logic regarding tattoo care might be off)

The days start to blur as the buildup to the ceremony becomes more and more prominent. I can feel the anticipation blooming in my chest as the hours go by, counting down the minutes until Sunday.

Thursday brings in Ed and Stan who fly out from New York.

"Oh man, I finally get to meet the famous best friends Louis never talks about," Ed says that afternoon at lunch, extending his arm to shake Zayn's hand and then Niall, Liam, and Harry's.

"Louis, I'm personally insulted," Niall exclaims, looking up from the remnants of his pizza that laid there just seconds ago, "We were the lights of Louis's life before he met this one," he nods towards Diana who turns from where she and Eleanor were conversing and blushes under the attention.

Ed nudges Stan's shoulder, "We should kidnap this one and bring him back to New York with us," he whispers which makes Stan choke on his mouthful of sprite.

"Take me with you boys!" Niall say, pumping his fists in the air, "The day Niall Horan makes his fortune in the big city, it's over for all you fuckers."

"How will you be making a fortune?" Liam asks, "You have a beyond ordinary office job and play pick-up football games on the weekend."

"You're right," Niall frowns, lowering his arm, "Maybe I'll move to Vegas. Anyone can become rich in Vegas."

"Anyone can do anything in Vegas," Zayn deadpans.

"That's a good point," Harry says, folding his slice of pizza in half and taking a bite, "On second thought, take him to New York. God knows what kind of trouble Horan could find himself in if he goes to Vegas."

"Would be glad to have him," Stand says, "Now that Tommo here is settling down," he does air quotes and looked accusingly at Diana, "We'll need a new clubbing buddy and for some reason, I don't think you will disappoint."

"Louis, clubbing?" Eleanor scoffs, "Since when?"

"Since he discovered the beauty of alcohol and one-night stands," Stan says, a drunken chuckle slipping from his lips, "Not anymore though. He's settled down since then."

I feel my cheeks grow red and I lower my gaze. When I first moved to New York, I threw myself into the party scenes in the search of distraction. I was out of college, away from home, my friends, family, and needed the noise and the people to fill the gaping hole in my heart.

I wasn't proud of many of those choices I had made back then, especially after I realized sex was not something that brought me actual pleasure and instead was a means of distraction, though I'm glad I had the experience and learned from it.

"You did what?" Harry asks, dropping his crust onto his plate, and frowning.

Why do I feel like a little boy trying to explain his bad behavior to his disapproving mother?

"It was just for a while," I try to justify, "and really stupid."

I shoot a death glare in Stan's direction, and he grimaces and mouths, "Sorry."

"The last time I saw Tommo willingly go to a party was at the end of senior year," Niall says, "Though I don't remember much since we were all fucking pissed at that point."

"Will Turner," Liam says, "Always held the parties in our area. We went to our first one in middle school." He shakes his head fondly, "God, remember spin the bottle?"

How could I forget? I think, forcing myself not to look in Harry's direction. Harry on the other hand doesn't seem to be playing by the same rules and as I stare hard at my left-over pizza, I can feel his eyes piercing the side of my face.