It had been nearly three hours since we loaded up the RV and took off for our first stop. Just as I had been about to follow Chase into it, I felt a hand on my wrist. Louis gripped it tightly and forced me to spin around. He wasn't that tall, but as he pulled me close I still had to crane my neck to meet his eyes. His gaze locked on mine and it was then that I realized how amazingly blue his eyes were. They were so deep they almost sparkled.
"Stella, wait," He commanded in a low husky tone, his face close to mine.
I yanked my wrist away, it ached from how tightly he held it. "What?"
"Give me your number." He extracted a Blackberry from his back pocket and slid it into my hand, it was not a question but an order.
I looked down at the phone then back to his face. "Are you sure you don't want to seem a bit too eager there, cowboy?" I teased.
"Silly little Stella," He chuckled. "I don't care about little things like that. Now go on, I've got a bus to catch remember?"
I rolled my eyes and couldn't help but smile as I programmed my information in. Out of habit I clicked the exit button when I was done. I was shocked to see his background photo, my eyes growing wide as I instantly recongnized the girl with him. They both wore Coca Cola pyjamas and pointed to the logo with a wide smile. Eleanor was absolutely beautiful, and last night I hadn't really picked up on it, too preoccupied with gaining info about Louis. But even in this picture with a messy braid and pyjamas, she was stunning.
Louis noticed my reaction. "What?" He asked, snatching the phone back. His face fell a little as he realized what I was looking at. "Oh right. I've been meaning to change that."
"She's... she's beautiful." Was all I could muster, feeling incredibly inadequte right now. "Is that your girlfriend?" I played dumb.
Louis scowled, his gaze shifting upward to the sky then back down to his Toms. "She used to be." He cleared his throat a little, shifting uncomfortably. He was blinking quickly like he was trying not to cry, his face looking completely shattered as he refused to meet my eyes. If thinking about her hurt him that much, why did he keep her picture on his phone? He probably couldn't bring himself to change it, admit that it was really over.
Harry's head popped out around the door and he looked at Louis, concern on his face. "Come on, Lou. Time to go," He said gently and Louis turned to him with a small nod.
When he turned back to me he had a fake smile on his face. "Well, see you soon Stella," He said weakly. "And you said it was unlikely we'd ever see each other again," He winked, but I could tell his banter was forced.
"Looks like I was wrong," I agreed. "Oh and by the way, who has a Blackberry anymore?" I teased and he rolled his eyes before saying good bye and rejoining Harry in the bus.
It had now been three hours since that encounter and I couldn't get the pained expression on Louis' face out of my mind. He looked so simply... broken even at the mention of her. I was already positive whatever happened between Eleanor and Louis was not fake. He really loved her. And he clearly was not over her. My stomach tossed a little as I realized I felt myself fill with guilt. I was only here to mess with him and try and break him all over again. It was too much to think about... yet I couldn't stop thinking about it.
"Stella?" Chase waved his hand in front of my face. "Have you heard a word I've said?"
"Of course I have! You were talking about.... you were talking about something." I let out a sigh, running my fingers through the braid I had just done in my hair and letting it come apart, falling against my shoulder in small waves. "I'm sorry Chase, I've just got a lot on my mind.
