House of Love

10. Icy Mood

From Àmbar:

"Thank you so much, Louis. Your help means the world to me. I hope everything works out and I can make her happy".

To Àmbar:

"What are friends for?! I will be there and don't worry. Everything will work out and she will love you even more".

From Àmbar:

"If you say so ;) Now go back and pay attention to Sean".

"Are you quite done? I feel neglected" Sean niggled childishly.

"Quit it, you baby" Louis pocketed his phone. "I'm all yours now".

"I'm not sure I believe that" Sean squinted his eyes at him.

"Can you stop being an idiot, so we can continue skating now?" Louis propped his hands up on his hips pointedly.

"You were the one who answered his phone, not me" Sean pointed out matter-of-factly.

"But now you're the one wasting our time" Louis countered skilfully, grinning broadly.

"Sometimes I really hate you" Sean grumbled but grabbed his skateboard nonetheless.

"I know you love me" Louis winked exaggeratedly at him.

"Only maybe" Sean muttered under his breath.

After being done with their bickering, the two boys jumped on their skateboards and drove off. Back in the day, they've done this at least twice a week and right now, Louis was realising how much he had missed this. How much he had missed Sean, if he was already being honest. It felt good to get a part of his old life back although in a completely new way but it was even better.

They skated for quite some time until they reached the sportsfields of Domumley and stopped there. Sean took out a football he had had in his backpack and they played for a bit. Louis had missed football just as much as skating. It felt like breathing again.

"Damn, this was great" Sean panted out when he sat down on a bench to drink some water. "I know you hate cheesy but I have to say it. I've really missed this. I missed you".

"Me too, Sean" Louis sat down next to him, feeling exhausted and dehydrated but freaking unstoppable. "Screw the cheese".

"Hell yes!" Sean exclaimed cheerfully.

"I really missed you, Sean" Louis nudged Sean's elbow and then his expression turned serious. "And the rest, too. You know, playing football and skating and just having fun with friends in general".

"I know you don't wanna talk about this but I just know it was my brother's fault. It's a feeling I can't shake away and I saw the way he treats people that he claims to care about" Sean tried to make eye contact with him but Louis kept his eyes down.

"I don't think he is capable of caring about anyone other than himself. At least not in a normal human kind of way without hurting someone" Louis opened up to Sean for the first time.

"I know he hurt you. It's pretty obvious to me but ... what did he ... in which way ... I mean, did he ...".

"Believe me, Sean. You don't wanna know. He's family. You have to see him at least ... I don't know. Five times a year? I don't want your dynamic to change because of me" Louis hoped to make it clear that the truth would change everything.

"I think you have a wrong picture of our dynamic. We never got along. He always pretends that we do but I hate him. To me, he has always been a horrible person and I tried to keep him away from you when I realised he had his mind set on you but I failed and I will never forgive myself for not being capable of protecting you from him. He's married family but not my family" Sean cleared up and Louis was baffled. He didn't know that. Kyle had always told him about how close Sean and he were and how that was a good enough reason for Louis and Sean to stop being friends. Kyle said he could never date his brother's friend.