I Hate You ~ Louis Tomlinson

HONEST

"Hi," Natalie says from where she sits on the bench outside their work. She's looking down at the ground, playing with the end of her sweatshirt lost in thought. That is until she sees Harry's feet in front of her.

"You like him." Harry says instead of hello. 

"Huh?"

Harry sighs and sits down. "You like Louis."

"What? I-" she starts but her voice goes up like three octaves and it's clear she's lying. Whether it's more for herself or for Harry is unclear. "Yeah okay," she says and leans her head down to hide her goofy smile, "But I don't want to."

"Yeah, I know you don't," Harry says and moves closer to her so she can lean on him, "But you do anyway."

"Well yes, we already established that." She says dryly.

"Wow, you're already sounding like him," Harry jokes.

Natalie sits up and shoves his shoulder with hers, "Do not."

"Yeah okay," Harry says not convinced. "So, what are you going to do about it?"

"What do you mean do about it?"

"Gonna tell him?" Harry asks giving her a sideways glance.

"What good would that do?" She muses. It would be pointless at best. He would probably laugh in her face and she'd have to quit her job and maybe flea the country. He'd never let it go, she's embarrassed just thinking about it.

"Okay good."

"Hm?" She didn't really see how that was good. Unless he was aware of her impending embarrassment and trying to save her from it.

"Wouldn't want you to tell him, want you all to myself." He says pulling her into a hug that squishes her.

She hugs him back, but she's quiet. She doesn't know how to take that.

"Sorry, maybe I shouldn't have said that." He says, hanging his head.

"It's okay, it was honest." And she gets it, she does. Who knows what that would do to any of their relationships much less just her and Louis'. Not that's it's even a relationship, she thinks to herself and internally rolls her eyes.

"Yeah it was."

It gets quiet again until Harry breaks the silence, "What do you even like about him?"

She chuckles at the bluntness of his question. He said it so harshly, which doesn't sound right out of Harry's mouth. "I don't know," she holds out the w and hides her face in her hands.

"Well there must be something." Harry presses.

"Yeah, there's definitely something. It's hard to explain."

"Hm," Harry mutters and nods slowly, trying to silently encourage her.

"It's gonna sound cheesy."

"It's okay, you can say it," Harry says and puts a hand on her thigh, right above her knee.

"I just can't help it. He's so annoying and yet I keep going back for more. It's kinda fun in a sense when it doesn't literally drive me insane. He's annoying, gosh he's so annoying, but I'm drawn to him. And he lets up sometimes, we've had some good times. And he's really nice to other people," just then she hears how ridiculous she sounds. But he didn't really treat her badly? Did he? She's so confused. "Oh my gosh, that's the worst explanation ever. What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you." Harry says sympathetically.

"Then why do I like him when he acts like that?"

"That I'm not sure on," Harry says with a dry chuckle.

"It's just that- the other day Haz, I don't know when it's just the two of us he can be really sweet."

"What happened the other day?" Harry asks with eyebrows furrowing.

"When I was having that bad day. He brought me tea after lunch. And he kept checking on me when I was hurt."

"Yeah, that's true. Did he know you were having a bad day and was like trying to make you feel better?"

"I don't know. I don't think so, maybe he sensed it." She says hopefully, but she knows she's just kidding herself.

"Babe."

"Yeah, I know. But he took care of me when I was hurt and all and I just don't know how to explain that."

"I know, but then like a day later he went back to being annoying."

"Well that's also true. It's like I see two of him and I really like one of him."

"I'm not trying to be mean, but that's not okay."

"I know," she says and lets out a slow, long and dramatic exhale. "I was fine, ya know. Until I saw his sweet side, it makes it so much harder to see the other side of him."

"Yeah, that makes sense."

"I don't know what I did to make that part of him go away from me." She says sadly. 

"You didn't do anything, babe."

"How do you know?"

"I know you. You wouldn't hurt anyone and I know you joke around with him, but honestly with all the shit he's put you through you still continue to be nothing but nice to him. You defend him, you make sure he's alright, you never push too hard even when he pushes you. He doesn't deserve you. You are one of the greatest on this earth, I'm sure about it."

"Aw Haz, stop it." She says as she tries to get tears not to well up in her eyes. She reaches over and puts her arms around his neck, holding him close as he rubs her back.

"I mean it," he whispers to her and gives her a little squeeze.

They sit there on the park bench for a little while, they're the kind of friends where you can just sit there in silence and be okay. They watch the sun go down, the sky turning to beautiful shades of pink and purple.

"We should go in before it gets cold," Harry says quietly.

Natalie nods and gets up, but Harry stops them before they can go inside.

"You gonna be alright?"

"Yeah. I got you right?" She asks.

He intertwines their fingers and pulls her inside, "Of course."