And Only If You Knew *One Direction Fan Fiction*

Chapter 3

I woke from a loud clatter outside the bedroom door. I blinked the sleep from my eyes, feeling nothing but the cold sheets around me. Kennedy. I jumped out of bed, my muscles and head screaming in protest. It was still dark outside. Something was wrong. "Kennedy?" I called, skidding along the hard wood floors in the hallway. Lights were on in the living room and kitchen. What if Michael got back in? I practically crashed into the small kitchen table. "Louis, what on earth are you doing?" She was standing by the counter, a mug of coffee in her hands. She always was a coffee girl. She wore an oversized hoodie- my old hoodie, I realized- and pajama pants. There was a pounding in my ears, and I let out a breath of relief. "I didn't know where you were- it's 4:30 in the morning!" I gasped, staring at the small oven clock. "I have work!" She yelled back, laughing. I had totally forgotten. Kennedy was studying to become a nurse, and worked early shifts at the Nook, Falling Acres' local bookstore. It was the perfect job for her, despite the early hours. She had her nose in a book constantly- in fact, an old, battered copy of The Philosopher's Stone lay open on the table, next to her ancient laptop. She had always been a pretty big Harry Potter fan. She had probably read the books at least a hundred times. "Right," I said, falling into the chair in front of her laptop, rubbing my eyes with my hands. "You could go back to sleep," she said. "Won't be able to." "Coffee?" "Got any tea?" "I knew you were coming, didn't I?" I smiled, and lifted my head, looking at her. "Your face!" I said, shocked. I could hardly see any discoloration on her skin. "Coverup is a magical thing," she said, putting a pot of water on the stove with a clink. "I have quite a bit of experience with it." I looked away, scowling. That was when I noticed her computer screen. "No- you're watching Spin the Harry?!" I laughed, pressing play. We had only filmed this a week or so ago. Kennedy sat down next to me, smiling. "I was. I always watch your Video Diaries. They make me laugh." I shook my head, watching as the On-Screen Louis smothered a banana in Liam's face. "Look at this guy," I said, pointing to myself. "What a loser." She laughed, making my ears swoon. "He's flaming for sure," she teased, scrolling down to a comment that read: "LARRY STYLINSON 4EVER" "Harry would be lucky to catch me," I said, stretching my arms behind me. She laughed again. "I don't know Louis, Harry is VERY attractive." My jaw dropped, and I turned to stare at her, incredulous. "You think Harry is attractive?" She shrugged as the tea whistle went off, and she got up to pour me a mug. "Every girl does. It's like common sense." She poured me a cup of tea and set it down in front of me. "That reminds me. You obviously know how my social life is going. But what's going on with you? Any special girls out there? Screaming fans that have caught your eye?" She asked with a playful nudge. "No," I lied, staring at my tea. "I mean, there have been girls, but it was all nothing. You know... Just messing around." I was not a virgin, just because I was secretly in love with my best friend from kindergarden. Being somewhat of a celebrity had its perks. But I can assure you, every time I was with a girl, I could only think of Kennedy. Wrong, I know, but the truth. "Oh come on, not one girl you really fancy?" I shook my head, once again, lying. It was quiet for a long while we sipped at our drinks. "Kennedy," I said, glancing at her. I was serious now. "We can't just go on and pretend like nothing happened." She set down her mug and kept her gaze away from mine. "I'm your best friend." She looked at me. "It started a few months ago. He didn't used to be a drinker, but he started going out with his buddies lots, and he would come home hammered. Then, he couldn't do anything without a drink in his hand. He started hitting me when he got angry. But I couldn't leave him, because I knew it wasn't him, it was just the alcohol. I haven't told anyone, but you," she finished. I felt my fists clenching under the table. "Why didn't you tell me before?" I asked quietly. I watched her fumble with her mug. "I didn't want to worry you." I took a long drink of tea. It burnt my tongue but made me feel warmer inside. "You don't know how much it killed me to see you getting beat up like that." I coughed, spluttering. "You think it's any less difficult for me to know he's been doing that to you? It makes me sick. It's all I can think about. I keep seeing your face in my head-" She grabbed my hand, squeezing hard. "I'm okay," she whispered. Then she let go of my hand and left the table, washing her mug in the sink. "What time will you get home?" "Probably like 3:30." "We should go to Lake Brull," I said, grinning. "What, so you can push me in again? No thanks," she teased, but I could tell she was up for it. "Hey, I was young and foolish then. I'm much more mature now," I protested. She glanced at the computer screen, where On-Screen Louis kissed a bird and called it Kevin. "Sort of." "Not at all," she said, before kissing the top of my head as she walked by, grabbing her book and locking the front door behind her.

I never went back to sleep. I spent the morning cleaning broken glass from the floor in the living room. Around 8:00, I walked over to Kennedy's family's house. They were all early risers, always had been. They hugged me and kissed me and I did my rounds, eating biscuits with them while Kennedy's Grandma Ruth asked me, "I just love your Bye Bye Bye song." And I'd nod, laughing in my head, and say, "Yes, that's one of my favorites. But I have to say that I Want It That Way is our best." From there, I went to the Grocery Store to get Nesquik, an essential. While I stood in line a girl about the age of seven ran up to me, hugged my waist, then ran away. I left my spot in line and ended up chasing her around the store in a game of Hide and Go Seek until her parents told her it was time to go home. When I returned back to Kennedy's, it was still only 11:00. Bored, I flopped on the couch and turned on the TV, flipping through the channels. There was nothing on so early in the day, and so I settled with Return of the Jedi, which I had noticed sitting in her bedroom. After that was over, and I had scavenged the house for more movies with no luck, I truly knew the meaning of bored. I grabbed Kennedy's apartment phone, dialing Liam's number. "Hello?" "Hello and welcome to Megamind! I'm Louis the Tomo-Tomlinson-" "Louis, I'm with my parents-" "I'm sorry that answer is incorrect!" "Louis I'm hanging up." Click. I dialed Zayn's number. "This is Zayn," he said from the other line. "Vas happenin?!" I yelled. Click. They knew my prank calls far too well. "Hello?" "Oh my God is this Harry Styles?! I'm your biggest fan we're getting married one day!" "Louis your voice is high but even you can't pull that off." Click. Niall's turn. "Who's this?" "'It doesn't matter who we are, what matters is our plan,'" I said, mimicking Bane's voice from The Dark Knight Rises. "'No one cared who I was until I put on the mask!'" "Louis shut the fuck up." Click. Now that I truly had nothing to do, I let myself fall backwards on my back into the couch, staring at the ceiling. It was 2:00. Whipping out my own phone, I speed-dialed Kennedy. "Hello?" She asked after a few rings, sounding flustered. "I'm so bored. What do you even do here all day?" "Louis, I'm in class. I'll be home in like an hour." "Don't leave me hanging, love!" "Goodbye, Louis!" She hissed, and then hung up. I sighed, tossing my phone to the other side of the couch and closing my eyes.

"Baby you light up my world like no body else, the way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed, and when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell, you don't kno-o-ow, you don't know you're beautiful!" The song was blasting in my ears. I practically fell off the couch, and hurried to cover my ears. Kennedy stood over me, holding speakers right to my face, singing along loudly. She smiled sneakily, then dashed away, shrieking with laughter. "That little..." I mumbled, scrambling to my feet and chasing after her. I heard her bedroom door slam and the lock click before I reached it. Our first single still blared from inside. I pounded on the door. "Get your swim trunks on!" She called, and I grinned.