And Only If You Knew *One Direction Fan Fiction*

Chapter 5

*Kennedy*

When I woke, my hair was stringy from the swim and my eyelids stuck together from my tears last night. I opened my eyes. A gentle light shone through the blinds, silhouetting Louis' hand, which was propped up around me. I could feel his chest rising and falling steadily against me, and his breath against my neck. My hand was still fisted in his t-shirt, and his foot rested against mine. I glanced to the side, seeing his eyes closed peacefully and his hair completely messy and ruffled, the way I liked it.

I can't tell you how comforting his presence alone was. What if he hadn't been here? I shuddered, not wanting to think of what could have happened. I touched his hand, my thumb gently drifting across his rough knuckles. What would I do without him?

Louis. My best friend.

I didn't have to worry about what I looked like around him. I didn't have to worry about things being weird, if we cuddled or touched. Things were never awkward. We could just be ourselves.

I realized that considering it was light out already, I was late for work, and decided that I'd just call in sick, and skip class today. I couldn't bring myself to get up or want to leave. Not today.

The sunlight was bright in my eyes, and looking at the clock by the TV, it was almost 8:30. I felt Louis shift slightly beneath me, tilting his face closer to mine. He exhaled deeply, and his breath warmed my skin.

I stared at him, smiling. He still resembled the four year old boy I had grown so attached to. I found myself glancing down at his lips, and suddenly, a strange, unfamiliar feeling squirmed in my belly, and a very weird thought ran through my head. I looked away, blinking in shock. What was that about? I asked myself, confused, but I shook it all off, easily forgetting about it.

"Stop fidgeting," I heard his mumble in my hair, and I smiled. "You make it impossible to sleep in."

"It's 8:30. Usually I would've been up for four hours by now," I said.

"Well some of us are on break," he groaned, draping his free arm over his eyes.

"I guess you picked the wrong girl to stay with over your break." I teased, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw him smirk.

"Nah."

"I'm gonna shower," I said after a few, blissful moments, and turned to stand. His hand was gripping the back of my shirt, and he slowly released it as I stood. I suddenly felt very cold where his body had been, regretful of the absence. I stopped, the same weird feeling creeping into my stomach. I turned, meeting his gaze. He was watching me, his blue eyes serious. I shook my head to myself and walked quickly away.

"Save some hot water for me!" He called from behind me, and I gave him a thumb's up behind my back.

The water was steaming as it hit the back of my neck, soothing me. The strange thoughts from earlier had been pushed to the back of my mind, and now I focused on the dark bruises along my arms and torso. My thoughts wandered to my apartment, where Michael might or might not be waiting. He could have destroyed everything. I had recognized the frame of my favorite picture of Louis and I in his hand as he chucked it against the wall. What would I do? All the money I've spent, all the memories? What if he wrecked the TV? Taken the jewelry my great grandmother had passed on to me, which he knew meant so much to me?

My lip quivered, but I bit it and pressed my hands against the shower wall, yelling at myself to pull it together. Everything would be okay.

Everything was going to be okay.

I gave Louis the towel I used so as to save laundry for my mum. I was wearing one of my old t-shirts and pajama shorts. The smell of sizzling bacon wafted from the kitchen when I came out of the bathroom, and I almost skipped. My mum stood over the stove, and my dad sat at the table, reading the paper. (Typical, right?)

"Good morning sweetheart," my mum said sweetly, flipping the bacon with a smile. "Have a good sleep?" She asked, and I noticed a grin on her face as she asked it.

"Yes, fine," I replied, sitting down across from my father. He smirked at me as well.

"Seemed more than fine to me," he said with a wink. I met his gaze, confused. My mother giggled.

"What?" I asked, my eyes flickering between the two of them. "What are you playing at?"

"You two looked pretty comfy on the couch last night," my dad said. I suddenly realized what they were smirking about, and I laughed out loud.

"It's Louis," I said, chuckling.

"We know, we just thought that maybe... After all these years..." My mom said with a shrug, then gazed at me, raising an eyebrow suggestively. For a moment I had no clue what to say, too shocked to do anything but stare. At that moment, Louis traipsed into the kitchen, shaking out his hair. Adults always loved him, and the charm he had on my family had never gone away. My mum smiled at him with adoration, and I rolled my eyes.

"Smells like heaven, as always Ms. Pinefrost," he gushed, a toothy grin on his face as he hopped up onto the counter next to her, picking out a piece of bacon and popping it in his mouth.

"Now Louis, you know better than to call me that," my mom replied, pointing her spatula at him.

"Apologies, Leanne," he said, glancing at me and winking. I shook my head at him, smiling.

"So have you called anyone about that pipe yet?" My dad asked, and it took me a moment to realize what he was referring to.

"Oh, yes, we called last night. They..." I glanced at Louis, and there was uncertainty in his eyes. "They aren't sure when it will be fixed, but they are going to let us know."

"You are both welcome here as long as you like," my Grandma said as she slowly made her way into the kitchen, crouching over her cane.

"Thanks," I said, as my mum placed a plateful of crispy bacon in front of me.

~-~-~-~

"I don't know about this," Louis said quietly from beside me. We were walking back to my place, to see the damage. "He might be still there."

"We have to check sometime," I replied as we turned a corner, now on my street. He looked uneasy as we reached my apartment. I opened the front door without hesitation, and Louis stood at my shoulder, watching the doorway like a hawk. I tugged him inside, looking around.

My throat felt tight. Broken glass covered the living room floor, most likely from the window I hadn't realized was smashed until now. The TV, as I had expected, was wrecked. I bent over slightly to pick up the picture frame that I knew contained the picture Louis and I, the one of us when we were seven. I could envision the picture in my mind. Hee had his arm around me, and he was smiling widely, teeth missing and all. I was staring up at him like he was my idol.

But as I picked up the frame, which was shattered and broken, I realized there was no picture in it. Staring at the floor, I finally accepted the fact that the picture I had loved so dearly was now the ripped shreds under my feet.

I didn't want to cry. On top of that, I really didn't want Louis to see me cry, again. But the tears came, and he pulled me close, holding me as we stood in the wreckage of my home.

"We should call the police," he said quietly. I shook my head.

"There's nothing they can do," I replied. His eyes were filled with apology.

"Then I think you should move out. Find a new place. We know he has a key now, and he could get in any time. Who knows what he'll do," he said.

I knew he was right. I nodded, and he squeezed me tightly before stepping back.

"Maybe you should go through the place... Get things you don't want to be ruined. Just in case." I nodded again, letting go of his sleeve and turning around, fumbling around for things still intact.