LOUIS
Every day Harry sits by the lake when we're swimming, saying "hi" to each duck that passes as he reads books. He's alone even when we're playing around in the water and accidentally scaring away the ducks. I occasionally catch him glancing, cheeks turning red whenever our eyes meet. Sometimes I think he wants more than the stories in his books, that perhaps he's interested in having a good time with us. And other times I suspect he merely has a crush on me, one that's certainly reciprocated.
"Louis," Zayn says, "you're watching him again."
"He's cute."
"Then maybe you should coax him into bed."
I snort. "He's way too lovely for that to be it."
"Then ask him out."
"I can't."
I wouldn't mind looking into his lovely, green eyes, but I also wouldn't mind touching him everywhere. And yet there's no way he doesn't deserve more. I can give him more, but I'm not in any way sure it would ever be enough for such a sweetheart—he says hello to the ducks. And yet I wouldn't mind poking his dimples once or twice—it's a tough choice because I'm hopelessly into him, but I also know I can't give him everything he probably wants.
"You're a hopeless romantic, Louis. Don't pretend you only want his ass."
"I'm not pretending anything. I have to head home, though. Mum needs help with the twins tonight."
"Talk to him on your way," he says, swimming back to Liam and Niall. "He wants you as much as you want him."
I swim closer to where he's sitting on the pier, climbing up the ladder to get up. Harry turns his book away so I'm not dripping on it, but he doesn't seem particularly annoyed about my presence.
"Sorry."
"That's okay," he says, eyes meeting mine. "I'm the one who chose to sit here."
"Have you always been greeting the ducks?"
He blushes as he looks away. "I didn't know you noticed that."
"It's cute."
Everyone else thinks it's somewhat strange, but there's something adorable about it, something that convinces me he has a sweet soul. And I want to learn more about him, but I hardly think I'm worthy, not when he's too good to be wooed by someone with reckless behaviour.
"You really think so?"
"Yeah," I say, taking a step back. "I have to go."
He looks a bit puzzled, then slightly hurt, but I'm not sure I can converse with him without possibly leading him on. I'm surely going to say something stupid, something that makes him realise I'm more than simply interested.
"Yeah... okay."
Harry and I don't know each other very well, but our holiday homes are nearly side by side. I don't see anyone throughout the school year, but each summer we're easily slipping into a routine that's better than anything I have in London. Zayn is moving there soon enough, probably with Liam, but until then I have to count on the summer to see them.
Harry hasn't been here too many summers, but he has always been sweet and quiet, not really interacting with anyone but his sister. And it's not that we haven't talked about inviting him over, but he always seems content just reading on the pier and interacting with the ducks. He occasionally dips his toes into the water, but he never gets in completely.
He's not there the next morning. I keep looking around, trying to locate him, but he's nowhere at all. Zayn and Liam are teasing me about it several times throughout the day, but I can't concentrate when Harry is absent—he's usually always here, never misses a single day. I even catch myself thinking about whether or not the ducks miss him as well.
