Echoes of us

Chapter five

"Louis," I whisper under my breath, my voice catching. Suddenly, the entire tent seems to pause.

He wasn't supposed to come. He needed space, time to clear his head, and I had accepted that. But now, he's walking toward us, calm and collected, wearing his usual black jeans and a t-shirt, his hair slightly messy like he ran his hands through it moments ago. He's here. He's really here.

Michael and Steve, who were deep in conversation, freeze mid-sentence. Bella's eyes widen, and Isaac, who's been leaning against the back of his chair, stands up straighter, his usual calm expression now one of pure surprise.

"Louis!" Bella's surprised voice echoes as she spots him.

Louis smiles—small, but genuine—and when his eyes lock with mine for a brief second, I can't help but feel an overwhelming rush of happiness. I thought he needed space, that he'd skip this. But here he is, at Glastonbury, with us.

Without thinking, I rush up to him, throwing my arms around him in a quick hug. "I can't believe you're here!" I laugh, pulling back to look at him.

He wraps his arms around me for a moment, squeezing gently. "Neither can I," he admits quietly, his voice just for me. There's something softer in his expression, like he's glad he didn't stay away.

Bella appears beside me, practically bouncing on her feet with excitement. "You couldn't miss this, could you?"  she teases, giving him a playful punch in the arm before hugging him too.

Steve is right behind him, clapping Louis on the back. "No way, you actually came!" He crosses the space between them and pulls Louis into a hug, grinning like a kid on Christmas.

"You said you weren't coming, man." Steve laughs, shaking his head.

Isaac raises an eyebrow, a grin tugging at his lips. "What happened to 'I need space, I need time'? Couldn't stay away from us that long, huh?" he teases.

Louis just shrugs, a small smile tugging at his lips as he glances around the group. "Changed my mind," he says casually, though when his eyes land on me, they linger for a moment longer, and I can feel the weight of that look.

I raise an eyebrow at him, a silent question—what made you change your mind?

Belly grins at me, nudging me with her elbow. "I told you he'd come. Glastonbury without Louis? Impossible."

Louis chuckles, shaking his head, "Guess I couldn't," he says, his voice soft but sincere. "I needed this."

Just then, Isaac steps over, handing Louis another beer, who catches it easily with one hand "So, how long before you admit you can't stay away from us?"

Louis smirks, taking the beer. "I'll never admit that."

Michael grins, popping open another can for himself. "Glad you came around.".

I can't help but smile. It feels good to see him here, a reminder that things are getting better for him. We all needed that.

"Alright, alright," Bella grins, standing up and heading over to give Louis a hug. "Glad you came around. We were worried you were going to spend the whole weekend sulking in your house." she laughed and then we've all grabbed our drinks, making our way toward the stages

The festival air is electric as the sun begins to set, casting a warm glow over the sprawling grounds of Glastonbury. Music pulses from every direction, the distant hum of different stages blending into an intoxicating rhythm.

I feel Louis's presence next to me. He doesn't say anything at first, just stands there, close enough that I can feel the warmth from him. Then, in a low voice meant just for me, he mutters, "Glad I came."