Echoes of us

Chapter seven

I stir under the blanket, feeling the dull throb in my head—an unkind reminder of just how much I drank last night. My eyes flutter open, and I squint against the soft morning light. The air feels cool, almost fresh, as the sounds of soft laughter and low voices drift through the tent's thin walls. The dull ache behind my eyes greets me first, a not-so-gentle reminder of how muchI drank last night.

For a moment, I lay there, staring at the tent above me, trying to gather my thoughts. It all comes back in fragments—dancing, the feel of his hands on me, the way ourlips met.

It's hard to make sense of anything at first, the night before a hazy blur of dancing, drinks, and... Louis. God, Louis. Is he gone already? Did it mean anything to him? I push the blanket off and rub my face, trying to shake the fear creeping in.

I shift, the weight of the blankets pulling away as I roll onto my back, and that's when I notice. His side of the sleeping bag is empty. I sit up quickly, the remnants of last night rushing back in flashes—dancing, laughing, the taste of his lips on mine.

Sitting up slowly, I push the blanket off and run my fingers through my tangled hair. My body aches in that pleasant way, but my mind is anything but settled. I know I should stay in the tent a little longer—let the boys talk outside without me—but curiosity gets the better of me. I want to see him. I want to know if things have already shifted between us.

Then, I spot it—a familiar navy hoodie folded at the foot of the sleeping bag. Not just any hoodie, but Louis's, the one he's worn a thousand times. It's one of Louis's green hoodie and on top of it is a small note. My breath catches as I pick up the paper, Louis's messy handwriting scrawled across it.

Didn't want to wake you up. I'm outside. Take your time. – Louis x.

I let out a small breath I was holding and clutch the note to my chest for a second, allowing myself to absorb the gesture. He didn't leave. He's still here, waiting for me.

I pull the hoodie over my head, inhaling the familiar scent of him—something warm and comforting, a mix of his cologne and the faint smell of campfire smoke. It's like wrapping myself in a piece of him. I take a deep breath and unzip the tent slowly, stepping out into the morning air, trying to shake off the haze of sleep.

As I step out into the open, I immediately spot Louis. He's sitting with the boys, his back to me, talking animatedly about something. I pause for a second, just watching him, remembering the way we fell asleep last night—tangled in each other's arms. Now, in the daylight, it feels different. Real.

A warm, easy smile spreads across his lips, and just like that, I feel myself relax.

And there he is.

I walk over to him, feeling the softness of his hoodie around me. Louis hasn't stopped talking. His hands are moving as he explains something, the others nodding along, but I'm too lost in my own thoughts to catch all the details. My mind can' stop thinking about if Bella really knows. If everyone knows. We did walk out of the same tent this morning, after all.

Louis sits with the boys, his back to me, talking animatedly, his hands moving as he gestures, explaining something that has them all captivated. For a second, I just watch him, feeling that strange mix of affection and disbelief. Last night wasn't a dream. It was real.

As I approach, Bella catches my eye first. She's sitting between Zak and Isaac, and her smile is soft, knowing. There's a warmth in her eyes that feels like silent support. She knows. Maybe they all do. I mean, we did come out of the same tent. There's no hiding that.

Louis's talking animatedly, hands gesturing wildly as he explains something to them, He must sense me, because his head turns, Louis is the first to look over his shoulder, the second he notices me, his entire face softens. And when his eyes meet mine, his face lights up with a smile.