Truly Madly Deeply

Chapter 18: The Best Friend Talk

A few months had passed since Savannah had joined Louis on the tour, and at this point, she was beginning to think she'd never sleep in her own bed again. The endless arenas, the constant movement, the weird hours—it was a chaotic mess, but it was her mess. The lads had become like brothers to her, and despite all their absurdities, she was starting to care about each one of them in their own ridiculous ways. But the most ridiculous thing of all was Louis's over-the-top protective big-brother routine.

Now, don't get her wrong—Louis had always been a pain in the ass. But lately, he'd stepped up his game to a whole new level, especially when it came to Liam. And Savannah wasn't sure how to feel about it.

It all started one night, after a particularly wild show where the fans were way more enthusiastic than usual. Savannah had been hanging out backstage with the lads, catching her breath, when Louis grabbed her by the arm and dragged her into the corner of the bus, away from the chaos.

"Alright, we need to talk," Louis said, his voice serious, which, for anyone who knew him, was already a red flag.

"About what?" Savannah groaned, knowing exactly where this was going.

He glared at her, eyebrows raised. "You know what, love. About you and Liam."

"Seriously?" She pulled away from him, feeling her cheeks heat up. "Louis, we've been over this. There's nothing between me and Liam, okay? I'm just here to have a good time on tour. I'm not looking for anything else."

Louis crossed his arms and leaned against the wall like some sort of wise old mentor. "I'm not buying it, Sav. I see the way you look at him. I'm not blind, and I sure as hell know you aren't either."

Savannah could feel her stomach do a little flip. She was really not in the mood for this conversation. "Louis, for the last time—"

"No, no, no," Louis interrupted, holding up a hand like he was about to deliver some grand lecture. "You listen to me. I know you've been sneaking looks at him. I've seen the way your eyes follow him whenever he takes off his shirt. You think I didn't notice?"

Savannah groaned, rolling her eyes. "Oh my god. I've been on a tour bus with five hormonal teenage boys for months. Of course I'm going to notice when someone takes their shirt off, Louis. It's like a freaking daily routine at this point."

"Exactly," Louis said, nodding as if he'd cracked some massive code. "It's not just someone. It's Liam. And if you think I'm just going to stand here and let you go around getting all googly-eyed over him without saying something, you've got another thing coming, sweetheart."

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I'm not getting 'googly-eyed,' okay? I just... I look at him sometimes. I'm human."

Louis's expression softened, but only slightly. "Look, Sav. I know you. You're my best mate. And I know what you're like when you get into something. You don't half-ass anything, especially when it comes to feelings. So, if you're even thinking about making things with Liam, you need to know what you're getting into."

Savannah stared at him, stunned. "You're talking about this like it's a damn lifetime commitment. It's not like that. It's just... you know. We get along. He's a nice guy. What's the problem?"

"The problem, sweetheart, is that Liam's not just any guy. He's Liam Payne. And he's in a boy band. A big one. You think all the crazy fans out there are going to just let you have him? No. You've got to be ready for that." Louis paused, his face serious. "And, look, he's my mate. I know him better than anyone here. He's a good bloke, but he's not just going to fall for anyone. You have to be careful with him, Sav. He's not a toy. He's not some... one-night fling."

Savannah blinked, caught off guard by Louis's intensity. "You sound like you're trying to protect me," she said, raising an eyebrow. "What is this, the big brother speech?"

Louis shrugged nonchalantly, but there was a softness to his gaze that told a different story. "In a way. But it's more than that. I'm just looking out for you, yeah? I know what it's like to be in the spotlight, and I know how it can mess with your head. So, if you're thinking about this, just think carefully. I don't want to see you get hurt."

She stared at him for a long moment, her emotions a swirl of confusion, affection, and maybe a little frustration. "I didn't ask for your approval, Louis," she said with a small sigh, though there was a hint of a smile playing at the corner of her mouth. "But... thanks. I guess."

Louis cracked a grin, his usual sass creeping back in. "Well, you're welcome, princess. You can't get through life without me giving you advice on something. It's my job to keep you from making stupid decisions."

"You mean like the time you tried to convince me to dye my hair pink?" she shot back, raising an eyebrow. "Real genius move, that one."

"Hey, I thought it was a good look! Just not your shade of pink," Louis shot back with a wink. "But anyway, just think about it. And don't do anything stupid."

Savannah let out a laugh, shaking her head. "I won't, I promise. But I'll tell you one thing, Louis—I'm not the only one with feelings in this tour bus. You've been acting all high and mighty with your advice, but I see you, mate. You're not as slick as you think."

Louis's eyes narrowed with playful suspicion. "What the hell are you talking about?"

She grinned wickedly. "I know you've been looking at Zayn every time he gets his guitar out. Don't even try to deny it."

Louis's face turned an impressive shade of red, and Savannah couldn't help but laugh. "You are such a hypocrite."

"Shut up," Louis muttered, crossing his arms defensively. "That's different."

"Yeah, sure," Savannah said, still laughing. "You keep telling yourself that."

Louis let out an exaggerated sigh, but the smile on his face was genuine. "I swear to God, you're impossible. But, just for the record, I'm still the best friend you've got. Deal with it."

Savannah raised her glass in a mock salute. "Deal."

As she left him to go back to the others, she couldn't help but appreciate the rare, unspoken bond they shared. Louis might be a pain in the ass, but he was her best friend. And he wasn't going to let her make any mistake—especially when it came to Liam Payne.