I Know You, Lou // l.s.

8.

Present Day 2015

.

When the four friends pulled up to the water park, Harry felt a wave of nostalgia over come him.

He looked down at the car seat between Louis and himself, and remembered the last time, when they'd held hands and the promise of forever still hung in the air.

Harry let out a long breath as he stared down at his hands resting in his lap, longing for the feeling of Louis' slightly smaller one back in his, where it always should have been.

He never realized just how much Louis meant to him, until he'd come waltzing back into his life that day at the diner, complaining and swearing about his job. The way he was still the same but so different, intrigued Harry and all he wanted was to know him again, like the way he used to.

"Alright!" Niall cheered as they parked the car and all climbed out. "So pumped!"

Liam chuckled as he grabbed his bag out and closed the door, waiting for the others to all do the same. Louis was smiling, taking it all in as he slung his bag over his shoulder and stared up at the water park, all the slides and rides.

"Here we are, lads." He chuckled. "Let's go."

Harry was the last to close the car door, bag in his hands as Liam locked it, and the four of them began to walk inside.

They paid their entry, hired a locker for their things and went straight to the large pool, spreading their towels out before they went in the water for a swim.

.

"I'm kinda hungry." Liam announced as they laid on the towels in the sun, a rare occurrence in England.

"Same." Harry agreed, sitting up as he adjusted his sunglasses over his eyes, looking around the park. "Should we grab lunch?"

Louis was just walking back from the bathroom, a grin on his face as he approached the three boys, sitting on their towels.

"There's no line at the lunch stand, if you guys want food now?" He announced, placing his hands on his hips as he stared down at them.

His chest was gleaming in the sunshine, and Harry thought it should be illegal how good he looked with his tanned skin, littered with tattoos. His throat went dry as he tried and failed to form words, earning a judgmental glance from Louis, before he turned his attention back to Liam and Niall.

"Sounds good." Niall agreed, sending a supportive smile to his roommate, trying to help him feel better.

So the four of them grabbed their things and a shirt each, and went to the cafeteria.

"Are you alright?" Niall whispered to Harry as they walked, and Harry nodded.

"Y-Yeah." He answered. "H-He just makes me a little, um, n-nervous, is all."

"I know he's a bit, um..." Niall hesitated as he stared at the two boys walking ahead of them. "Rude, I guess, is the word for it. Maybe talk to him?"

Harry nodded and offered him a smile in return. He really was grateful for such a great friend. But Niall didn't quite know just how Louis made him feel.

Harry was embarrassed when he pointed out his flaws, but he also really liked and missed the boy. He wanted to talk to him, but Harry had no idea what to say, and he just knew he was going to stutter or stumble over his words, and Louis would make him feel bad again.

And honestly, Harry didn't even hate Louis for teasing him, because Louis didn't even know that he had a condition. Besides, Harry could never hold it against him. If it was the other way around, he would probably think he was a freak too, so he couldn't blame Louis for thinking he was weird.