After Winter - Harry Styles [Wattys 2013]

Chapter Six

~Emily~ 

I shouldn't have spoken on the first place.

I mean, he could live without knowing right? RIGHT. 

See, even you guys agree with me.

But, NO. I just have to be so stupid and get on with this drama and decide to actually tell him the truth. 

...Stupid lampshade. 

"Ems, what is it?" He asks softly, placing his hand on my shoulder, my body becoming tense involuntarily. He noticed this, a frown creasing on his face as he turned fully towards me. He examined my features.

I looked down, fiddling with my fingers as I let the moment pass by; the eerie silence too loud to be comfortable with. I gulped down the lump on my throat, looking up at him slowly as I opened my mouth to talk. "I know where A-"

"Hey, Harreh!" A high-pitched voice made both of us jump as we perked our heads to the open door - the Doncaster boy leaning on the doorframe with a smirk on his lips. I quirked my eyebrow up at him as he took steps closer. 

I shook my head at him, giving him a questioning look. He gave me a wink as he forcefully squeezed in between Harry and I. "So," He spoke rather loudly, "How's the cuts, Ems? Bearable?" He asks, a playful grin on his lips. 

"Uh, yeah?" I stammered, my mind going full-on confused. What the hell was Louis doing? He sent me a signal that I wasn't quite sure of before turning towards Harry. "Haz, Anne wants you back at the kitchen. She said something about giving the talk." He says, gesturing some air quotations. A small smirk crept on my face as I knew what the talk was. 

Harry's face looked glum; skin pale, eyes widening. He looked past Louis' shoulder to me, giving me a look as if he was asking permission... and help. I giggled as I nodded, letting Harry go as he clumsily made his way out of Gemma's room. 

I watched as his figure retreated to the kitchen before returning my attention to Louis. My smile faded as I turned to him, "Louis, wha...why did you enter all of a sudden?" I ask slowly, turning to him fully as I examined his features carefully.

A smirk was playing on his lips as he took a quick glance at the open doorway before turning back to me, "I had this slight feeling that you were going to tell Haz about Amber." He says, slumping his shoulders as he plopped on the bed, stretching his limbs. 

I gaped at him as I turned to his laying figure, "If you knew, why did you interrupt me? I mean, you were the one who thought that it wouldn't affect him as much as we thought if we had told him about her! So, why?" I ask him, staring blankly at the space beside him as I tried to collect my thoughts.

He sighed, looking up at me as he propped himself on his elbows, "I honestly don't know at all, Ems. I just... maybe you were right all along. Maybe if we just keep it as our little secret like we've always had, maybe he'd stay this happy. You know, with us. With you." He muttered, a darker shade of blue staring down on mine.