Edge of Seventeen Larry AU

Forever Young.

April 1992

It all started back when Louis was... seventeen. Louis, the highschool sweetheart met the most misterious and dangerous guy. Louis was a junior, and his name was Toby, a high school drop out who would often hang around the school's parking lot.

Their eyes met for the first time after a football game, Louis' boyfriend, Andrew was the quarterback, and Louis the perfect cheer captain. Cliché. Louis walked out with his friends after the game carrying his bag, and Toby was standing there, with a cigarette on his mouth and holding the lighter with his left hand. The bunch of girls giggled, and Louis blushed. Toby directed his gaze to the group and stared into the gorgeous blue eyes. He walked over to them, and Louis turned his gaze down to the ground when he saw the boy approach.

"Hey babe."

...

They sort of ran away together. After dumping Andrew, skipping Spring Dance, and losing his virginity to Toby, and big fighting with his parents, and a bunch of bad decisions, Louis packed his bag and at four a.m. he was riding the back of Toby's motorcycle. Road to ruin.

April 1994

Louis sat down and sighed. He knew he had messed up. With just a few bills on his pocket, stolen from Toby's wallet he swallowed the lump on his throat and ordered a cup of coffee. The constant noise of the cars annoyed him and he looked into his bag for his pack of cigarettes. It wasn't long until he gave up looking for his Camel Blue. He sipped his coffee and looked around, so far he was sure that Toby was still passed out on the living room. He bit his lip and stared at the long road from the big window. He was far, pretty far, he knew that because of the cheap clock on the rather  kitsch-y  restaurant.

...

He had no idea how he did it, but he found himself serving coffee to trailer drivers and couples on summer road trips. He crashed his first night there with another waitress and soon they became friends.

It was two months later, the sun was very hot. Not long before he settled he found out he was a few miles from Cali. On Sundays Louis and his new friends would drive down the road for a little and go shopping once they were in the city. He would spend his nights gossiping and laughing with the girls after closing the restaurant. Drinking stolen beer and saving up money. 

It wasn't a surprise to Louis after a while to receive stares and whistles every night from truck drivers and bikers. His skirt was a little short on the back, and the apron wouldn't help. But believe it or not, Louis was still shy, funny, bright, beautiful, that kind of beauty that screams innocence. Yeah, innocent and still pretty naive, a little afraid, but oh so brave, and wouldn't miss the chance to jump, to yell back, to leave, to be free, to fight. 

He rolled his eyes.

And then a pretty, expensive looking car parked outside and two tall and refined men walked in. They were both wearing suits, and looked a little exhausted. One of them was definitely looking at him. And Louis almost spilled the coffee.

The man presented himself as Zayn once the restaurant was empty except for Zayn and the waitresses. His friend nowhere to be seen. 

"You are such a pretty boy." Zayn whispered. "Mind joining me tomorrow afternoon? Gonna be in California for the weekend, business, you know. And I don't know, but after your shift I could drive back here..."