LA to The Bay

Chapter 44: Bass Lake (4)

Bass Lake, California

I open my eyes and stare at the curtain, relieved to see that it's finally light outside.

I've slept fitfully, tossing and turning, replaying the evening, the moment of the confession, the pleasure of our kiss and the guilt when Leah found us. Because there has to be guilt, it would be too easy otherwise.

I feel nauseous as I remember the way Louis was smiling at me last night, first when I was sitting on the floor with Ana and Duncan and then during the song. I'm not nauseous because of any feelings of displeasure I might suddenly have developed for him, for despite current appearances I'm not that fickle, but instead due to the overwhelmingly confusing feelings that I seem to have developed for his best friend.

Because there's no point denying it to myself any further, I would be entering in to the realms of a real delusion to even try and do so, because no one is buying it anymore, right? But what sort of person does that, gets off with their ex boyfriends best friend? A shoddy person that's who, and Harry is just as bad, never once showing a hint of self control. So I think it's best if we just stay away from each other from this point forth, before we risk hurting anyone beyond ourselves.

I look over at Ana's empty bed and close my eyes relieved as I remember that they've all gone to El Capitan, so avoiding them today will at least be easy, and well I'm just going to have to keep my head down thereafter, so as much as I loathe it that means no more barely there bikinis to taunt people with, I'm just going to have to put up with wearing a bag over my head from now on.

As much as I want to get up and enjoy the sunshine like I had planned to, my body is drowsy through lack of sleep, and so I'm struggling to do anything other than pick at the loose threads of cotton on my bed sheet. If only there was someone to bring me a cup of tea in bed, that would be the perfect rousing treat I need to help me move forward with the day.

I'm startled from my contemplation by a knock at the door and I'm hopeful that a dashing porter with a tea pot has secretly read my mind.

'Harry.' I gulp on opening the door. 'I thought you were going in to Yosemite?' I check my watch and it's 9.30 so the coach would have left two hours ago.

'I was, but I was kind of hoping that, um.' He is shuffling about again nervously, 'that um, you might like to spend the day with me?' He looks at the floor, his eyes squinting, as if bracing himself for my barrage of rejections and any other insults I might happen to fancy throwing in.

'Well I was planning on just doing some sun bathing, I'm pretty tired, I didn't sleep too good last night.'

'Guilty conscious, eh?' I stare at him, unsure if he is trying to crack a joke or just stating the obvious. 'Well you can still sunbathe where we are going.' He changes the subject quickly, hopefully realising from my lack of response the inappropriateness of his joke.

'I don't know Harry, I just feel so bad.' It's true, if we both have any decency we really wouldn't be pursuing this beyond what happened last night.

'But there's nothing to feel bad about.' I can sense he's getting frustrated.

'How can you say that?'

'Look, it's not like I make a habit of going after my best friends girl, but Louis has made it pretty clear that he's happy for you to meet new people.'

'Thanks for the reminder.'

'I'm not trying to be mean, but you just need to let go, and so I don't see why you and I hanging out together is going to end the world?'

'What are you planning on doing anyway?' I take a deep breathe, aware that we are arguing again already.

'Fishing, obviously.' He suddenly thrusts two rods towards me, now grinning, and I can't help but laugh at the idea of it; Harry, Mr Suave Gucci sunglasses, he of long hair mane tossing wants to do something as old blokeish as fishing.

'What's so funny?' His brow is frowning confused.

'Nothing.' I lie, 'Where did you get them from anyway?'

'I hired them obviously.'

'Obviously.' I mock his repetitive use of the word. 'Well you sure know how to charm a girl with a tub of maggots.'

'Look, you don't have to actually do any fishing if you don't want to, you can just sunbathe next to the lake.'

I try to fight for another excuse to avoid spending the day with him but I'm struggling. I don't like the idea of hurting Louis, but what does he expect me to do, send myself off to a convent? Plus I don't really see what the difference is between me sunbathing here or a bit further around the lake, especially when Harry will be occupied with fishing anyway.

'Okay.' I finally concede, 'but you need to let me relax, no bugging me with cheering at the size of the fish you just caught.'

'Definitely no bugging.' He beams and barges passed me and in to the cabin.

'What are you doing?' I balk as he jumps backwards on to the bed, his legs crossed at the ankles and hands resting behind his head. I really wish he'd stop doing that, sprawling out everywhere, because it's doing me no good gawping at him like this all the time.

'What does it look like I'm doing? Laying down.'

'Obviously.' We both say at the same time.

He's probably doing it deliberately, knowing that I can't help but look, since there is no way he doesn't know how good looking he is. My heart grows heavy at this realisation; that he actually is quite terrifically beautiful, and now that I've admitted this I can't help but wonder what the hell is he doing by wanting to hang out with me?

Authors note: the video I uploaded is No Control (unofficial obvs), because if Harry turned up at your door with a fishing rod this is the song which would be playing, right. PS: I could watch the scene where they jump in to the pool over and over 💗💗💗