Rivals - L.S.

Twenty Two - Serenade

It had been four days since 'the incident,' as Louis was calling it, and he was basically in hiding. When the doorman called up to Louis' room, he knew that meant someone was there to see him. And Louis just couldn't face anyone. So he left. He slipped out the front door and took the stairs down to the lobby, sneaking out the back entrance where he proceeded to call Zayn. That's where he had spent the last few days, buried in the covers of Zayn's spare bedroom, avoiding anyone and everyone.

Louis reached out to Simon first. He told the older man vaguely what had happened, asking if he could take a few personal days and assuring him that he would be back for their next game. Simon understood and gave Louis a free pass to skip a couple practices (and to tell the whole team that he was ill instead of crying over a cheating boyfriend). Being Simon's favorite definitely had perks.

But now Louis couldn't avoid it anymore. It was game day and he was going to have to face not only Harry, but Calum too, and Louis didn't know if he'd be able to keep his composure. He had to face the boys who practically killed him inside, who broke his already damaged heart even more. And it was going to really suck.

He was sat in the dugout, sandwiched between Zayn and the wall as he waited for the game to start. They had already had their time on the field to warm up and their opponents were out now, leading up to first pitch which he would have to throw. Louis just didn't feel any kind of team spirit, any kind of motivation to play or cheer for his teammates or do anything. He hadn't since what happened with Harry.

Louis knew that it was stupid deep down, that he was cheated on and that he should move on. Be he couldn't. He couldn't hate Harry and he couldn't just find someone new to sleep with or anything like that because he still cared too much.

"Um, excuse me everybody," a loud voice rang out over the P.A system, as if someone had been reading Louis' mind.

He looked up to the field. Harry had walked out to the mound, a microphone in his hand as he gathered the attention of everyone in the stadium. A silence fell over the crowd, everyone awaiting what the curly haired boy had to say.

"Hi. My name is Harry Styles, I'm on the Great Britain team if you don't know me already. Welcome to the game! Just, before we get going, I wanted to do something a little different. A little... unconventional, so to speak," he began, explaining with little hand gestures, "So, first off, I am in love, if you all didn't know that from the media and magazines and whatnot. And something happened and I know that I was the reason that a really lovely guy got hurt in the worst kind of way. And I don't know how I could ever say anything or do anything to fix it. But I'm going to try."

Louis knew that all eyes were on him now, from his teammates to his opponents to everyone in the stands. It was no secret that it was about him. Louis felt like he was suffocating, like his lungs could burst, but he wouldn't let it show. He put up his walls and kept a straight face and tried to look unaffected. He didn't blink when people started to whisper and he didn't acknowledge Zayn's comforting arm that had slipped around his shoulder. He stayed as still as a statue.

"I prepared a song, with the help of my talented best friend, Niall Horan. I know this won't erase what happened and it won't change the fact that I hurt someone I care so dearly for, but this kind of says what I can't anywhere else. So, here it is. Thank you," Harry announced.

Louis crossed his arms over his chest, bouncing his leg rapidly for a moment before forcing himself to stop.

Harry opened up his mouth and, God, Louis felt like he was falling in love all over again. Like he wasn't broken and he wasn't sad and he wasn't hurt. Like Harry and Calum's kiss never happened and it was just Harry and Louis. For just a second, he was okay.