Palas

29. "I wouldn't be able to control myself."

5. Stargaze.
I feel invincible as I run after Louis. He might be faking that he's afraid of my pay-back, but he's getting it. I bump into several people yelling sorry over my shoulder every time. Louis is fast though, really fast. When he reaches the exit of the pier, where the crowd is slimmed down, we both stop.

"Are you a professional sprinter or what?" I say out of breath.

"Yes." He smirks standing up straight while I have to bend and rest my hands on my knees. He pats my shoulder as he walks past me, clearly not infected by the amount of running we just did. "Just wanted to tell you to not hurt Harry's feelings."

My heart sinks to my feet. This is what I mean that nothing last long in Palas. It lasts exactly two minutes.

"You're kidding I hope." I can't help but sound angry already.

"No of course not, I don't want him to get hurt."

"By me?" I half-laugh. "I don't think I can actually hurt him Louis."

"Of course you can. He has feelings. All boys do." The way he says this makes clear that is a sensitive subject; for Louis.

"That's not what I mean. I just don't think I am in that... position."

"Look, I'm just saying to be careful. I saw the way he acted around you earlier and how he ran off to find you. You clearly know what to say to piss him off, but have him wrapped around your finger anyway. You have to know that I saw what happened with that sicko Rosie last year and I don't want that to happen again."

"Wow," I bring out, fuming that he seems to think I am capable of the things Rosie did. "If you think that I am like Rosie, you clearly are the one who should be careful because then you're bad at judging people. Now if you excuse me."

I suddenly feel the lowest of low. Here I was thinking that I had a group that cared for me in a way. Yet they only hang out with me because of Harry. Great.

"Wait," Louis yells after me, but he doesn't really try to catch up with me. We both know he easily can. "Lexie?"

"What?" I snap. I don't like him calling me Lexie.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"Like what then?" I say turning around to face him. "It was a compliment? Because I don't want to be even mentioned with Rosie. I don't like her."

"Me neither."

"You must hate me if you think I can hurt him the way Rosie did. I'm not sure what all went down, but judging from what I learned from her the past weeks, it can't be good. Now I'm no saint, but I'm not evil either." The words are rushed as I speak to him over the loud volume of the crowd and music behind us.

"I don't hate you. In fact I think you're fun remember? It's just... I see you two getting closer and I'd hate for it to go wrong."

"We're just friends. And I thought we all were. Boy was I wrong." Nothing of what he says makes me okay with his assumptions.

"We are," he almost yells, frustrated with how this went. "Look, I am sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. Harry is a great friend and I want him to have a great time this year. He deserves it. And if you are his friend then it's all alright. I won't mention it ever again. Okay?"

He looks desperate as he begs me to agree.

"Whatever." It seems like the best answer in this situation. I'll not forget how easily he accused me but I'll forgive him. In the end he's looking out for Harry. Someone we both seem to care about.