168 HOURS (Larry Stylinson)

4// Cold Sandwiches

Somehow Louis had managed to dodge straying family members he both did and did not recognize. He was flipping through his wallet inside a restaurant that looked appealing trying to find his card when he heard his name being called out.

"LOUIS!"

He abruptly turned around and broadly smiled. Shoving the wallet back into his pocket, he sprinted over to the boy waiting for him with open arms.

"ZEE!" Louis squealed in return and threw himself in the arms of the taller lad. Zayn tightly embraced Louis and then held him out at arm's length looking him up and down.

"How ya been?" Zayn asked.

"It's only been a week since I saw you. Nothing much has happened," Louis shrugged.

"You've been here for four days and you still haven't ran into any hot babes?" Zayn playfully nudged Louis' shoulder.

Louis blushed and laughing, replied, "Nope. This place is filled with old people pinching my cheeks and telling me how much I've grown."

"Louis?" Another familiar voice spoke after the tiny bell above the door jingled to life.

"LIAM! NIALL!" Louis turned again with another smile and nearly toppled the two over with his massive jump-hug.

"Is it possible you've gotten louder?" Liam joked and pushed Louis off of him.

"What are you all doing here?" Louis asked instead of commenting on Liam's remark. "I thought you all were busy."

Zayn slung his arm around Louis's shoulders, "Well I did my shoot a few days ago and it's the middle of a Californian summer Louis. Did you really believe it was ski weather?"

Shaking off Zayn's sarcasm, Louis decided it now best to ignore any of the sassy remarks Zayn was handing out. He didn't like sassy Zayn. He reminded Louis of himself from his high school days. When you look back at yourself, it's not really much to be proud about.

"I'm just really happy you guys are here! I would have died of boredom without people my own age." Louis gave each one another hug just because he felt like they came and rescued him from an island full of cannibals.

"Mr. Tomlinson do you still want this food?" A lady motioned to a bag sitting on the counter.

It was now Louis remembered Harry. Sweet, sweet Harry with eyes of grass showered in morning dew, and deep dimples Louis could curl up into, with hair resembling such of a sheen hardwood floor. The same Harry whom he has known for no more than five days yet felt like he could pour his heart in Harry's soul where it would be safe for all of eternity. Harry who has an ingratiating voice and was able to play Louis like a violin: alluringly and fluently.

Harry who had valiantly confessed how strongly he felt for Louis in all but ninety-six hours.

Louis felt his heart sink. And it kept sinking as he trudged over to the counter and glumly paid.

"Who you getting a fancy dinner for?" Niall waggled his eyebrows at Louis.

Louis looked down at the bag containing Harry's club sandwich with no tomatoes, his own bland sandwich, the bag of chips they were to share, and two water bottles fresh from the fridge. He chose it best to not mention Harry for obvious reasons and instead lied, "My mum."

Louis walked with the boys to their rooms to learn where they were located -only down the hall from Louis- and then headed to his own room, picking up the hotel paper pad and pen before heading back out. The lads were going to get settled and change so they could all hang together in about half an hour, but Louis had one errand to run. On the way to Harry's room, he wrote out a note on the paper and laid it on top of the food bag outside of Harry's door. He then quickly scurried back to his room before he was caught.

Louis felt bad about stranding Harry. But he was pretty sure Harry would understand. Harry said he loved me. That's not going to go away because I miss a little meal. Besides, if he wants to convince me that I love him, he won't hold this against me.

Meanwhile, Harry was nervously smoothing out every crease in the blanket again and again. He would stray from chair to blanket while he awaited Louis. His stomach loudly rumbled but he tried to distract himself using his phone because he was going to wait for Louis.

Harry had found the perfect spot. It was mostly smooth and was right next to the spring he had found. He had set up a quilt, and chairs a few feet away if Louis wanted to sit on a chair instead of the ground. Looking up, was a view of the night; the shadowy night sky littered with specs of light.

Checking his watch anxiously for the last time, the minute hand just clicked over to the twelve, signaling it had hit eight o'clock: four hours after Louis had suggested they meet.

Of course, Harry blamed himself. He found it the only logical reason as to why Louis never showed. Harry was too bold, he was throwing himself at Louis and it was something Louis didn't intend to catch. Harry was furious with himself. He never should have told Louis how he made him feel. How whenever he just heard Louis or caught a small glimpse of the back of his head, he was giddy and anxious and wanted to just wrap little Louis up into his arms and keep him there forever.

Harry started to pack up. He folded the baby blue blanket and the dark blue chairs he found in the back of his mum's car. Harry had half expected Louis to come breathlessly running and stop Harry in the middle of his cleanup. But he didn't. Then, Harry expected to run into Louis as he was slowly and sorrowfully walking out of the woods. But he didn't.

Harry began to blame himself again for being too clingy and straightforward. He was mentally hitting himself so many times that it began to physically hurt his head.

He was so stupid; oblivious to the factor that Louis may not even like him back. How could he have been so naive, of course Louis didn't. Harry was just a way to pass time at this godforsaken place and was nothing more than a chew toy. How could he not have seen it before?

He nearly smashed it. Harry was trying to stop himself from crying by staring straight ahead and nowhere else. It wasn't until he looked down for the keycard he saw the bag. He wasn't sure why it was there or what it was filled with, but it sure smelt good. Sniffling back tears, Harry bent down and immediately pieced together in his head what it was.

He found his sandwich just how he liked it, and Louis' sandwich with some water and some Doritos. But on top of it all, rested a piece of paper covered with what he assumed to be Louis's handwriting.

I'm so so sorry I couldn't make it to dinner tonight. Something important came up I had to deal with. I hope you understand and can forgive me; maybe we can reschedule in a couple of days? It was very lovely of you to go through the trouble for dinner, sorry I had to skip but hopefully we can hang out soon.
-Louis

Harry sighed and crumpled the paper leaving it in the trash with the rest of the bag to decompose or whatever that stuff does. Two whole days until I'll see Louis again? Does he not know that to get him to love me too I have to be with him and make him feel safe? I have to look into his eyes one last time if he's going to ignore me forever and fuck I also need to just hold him. He knew he had been too candid about this; his mouth had gotten the better of him. He kicked the side of the bed and grunted partly in pain and partly because he was a stupid idiot who couldn't contain himself. It was all his fault he had scared Louis away. All his damn fault and he couldn't fucking turn the tables now

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold stopwatch with an H engraved on the cover and a crack on the screen separating the times nine through eleven from the rest.

One hundred and fifty nine hours and counting.