Two Roads ≫ l.s

15

Nothing else was mentioned about the morning incident Louis and I were left to contend with, disregarding the odd glance and smirk from either Zayn or Perrie.

After pulling apart rapidly, neither Louis or I could pass it off as anything more than "we got cold."

I couldn't have been more thankful it wasn't anyone else who had caught us, though. Particularly a certain girl we had been making the effort to avoid. We were simply left to pray that neither Zayn or Perrie would bring anything up, although I'd given them the benefit of the doubt. Zayn in particular.

"Do you think they noticed...?" I mumbled in a whisper to Louis after we'd been left in the tent alone.

"Well, given the fact we were woken up by their giggles, I think they might be a little familiar with the fact we fell asleep like that." Louis rolled his eyes at my accidentally stupid thought.

"I hope they don't act too differently around us." I worried, nibbling at the loose skin on the side of my thumbnail.

"They were already acting like our personal shippers without encouragement. I don't think any change would be too drastic." Louis smirked.

"I hope not, anyway." I discreetly turned away from him, adjusting my t-shirt before pulling it off nervously, realizing he'd done the same, facing away from me and making sure I was fully occupied before making any adjustments to his clothing.

I felt guilty for knowing, although I knew it wasn't really any fault of mine. I'd just glanced up at the wrong time, likewise to Zayn's discovery. Although the only difference was Louis had no idea I knew. I wondered if he'd ever find out, although I had no idea how he would. It really wasn't something I particularly wanted to think about. Maybe he would treat me differently if I knew, anyway. And the way he currently acted around me really wasn't something I could lose.

"Done?" Louis asked timidly, causing me to bounce back into reality and realize I'd barely taken my shirt off.

"Oh- right, er-... almost. Yeah." I quickly whipped it off, replacing it with a black-and-white checked shirt and the signature black skinny jeans, really not paying attention to the contents of my outfit and how much it matched. My mind was too occupied with other things of slightly more importance than if my jeans had any stains on them.

"Done." I mumbled, running my fingers through my own hair, trying to make it fall over my forehead in a less untidy fashion although it was questionable whether my attempt was successful or not.

"Turn around." Louis suddenly commanded, a mildly alarming edge to his voice.

Frowning in confusion, I turned myself around to face Louis.

My heart dropped.

His eyes sparkled into mine in a tentative gaze, his hair covering the majority of his own forehead in a chestnut-coloured mess on his head, although in perspective, his untidiness could be compared to that of a spilt treasure chest.

He was shirtless.

He gulped, blinking at me as he studied my reaction, being exposed to his own exposure of his abused skin, every inch of his back and partially around his chest covered in bruises staining his tanned colour a deep purple.

He took in a shaky breath, his arms beginning to make their way across his ribs in self-conscious coverage of his cuts.

"Lou-..." The irregularity of my breathing intensified as not only was I once again faced with the complete view of Louis, but the raw fact that this time, it was intentional.

Louis gulped, unable to gather enough words to express himself. "Funny how... certain perceptions can be so-... deceiving. Right?" Despite the midst of his supposed nervousness and struggle, he managed to hold his gaze into my eyes and raise his eyebrow.