ᴇʟᴇᴠᴇɴᴛʜ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ.

Later that day I felt a soft knock on the door of my room.

"Yeah?"

I was currently laying down and staring at the ceiling in the same position I've been for the last five hours since I returned from the beach.
A lot was happening in my head and I needed some alone time to digest it.

"Dear, is everything okay? Your sisters are asking for you." - My mom said as I saw her head appearing in my room.

"I'm fine." - I sighed.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure."

She smiled and walked to my bed, sitting on the edge of it and placing her hand on my knee.

"What happened now?"

"I saw Harry."

"I figured that part out already."

I laughed.

"Yeah, well, I feel bad. Because he didn't want me to be there with him. And I kinda forced that, you know? I was so stubborn about meeting him and thinking it would be like a fairytale, but I don't really know if he likes me. I feel like he actually hates me."

"What makes you think that?"

"I tried to have a conversation with him, but it was like he was feeling attacked or something. I don't think he understands what's happening between us, and I don't want to throw all the information to him. But I also know that he doesn't actually want me around and that he is sick of hearing my voice in his head, he literally said that."

"Maybe he needs time to learn about you and how your connection works."

"I don't think he would want to learn about me."

"Did you try to start a conversation? Maybe you can talk about yourself and see where it goes."

"I don't know..."

"Just try again tomorrow."

"No, mom. I can't keep showing up, he's going to definitely hate me. He's going to think I'm stalking him or something."

"You like him? I mean, now that you've actually met him."

"Maybe? I mean he is so pretty. But he is also so serious and angry when he sees me. I think I just had a lot of expectations and an idea of him that isn't true."

"Lou, I don't actually know him, but if you could talk to him today, you just have to continue doing it. Baby steps. Maybe you can find out if he is good for you or if he really hates you, which I don't think it's possible." - She smiled. - "But honey, even if the soulmate legend worked for me and your dad, it doesn't have to be the same for you, maybe the sea was wrong and you will find someone better. If you're not comfortable around him, or if he isn't treating you right, then you can let it go. Don't feel pressured to make it work, yes? I'll support you no matter what."

I frowned and took in all she had said.

"I didn't even think about it not working."

"Okay, my advice now is that you stop thinking about it. You need to take everything calmer. Don't push it. And if it doesn't work, it's not the end of the world. I know you'll find somebody else."

"Thanks mom." - I smiled softly to her.

We both turned to look at the door when it opened slightly, revealing Fizzy's head.

"Louis, there's a handsome guy here to see you." - She said.

"Huh? Who?" - I asked, sitting up.

"I don't know. He said he's a friend. He's at the front door."

I turned to my mother and she was raising an eyebrow at me.
I shrugged and she rolled her eyes.

"Whoever it is, tell them we have plenty of food for dinner."

I laughed and stood up from my bed, heading downstairs and checking that none of my siblings were around when I got to open the door.

"Hey!"

I froze when I saw Liam on the front porch of my house.

"Hey…"

"Are you busy?"

"Mmmm… kinda."

"Doing what?"

"My family and I are about to have dinner, but if you want to join us." - I shrugged.

"Really? Yeah, sure. But I'm actually here because I needed to talk to you. Can I come in?"

I took a step aside and let him in.

I closed the door after he got in and I started walking upstairs, him following my steps.

"Talk to me about what?"

"I… you know I'm here only for the summer because of my job." - He said as we headed to my dorm.

"Yes."

"So, I don't know many people."

"Yeah?" - I asked, surprised.

He nodded as he stood still awkwardly in the middle of my room, not knowing if he was allowed to sit next to me or get comfortable at all.
I laughed and patted the spot next to me in bed, he smiled and looked relieved.

"Thanks." - He said, sitting down.

I smiled and encouraged him to keep talking.

"So?"

"I really could use a friend around here. And you seem nice."

I thought about it for a second. He was nice too, and I could really use a friend as well.
Besides, he also had another pro. If he was close with Gemma, and I needed to get closer to Harry, maybe, just maybe this friendship would be a good way to do it.
And I'd get information about the Styles' family at the same time.

"Yeah, we can hang out." - I smiled.

"Cool." - He sighed.

"So… you and Gemma Styles are close too, right?"

"Yes. She… she is something."

"You met her here?"

"At the beach, yeah."

"You like her?"

"Yeah, she's so funny."

And then something came to my mind.

"How was It?"  - I snapped out.

"Huh?"

"They way you met. You said it was at the beach, right?"

"She just came to where I was standing, you know, I was doing my job, and we started talking, why?"

"Nothing magical happened?"

"What?" - He laughed. - "What are you? Twelve?"

Okay, so Gemma is not his soulmate.
For a second I thought that I could talk with him about the soulmate legend and that he would understand me. Maybe he could give me a hint of what to do with Harry. But probably if I told him he would think that I'm insane.
So I'll procrastinate telling him about Harry and Louis' soulmate shit.

"No, sorry." - I laughed. - "I guess I was expecting something a bit more interesting."

"Well, it wasn't. Just normal I guess."

He looked down at the floor and an uncomfortable silence installed between us.
I surely wanted to ask him some other stuff, but I wasn't sure of how to slip the subject.
But what was life without a risk?

"Liam?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you know about the Styles' family?"

"Mmm, I knew they were the richest people in the country. But now that I met Gemma and her brother they're quite nice people, not the arrogant shit I was expecting them to be."

"And what about their father?" - I asked and Liam thought for a second.

"Gemma said he was her idol a few years ago, but now she says he has become an addict and he treats everyone badly, even his own children. That's why they had to take over the entire business."

"Wow, really? Why? What happened to their father?"

"His wife died a while ago, Gemma told me her father and her brother got depressed. She was the only one who could…"

"Louis! Dinner is served!" - I heard one of my sisters shout from downstairs. - "Mom's asking if your friend is staying!"

"Yes!" - I shouted back. - "We'll be right there."

I turned to look at Liam again and he just smiled.

"Good. I was starving."

_____________

Thoughts on Harry's storyline now?

Mag 🦋