Chapter 35 - Tomlinson

See you around.

Yeah right. I haven't seen her around and it's been a couple of days already. She hasn't come and I haven't run into her in the halls.

I told her how I feel, how I've felt since I met her but it wasn't enough, was it? She didn't even say it back. Aren't girls supposed to be more sentimental and say 'I love you' first? What went wrong now?

And if that wasn't enough I didn't play the final. Yes, we won, but I even wasn't there. I was on a car, with Harry on our way back to our dorm. Without Robin. I should've known in that moment, when she left the infirmary, that she wasn't going to come back to me. That no matter what I told her, no matter what I promised. Our relationship is too broken.

I couldn't be more depressed right now. The guys have tried to come to see me, especially Tom, but I don't want to see anyone. I'm not even going to all my classes. I hate that I was a useless piece of shit during the final. I hate that I got injured and now I can't play for two weeks. I hate that I lost Robin.

I realised of my mistakes too late. I realised I should've handed things in a different way when it couldn't be fixed anymore. I honestly had more faith in us but I was wrong.

Right now I'm on my bed, refusing to be part of the world. My ankle hurts, I can't do anything and Harry is away, studying because if he stays here, I'll pick it on him. It's nothing personal, I'm just in a terrible mood. I've been like this since I missed the final. It's this how women feel during their periods? It sucks. I respect them even more now. I'm surprise they don't kill anyone when they are this moody.

Harry is clever. He knows what's best for him and that's why he's not around.

However, I hear a knock. Harry has started to knock to know if it's safe to walk in or just run away.

I'm in a pissy mood but I'm not murderous, yet. "It's open, come in," I groan, still on my bed, hating my damn luck.

The door opens but I don't pay much attention. That until I hear that voice.

"Louis?" And that's when I wake up. I mean, I had my eyes open before but in that moment I jump on my bed and my head snaps to see her, uncomfortably standing in front of me. I think my heart has stopped because I had lost hope she'd come. "Hey," she adds and I remember to breathe.

"Robin, you're here," I say like an idiot and she smiles awkwardly.

"Yes... I mean, I wanted to make sure you're doing all right. How's that ankle?" she asks but doesn't step closer and I'm desperate to go for her and pull her into my arms.

But I stay on my bed.

"Better," I reply immediately, just staring at her. Drowning in the beauty of her being standing right there, in my room, so close to me but so far away at the same time.

Oh God, I've missed her so much and it's been five days only.

"That's good, I'm glad," she smiles but once again, she doesn't step closer.

"Please, sit. I would offer you something else but I um... you see," I add pointing at my ankle and she giggles.

"Don't worry," is her reply and she looks around, looking for a place to sit. Why can't she sit on my bed? Next to me?

She ends up sitting on Harry's bed and I'm heartbroken again. She must see that in my face because she looks away, avoiding my eyes. I don't know what say now. What to do. I've said everything already. What else can I tell her so she will give us a second chance? If I repeat I love her will it make a difference?

"The final was great. Tom did a great job," she speaks and I sigh, remembering when we started to talk, back then when we would only talk about football because we weren't comfortable enough. Because she was afraid and I was giving her all the time she needed.

Back then I understood her perfectly. I knew she needed time but once we were together I didn't realise what she needed. I acted like a jerk.

"That I've been told," I say with a sad smile.

"I'm sorry you missed it," she says and I just shrug. "You should've been there."

"I wanted to be there," I whisper. "But I was in a car on my way here... without you," I mumble the last part and I take a glimpse at her. She is blushing but she also looks in pain. The same pain I'm feeling right now?

"I wrote a nice article about it. Did you... did you read it?" she asks and I chuckle.

I point at my nightstand where the newspaper is. Read it? I've memorised it. I wasn't there so I only trust Robin to tell me what exactly happened. Although I noticed a different approach from all her other articles. This one lacks heart. It's like she didn't put all what she has inside.

I've thought about it too much, maybe. Wondering if it's maybe because she was thinking of me. Just like I couldn't focus on the game because I was thinking of her, could it be that she couldn't write like she normally does because she was thinking of... me?

I'm afraid to think that.

But no. Robin is a professional. I'm reading more than there really is.

"Oh, good," she carries on and I groan. It's never been this awkward between us and I can't stand it anymore. "It was really good. The last ten minutes were breath-taking. And then the other team-"

"Robin, please, stop this," I beg and she stops talking. "Stop it. You didn't come to talk about the game."

"I-"

"Please. Whatever you have to say, say it once and for all," I ask, resigned.

I think I know why she's here. I mean she didn't say it before and that gave me hopes and now she's come to kill that. To make sure that I know that's really over. That's why it's so awkward for her, because she knows this will hurt me but she'll do it anyways. It's over between us and no matter how much I love her... it's over.

I prepare myself for the blow and I know it's going to hurt more than my ankle, but I honestly don't think I can prepare enough for what's to come.

"I love you," she says.

I look at her, confused and shocked but then the sparkle of hope ignites again and I feel my heart coming alive one more time.

She laughs but there's no humour in her voice. It's a sarcastic laughter and that scares me.

"I love you so much it hurts," she carries on and I move, trying to reach her. "And because I love you I know I'm not good for you."

"W-what?" I blurt out and she shakes her head.

"I'm jealous, I'm possessive and I can't even control it. How can I be with you? You're a great football player, you're handsome and overall you're a sweet guy. There will always be girls who'll want to get in your bed and what am I gonna do? Make a scene every time? Have a fight with you? I hate fighting with you!"

"We don't' have to fight," I interrupt but she shakes her head.

"I have a problem, don't you see? A problem that killed our relationship!" she exclaims but I shake my head now.

"I didn't get it before, but if we're together we work on our problems together. I'll help you. We'll work on that together. Now I know it's not the same, now I know that you need to see actions that reassure you that I will never pick another girl over you. Not even when I'm wasted."

"I don't know, Louis. You deserve better," she says but I can't let her believe that.

"No, no, Robin. There's no one better for me than you," I hurry to say. "Robin, please... come here. Please," I beg and she fights it but at the end she stands up and walks up to me.

I reach out for her hands and pull her against me. She's careful not to touch my ankle but I honestly don't care if she does. I need her near. And not even when she's on my lap is enough. Not even when I hug her tightly, not even when I hide my face in the crock of her neck, not even when I run my hands up and down her back. It's not close enough when she hugs me back, not even when she runs her fingers through my hair. It's not enough. Not nearly enough.

"Robin, we'll work on this together, okay? I love you and I can't accept this will come between us. I won't accept that."

She hugs me tighter and I pull her even closer.

"How? How are we gonna work on this, Louis?" she asks and one of my hands is on her head, keeping her close.

"I dunno, but we'll figure it out. Come on, Jamie is studying psychology! If we have to do couple therapy, we'll do it. Anything, Robin. I'll do anything. I waited for you so long I can't let you go, especially now that you said you love me, too. I won't let you walk away."

She shakes softly and I know she's crying so I hug her even tighter.

She's my Robin, the girl that's driven me crazy since the first day. The girl for whom I fought so hard. Not even in my craziest dreams I would let her walk away when she told me she loves me. No way in hell.

"I love you," I remind her and she pulls back.

As I suspected, she is crying so I hurry to wipe the tears away and I kiss her cheeks.

"I love you so much," she says and I smile because those words make me feel whole again. Those words make me feel closer to her.

"We can do it, together. Not you on your own, not me minimising what it's happening things. Together, okay?"

She doesn't reply so I hold her face in my hands, looking right into her eyes.

"Robin? Please."

She takes a deep breath and I wish I could know what's running through her head right now and I'm about to ask her but she grabs my face and kisses me before I can say a word. And I kiss her back, holding on to her with all I have. Kissing her with all my soul.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," I repeat between kisses and she's doing the same.

"Together," she says, braking the kiss to look me in the eyes and I see hope in hers. "I promise. This time we'll work on this together."

"I promise", I say, too, smiling wholeheartedly.

And that's all what we need for a fresh new start. That's what we need to make it work this time. A promise of working on this together, like it should've been from the beginning. Commitment. We've learnt something and I'm sure this won't be the first obstacle we face, but I love her, and she loves me so bring it on. We'll face it together and we'll get through anything.

"Together," I whisper before leaning in to kiss her again.

"Together," she agrees with her gorgeous smile before we finally kiss.

It's all right now. This is a relationship. This is how it works. I know it now. We know it know. We're all right.

-:-:-

This is my problem when I'm so near the ending of a story... I want to post it all at once I don't even give you time to process! sorry, I can't help it.

Okay, so this is the official last chapter BUT there's an epilogue that I'll post this weekened. Maybe on Sunday and then an author note. In case you don't know, I'm leaving wattpad so if you want to know about that, you need to read that note. I'll keep writing so if you're interested, take the time to read it when I post it. Or just visit myblog, all the information is there.

That being said, thank you for reading Enhance. I hope you understood what I wanted to portray with this story. A lesson for relationships. Blaming one side is never how it works. A relationship means TWO people, together. We easily take side when we're reading but it's not about that. Why picking a side? It's better understanding both parts and trying to look for middle ground. Or that I think.

I hope you enjoyed this story... I'll see you all on the epilogue!

Bel, xx