ᴛʜɪʀᴛᴇᴇɴᴛʜ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ.

Another day began and I did exactly the same as every single morning, leaving everything ready to go and meet Harry again.

"Really Louis, tell me what your happiness secret is lately." - Lottie said from the kitchen table as Fizzy and I were gathering the dishes from breakfast.

"That's a story for another day, Lot." - I smiled and leaned to kiss her forehead.

"Mom, tell Louis he needs to share his secret with his sisters." - She whined.

My mother laughed and ignored her, standing up and tapping on my shoulder.

"Did something good happen?"

"Yes." - I smiled. - "We talked a lot, and he told me to meet again today."

"Louis! That is so good!"

"Who is 'he'?" - Fizzy asked from behind us.

"Yeah, tell us." - Lottie added.

"Girls, leave your brother alone." - My mother said and then turned to me again. - "I told you it would work out, you just have to let the sea do it's work." - She smiled and kissed my cheek.

"Wait. The sea?" - My father said as he was about to leave the room. - "Louis, did you…? Jay, did he…? Who is it?"

"What are you all talking about?!" - Lottie and Fizzy shouted in unison.

"Okay, calm down all of you." - My mother said. - "If Louis doesn't want to share it yet, it's his decision."

"Thanks mom." - I said quietly. - "But, I can tell you, I guess." - I shrugged. - "I met a guy and I kinda like him. He… I think he is meant to be with me."

"You met him on the beach?" - My father asked and I just nodded.

He walked towards me and wrapped me in a hug.

"That's good, son."

"Aw, Our big brother is in love then." - Fizzy teased.

I rolled my eyes and left the dishes in the sink, not wanting to stay around much longer.

"What's his name Lou?!" - Lottie shouted at me as I was heading out.

"Not of your business!" - I shouted back and closed the backyard door behind me, making my way to the stables to get Theodore out.

🌊🌊🌊

When I reached the place where Harry told me yesterday was his return point, I got off Theodore and looked around.
Harry wasn't there yet.

But I knew he was closer because I heard one of his thoughts as I was coming here.
I just had to be patient and wait for him, maybe I just got here early.

Or maybe he was late.

But either way I knew he was coming to meet me, so I just needed to kill time until he showed up.

I decided to get my feet on the water for a bit, letting it up to my calves and enjoying the mother nature around me.

I felt very light at the moment, just relaxing and with that happy feeling of knowing I would see Harry soon.

"You came here before me." - I heard a voice from behind me and I quickly turned around to see Harry standing at the edge of the water.

"Yes." - I shrugged, walking out of the sea and getting closer to him. - "I guess I got out of my house earlier today."

He nodded and smiled slightly at the ground.

And oh my God his smile was everything I needed to make this day even better.

He looked up at me with an inquiring eyebrow and his expression changed into a confused one.

"Did you say something?"

I opened my eyes widely in shock.
Stop thinking about his smile, Louis.

"No." - I shook my head as fast as I could.

Harry chuckled and nodded.

"Okay."

I fidgeted with my hands hanging on my lap and mentally slapped myself.

I'm so stupid.

I looked up at him again, knowing I should make a move.

"Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Huh?" - He said with a frown.

"Mhm, sorry you came here running, you probably are too tired to keep walking. We can just sit there."

"No, it's okay if you want to walk."

"Yeah?" - I asked and he nodded. - "Mhm, okay, this way?" - I said pointing to our right.

"Sure." - He shrugged.

I took Theodore's leash in my hand and started walking along the beach by Harry's side, Theodore following us at a slow speed from behind us.

"How's your day going so far?" - I asked to start a conversation.

"Fine. The usual. I fought with my sister and then came here to let all that out while running."

I nodded and looked at my feet as we walked on the warm sand.

"Why did you fight?"

"Hotel stuff." - He shrugged.

"Okay… Is it hard to run a hotel?" - I said and Harry let out a loud laugh.

"What is that question?"

"I don't know." - I shrugged with a little giggle. - "I don't have a clue of what you do."

He looked at me with a soft smile and ran a hand through his hair.

"Well, yes. It's kinda difficult at first. But I was practically born inside them so I know a lot of things."

"And now your sister is trying to help you?"

"My sister is trying to make me the heir of this so she can stop working herself."

I looked up at him with a confused look.

"But isn't your father the one who owns everything?"

"He was, before my mother died. Then he couldn't continue with it, letting us in charge."

"I'm sorry."

He sighed and shook his head.

"It's fine."

"I'm curious to know a few more things, but I have the feeling that if I continue asking about this you're going to punch me in the face." - I said and he laughed.

"No, I won't punch you." - He giggled. - "But, yeah I don't want to keep talking about her."

"I understand. Can I ask about other topics then?" - I smiled.

"I can't assure you I'm going to answer them, but you can ask yeah." - He laughed.

"I can work with that." - I said and turned to look at my feet once more. - "Did you leave a lot of things back in London? Do you miss it?"

"What?"

"You told me yesterday that you lived in London, right?"

"Yeah. I mean back there I had my house and a girlfriend, but she broke up with me and stayed with the house. So I guess I didn't exactly leave things in London, things left me."

I looked up at him with a frown but he didn't look back at me, he just kept his sight up to the front.

This guy is much more profound than I expected him to be.
And he needs to let it all out, because I can see that his history is consuming him.

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why did she break up with you?"

He swallowed thickly.

"Remember when I told you I didn't want to talk about it? Well, I don't want to talk about it."

"Does it have to do with your mother too?"

Please stop.

"Yes."

"Okay, I won't push it." - I shrugged and timidly returned to look at the front as we continued walking side to side.

"Thanks."

I smiled up at him and he smiled back at me, our eyes locking for a fraction of time before we looked back at our moving feet, my cheeks slightly blushing.

"Are you sure you are not tired of walking? You still have to run back to the city."

"I'm fine."

I just want to stay here a little longer and forget about all the shit that waits for me when I get back.

"Okay."

C'mon Louis think of something else to say.

I heard Harry laughing by my side and I turned to him.
Great, now he also heard me.

"So, Harry. You know that my good friend Liam knows your sister?"

"Oh no, the lifeguard? He is your friend? I hate that guy."

I laughed hard at his comment and then nodded.

"He's nice, you should give him a chance."

"Not gonna happen." - He laughed.

I suddenly felt Theodore tugging on the leash and stopping behind us, he started growling and I turned and looked at him to see what was wrong.

"Hey buddy. Are you okay?" - I said, lifting my hand and touching the tap of his head.

Theodore just growled again and let his body down on the sand, laying down and turning his head to the side, not looking at me as if he was offended.

"Okay, you're tired. I got it." - I laughed. - "Harry…?" - I asked, turning around again, searching for him.

"Yeah?"

"He doesn't want to keep walking." - I said, pointing at my horse.

"Oh great, me neither." - He said and was quick to take his shirt off and collapse on the sand next to Theodore.

I stayed still, standing on my feet and looking at my horse laying down next to Harry with a confused look on my face.

I awkwardly sat down next to Theodore and started running my fingers through his fur.

"You should have told me you were tired when I asked you." - I huffed.

Harry let out a giggle as he closed his eyes and rested his head on the sand. His entire body spread on it, letting the summer sun hit directly in his bare skin.
His muscles relaxed as he melted in the sand.

And God, he looked precious without a shirt on.

"Yeah, I know." - He smirked, still with his eyes closed.

I furrowed my eyebrows.

Did he just answer my comment or my thoughts?
Is it possible that he was replying to my thoughts about his good looking body?
Is it possible that he knows how this works now?

Or maybe I'm just freaking out.

"Louis?"

"Yeah?" - I snapped out of my head.

"I think that I'm starting to like this place."

I smiled to myself and moved closer to him, sitting by the side of his extended legs.

"What made you change your mind?" - I asked.

His body tensed a bit when he felt I was nearer.

Knowing you.

I closed my eyes and contained the impulse of screaming. I bit my lip and waited for his verbal response.

"I don't know." - He said shyly.

"Did I help with it?" - I asked quickly, knowing I would regret it if I thought about it much longer.

Harry opened his eyes again and stared at me for what it seemed like an hour.
I couldn't exactly decipher what was hiding behind his stare, so I just moved my eyes to my lap, hoping he would answer it.

I felt his stare for a few more seconds, turning the light mood into something uncomfortable and awkward. At least for me.

"Yeah, it's nice to hang out with you."

"Good to know." - I smiled. - "That means we can hang out tomorrow too?"

"Sure." - He said as he sat back up. - "I should…"

"Get going? Yeah, me too. I have a bunch of siblings to feed." - I smiled and stood up, extending my hand towards him.

He took it and I pulled him up on his feet.
Harry put his shirt back on as I forced Theodore to stand up as well.
When I turned to Harry, he was already starting to run towards the city.

He turned around, running backwards, and waved at me.

"See you tomorrow, Lou."

I felt how my heart clenched and my breathing stopped.

"Lou?"

"Short for Louis? You don't like it?" - He asked from the distance as he kept going backwards.

"No, it's okay. Lou is fine." - I smiled.

"Great." - He smiled as he turned around, running normally again.

"See you then!"