not in love || l.s. ✔︎

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Louis Tomlinson. Happy Birthday, Louis! I hope Harry bakes you a cake.

This chapter takes place the night before Harry and Darby's wedding, at their rehearsal dinner. It's told mostly in Louis' POV but it switches to Harry's POV at the end.

LOUIS

We couldn't find the restaurant. Niall and I must have driven around for an hour before we finally stumbled upon that hole-in-the-wall that Darby was so fond of. Couldn't one part of this godforsaken wedding take place in a proper venue? It was dark and cramped with orange lighting and cracked mouldings. Kitchy artwork and signed photos of '80s sitcom stars adorned the walls, and candles melted into pools of wax on the checkered tablecloths. We were the only party there that night but I couldn't imagine they were able to fit many more people in a place like this.

I spotted Harry's mum and sister. Anne threw herself into my arms like I was a life preserver.

"Thank God you're here!" she gasped.

"I wouldn't let you go through this alone, Anne."

"What's this about them getting married in a public park with no security?"

"That's nothing. Did you know Harry's wearing a cotton suit! The whole thing's a disaster if you ask me."

She pinched my cheek.

Harry's mum was nothing short of a goddess, and a surrogate mother for me when my mum was busy with my siblings and couldn't come out on tour. Anne taught me to iron a shirt, make tea the way Harry likes it and change the oil in my car. I always just assumed she would be my mum one day, that Harry's wedding would be my wedding and Anne and I would be in each other's lives forever. But without the band and without Harry we drifted apart. I hadn't realized how much I missed her and how much I needed her until that very moment.

"Come sit by me," she said.

Harry's dad sat across from us and stared at me grimly. "Hello Louis, you look." He searched for a compliment. "Sober tonight."

"Thanks Mr. Styles. You don't."

Anne bit her lip to stifle a laugh.

"Have you met my future daughter-in-law? She's lovely isn't she? Every father-in-law's dream." Des threw his arms out, presenting Darby like a game show host.

Darby was wearing another one of her inexplicable peasant dresses. I had to admit I looked fucking amazing in low-cut T-shirt and a blazer. There was really no contest.

"Hi, Louis," she said, not unpleasantly.

Two could play at that game. "Hiya, Darby. Interesting restaurant you've chosen. It sure was an adventure trying to find it. What fun!"

"Thanks," she said passing the breadbasket around. "Harry and I come here every week on our date night."

Date night. They'd had hundreds of dates and now there would be infinity dates because they were getting married.

"Where is he?" I asked casually.

"He and Zayn are rehearsing the song he wrote for the wedding." She lowered her voice and smiled. "He's been very secretive about it. All I know is the title: If I Could Fly."

My stomach dropped. That was the song he wrote for me. He was giving my song to her. It's for you... It's all for you. How could he take this away from me? It was all I had left of him.