𝘾𝙍𝘼𝙎𝙃𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙊 𝙔𝙊𝙐 ↣ 𝙊𝙉𝙀 𝘿𝙄𝙍𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉

DOES HE KNOW?

The boys and I made our way home after we left the graduation ceremony.

The six of us stumbled into the house.

"I vote that we go change and then lay around for the rest of the day," Harry said. The boys and I nodded eagerly in agreement.

The six of us went upstairs and into our own rooms. I slipped into my closet and pulled the dress off. My eyes landed on my own reflection.

And, for the first time in my life, I didn't exactly hate the girl in front of me.

I tilted my head to the side to look closer. The black lingerie set I had under my dress fit well and complimented my figure. My prosthetic leg matched it.

The scars on my stomach and back that I used to avoid looking at for too long were still there. I knew that they were still just as bad as they used to be, but they didn't make me feel as bad as they used to.

Somehow, being loved by the boys made me love myself. I loved them so hard that I softened.

"Love?" Louis asked.

"Closet," I called.

"Can I come in?"

"Yeah," I said.

I turned back towards the door. Louis opened it and blinked in surprise. His eyes traced over my body.

"Oh- I- uh-" he stuttered.

"Cute?" I asked, finger hooking under my bra strap.

"More like incredibly stunning and amazingly beautiful," Louis mumbled, "you really are an angel, huh?"

"Something like that," I laughed. I pulled a shirt off of a hanger and pulled it over my head, and then I stepped into a pair of shorts. Louis was still staring at me in disbelief.

"You okay?" I asked, sliding past him to my dresser. I pulled a make up wipe and started cleaning off my face.

"My contract with Eleanor doesn't end for five years," he said, "so no, I'm not exactly okay."

That was longer than I had expected.

About four years longer.

"Five years?" I asked incredulously.

It doesn't matter because I'm not still in love with him.

But if I'm not in love with him, why did hearing that break my heart all over again?

"Yeah," he said softly. My shoulders slumped and I turned back to the mirror to start wiping make-up away again. I grabbed a fresh make-up wipe and started on my neck.

"I thought I was doing the right thing when I signed the contract." His voice from behind me sounded so sad.

I wanted told hold him and make him feel better, the way he was always able to make me feel better.

"I know you did, Lou," I said, looking back at him for a moment.

"The only thing I know for sure," Louis whispered, stepping closer to me, "is that I will never be able to love anyone the way I love you."

The way I love you.

As in, present tense.

Louis still loved me.

And I didn't even think about what that meant.

I turned around and stood chest to chest with him. He leaned closer to me, and I leaned closer to him. His hands ghosted up my body and rested on my cheeks.