"I'm just like you"

12

Louis slept better he'd done in days, but something was still bothering him. He didn't know what was it.

He washed his face, prepared himself, and then remembered. "Today's my birthday!" he said. But he also remembered he had no one to celebrate it with.

As to tell him he was wrong thinking that, Niall called him. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMMO" he shouted. Louis chuckled. "Thank you Niall" he answered. "We'll say each other today right? At your place?" "Yes, at 12 come at me with the boys and then we'll drive to my family" Louis explained. Niall assured they would've come and then he hung up.

Louis walked around the cold streets of London, answering some sweet tweets from his fans. He luckily had woken up late, so he didn't have to do nothing too long. He came back home in time to see Niall, Zayn and Liam in front of his house, and he hugged them. On the road he explained them the situation. They were happy he'd left Eleanor for Harry but worried about him. "Are you sure you're okay, Loubear?" Liam asked, gently. Louis just nodded and sighed. He knew he was lying, but he'd tell everyone that night at the concert. 

They arrived at Doncaster at 1.30, in time for lunch. "I hope Jay made her lamb, I'm starving!" Niall said, walking happily to the Tomlinson's house, talking about Louis' mother, Johannah. Zayn walked with him and Liam stared at him for some seconds, before following his friends. Louis sighed once again and entered his house.

"Boys! Welcome!" Jay hugged all of them and then, sweetly, rubbed Louis' cheek with her thumb. "And happy birthday to my BooBear" she whispered. Louis smiled.

He was happy he'd finally come back to his home, but sad because he knew he had to leave it in a few hours. 

His sisters (Charlotte, Félicitè, Daisy, Phoebe) greeted him with a lot of love, and he knew they had missed him, as he had missed them. His dad, Mark, hugged him as well and said he was proud of him. Louis felt so loved in that family.

They all had lunch together (Niall was enthusiastic about Jay's lamb) and he told everyone the news, and everyone was happy about it. Louis didn't tell his family about Harry, because he wasn't ready to talk about him and not because he was a boy, but because he was Harry.

However, at the dessert, Niall said "Louis has found the true love". Louis almost choked on his food and looked at Niall as to kill him, but he knew Niall was right. He had to tell his family about Harry. "Yes I've uhm...I've found a person..." "Really?" asked Lottie. "How is she?" Louis was nervous and Liam and Zayn exchanged looks. "Actually, it's a 'he'..." "Okay then, how is he?" Fizzy repeated. Louis looked around. His mom was smiling encouragingly at him, his dad was talking with Daisy and Phoebe. "Aren't you...angry?" "For what? Is he one of our exes?" Lottie asked, confused. Niall burst out laughing, but under the sever look of Liam he recomposed himself. "Because he's a boy and all..." Louis explained, nervous. Fizzy and Lottie exchanged looks. "Are you serious, Boo? God, London made you so weird! Of course we don't mind if you love boys or girls or both or whatever!" Charlotte affirmed. Louis sighed in relief. "Now tell us, how is he?" Johannah asked, marking the 'he'. "He has, uhm...beautiful green eyes and...perfect dark curls...and he is gentle, and brave, and funny..." Louis stopped because he was how his family was looking at him. "What?" "You have that look" Daisy explained, "that 'in-love' look" Phoebe completed. Louis blushed slightly and Niall chuckled. Louis was so glad.

At 5 they had to leave, unluckily, because Louis' concert was about to start and he had to prepare himself. He hugged his family and promised he'd come back soon enough, then set off with his friends.

All trip Louis felt much lighter, and he understood that, maybe, his big feeling of nervousness was because of his fear that his family wouldn't accept him and Harry. Harry, he realised he hadn't called him. He told Niall to unlock his phone and the Irish one saw that Harry had sent him a message.

I saw on Twitter that today's your birthday, but couldn't find you in London

Hope you have fun, see you tonight at the concert ;)

"So you didn't tell him it was your birthday?" Niall asked. "I didn't find it important enough" Louis explained. 

They arrived at London at 6.30 and Louis began preparing, physically but, most importantly, psychologically. Because he had three new songs to sing and none of them were easy, lyrics speaking about. 

He drove to the concert and, once there, he signed some autographs, smiled to the cameras, hugged his friends who were obviously there.

He also saw Eleanor and Simon in the crowd, the first smiling encouragingly and the second one who looked like he had been forced to come there. 

Louis gulped, and he went behind the stage. He breathed heavily. He wasn't ready. 

Yes he was, he reminded himself. He fucking was.

Louis got on the stage.