Paparazzi

Chapter 2

A few days later, Louis is awake before sunrise and cannot fall asleep again. No matter how much he tosses and turns, his body is awake and Louis gives up in exasperation and finally gets up. While preparing a coffee, he thinks about what he wants to do with his energy and finally decides to go surfing after a long time. After he has had his coffee in peace and had breakfast, the sun is already starting to rise and he is getting ready for a few hours on the beach before he has to go back to the office. The day after tomorrow Harry has a date at a restaurant and Louis still needs a plan to get good photos. But he doesn't want to waste any more thought on that now and instead puts on his wetsuit, grabs his surfboard from his storage room and makes his way to his car.

A short time later Louis reaches Malibu Beach, where there is hardly anything going on so early in the morning. Here and there he sees a few people walking on the beach and a few surfers who are already taking advantage of the first waves. With his eyes closed, he takes a deep breath of the fresh sea breeze, enjoys the gentle wind blowing through his hair and the sand under his feet. He's enjoying this silence so much right now, feeling how good it's doing him even though he rarely needs such a short break in life.

Finally he runs into the cool water with the surfboard under his arm. He spends the next few hours on the sea with a big grin, taking wave after wave and hasn't felt so free in a long time. A look at the beach tells him that more people have gathered now and with a sigh he drifts ashore on the surfboard and decides to let it be for today, he doesn't want to arrive too late at the office.

As he strokes his hair to wipe off excess water, his gaze falls on a figure he recognizes and he has to take a second look to make sure it really is Harry Styles. The star walks with his feet in the water and his head bowed, slowly coming towards him. All the relaxation he gained from surfing is gone, giving way to frustration. He could disappear quickly, Harry didn't even spot him as he seems deep in thought but instead he just stands and stares. On his long legs that are once again in short shorts, on his sweater that comes from his own merch and has Treat People with Kindness written on the chest and the small clip in his hair that holds back his wild curls. Harry is about to walk around him, still looking down, seeming to see only Louis' feet and the surfboard blocking his path.

"Are you really wearing your motto on the chest that you don't live after? Don't you think you're a hypocrite?" Louis says loudly enough that Harry stops, looks up startled and then his gaze immediately twists into an annoyed expression.

"Apparently I'm nowhere safe from you. No camera with you today to annoy other people?" Harry asks with a roll of his eyes, but then lets his eyes wander over Louis' wet body and he almost feels exposed, he knows that the wetsuit leaves almost nothing to the imagination.

"No, I was surfing as you can easily see. My eyes are up here, by the way," Louis hisses back, and Harry blushes as he quickly lifts his gaze from his groin to Louis' face.

"Don't pride yourself on it. Just checking to see if your loud and annoying personality makes up for the size of your cock," he replies, eyebrows raised and Louis' jaw drops.

"Wow, that was low Styles - even for you. What's your problem with me? I'm just doing my job, which your management pays a lot of money for by the way. Actually, the other stars love me, I take good photos!" Louis exclaims, unable to believe how much Harry Styles is trampling on his self-esteem.

"Too bad for you, isn't it? I'll probably be the first star to despise you. And your photos so far have all sucked. I looked miserable on each one, thanks to you," Harry snaps back, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Maybe they just showing off your fucking personality, ever thought of that, Styles?" Louis replies angry - this man is making him so damn aggressive.

"Whatever Tomlinson," Harry says simply, taking one last look over his body and then taking quick steps past him.