I'm Trying •• Larry Stylinson••

10

Five Months Later

It had been five months since Louis and Harry had that painful argument. Five months since Harry had pushed him away, and Louis had eventually, reluctantly, let go. The time apart had been hard, but Louis had learned to move forward.

It hadn't been easy, and he'd had moments of doubt—moments when he found himself looking back, wondering if things could have been different. But Louis wasn't the type to hold on to something that was no longer working. He had always been the one who fought for what he wanted, but in the end, he realized he couldn't fight alone.

In the time that had passed, Louis had found solace in other things—and in someone else.

Zayn Malik, a longtime friend, had been a surprising comfort. They'd reconnected at a party a few months ago, and since then, their friendship had slowly turned into something more. It wasn't official yet—Louis had been careful, still carrying a bit of the emotional weight from the past—but they had been in what some might call a "talking stage." Still, it felt like the right step, and Zayn made him laugh in ways he hadn't for a long time.

Tonight, they were out for dinner at a cozy, quiet restaurant in the heart of the city. Louis had dressed casually but with just enough style to show that he cared. Zayn sat across from him, a smile on his lips as he casually stirred his drink, listening to Louis' animated chatter about work.

Louis had always loved their easy conversation, the way Zayn could make him feel relaxed, like he was more than just his past mistakes.

But then, as the restaurant's door opened, it happened.

Louis froze, mid-sentence, his eyes locking onto the one person he never thought he would see here—Harry.

Harry was wearing a black button-up shirt, his apron tied neatly around his waist. He looked... different. More put together, like he had cleaned up in ways Louis hadn't seen in months. But the sight of him sent a wave of unfamiliar feelings rushing through Louis' chest. There was a fluttering in his stomach, something he hadn't felt in a long time.

No.

It had been five months. He had moved on. He wasn't supposed to feel like this.

"Louis?" Zayn's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "What's up?"

Louis blinked, turning back to face Zayn. He gave a small shake of his head, forcing a smile. "Sorry. I just saw someone I didn't expect."

Zayn frowned but didn't push. Louis appreciated that. He took a deep breath, trying to ignore the tightness in his chest. This wasn't a big deal. Harry wasn't his problem anymore.

But the thought of Harry still hurt. More than it should.

"Are you okay?" Zayn asked gently.

Louis nodded quickly, though he couldn't quite mask the discomfort still simmering under the surface. He glanced back up to see Harry looking over in his direction, and he could have sworn Harry's eyes widened slightly when their gazes met.

But Harry didn't come over.

Instead, Louis watched as Harry hesitated, his hand resting on the tray he was carrying. He glanced toward the kitchen, then back toward Louis, his face full of uncertainty. Louis could see the conflict in his eyes, the same vulnerability that Harry had tried to hide for so long. But now, it wasn't a vulnerability that was directed at him—it was the vulnerability of a man who still wasn't ready to face the person he had pushed away.

Louis' heart clenched, but he forced himself to look away. It was better this way. He was better off.

———

Harry's mind was racing as he stood behind the bar, waiting to take orders, pretending to focus on the empty glass in front of him. The familiar faces of the restaurant staff and customers didn't matter right now. All he could see was Louis.

Louis.

He hadn't seen him in months. It was the first time since that awful night that their paths had crossed, and Harry couldn't stop the flood of emotions crashing over him. He had tried so hard to forget about him, to move on, but seeing Louis—laughing, sitting across from another man—brought everything back.

His heart hurt in ways he didn't expect. He wasn't ready for this.

I'm not ready for this.

Harry turned to Niall, his best friend, who had been chatting with some regular customers nearby.

"Niall," Harry said, his voice quieter than usual. Niall looked up, his eyebrows furrowing when he saw the distressed look on Harry's face.

"Mate, what's up? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Harry swallowed hard, glancing over at Louis and Zayn once more. His stomach churned. "It's him."

Niall followed his gaze, and his expression softened. "Oh. Louis."

Harry's jaw tightened, the weight of everything crashing over him. He wasn't ready. He wasn't ready to face Louis—not after everything. Not after how things ended between them. "Can you serve them?" Harry asked quietly, his voice strained. "I—I can't do it. Not yet."

Niall blinked, but after a moment, he nodded. "Of course, mate. I got it."

Harry felt a pang of relief, but also guilt. He wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing by avoiding Louis. But the truth was, he couldn't face him—not like this. Not when his heart was still tangled up in all the memories.

Niall moved over to the table where Louis and Zayn were sitting, and Harry took a step back, retreating to the back of the restaurant. He needed space. He needed to breathe.

Zayn raised an eyebrow as Niall approached their table, a warm smile on his face. "You two good?"

Louis forced a smile, but his gaze flickered to the place where Harry had just been. "Yeah, we're good. Just... wasn't expecting to see anyone I know here."

Niall chuckled, taking the menus. "Funny how that happens. I'm Niall, by the way. I'll be your waiter tonight." He glanced between Louis and Zayn. "What can I get you guys to drink?"

Louis nodded, but his mind was still on Harry. He tried to ignore the quiet ache in his chest, the hollow feeling of longing that was starting to resurface. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He wasn't supposed to care.

But he did.

And that made everything so much harder.