Almost Lover (Harry Styles) - Book 1

Chapter 17: A Confession and A Wager

-Ava's POV-

I check my phone again to see what time it is. I'm sitting in the small diner Niall picked for lunch and he is now 20 minutes late. He is never late, at least not for food anyway.

Thankfully Harry hasn't tried texting or calling me. Maybe he got the hint when I didn't go to breakfast with them. At least I hope he did.

Looking down at my menu, I scan down it for the fifth time since I've been here. I hear the bell on the diner door chime and look up.

I'm surprised to find not Niall but Louis walking through it.

"Where's Niall?" I ask him as he flops down in the seat across from me.

"He's not coming."

"Okay.." I ask, apparently confused. Niall never misses food. "Why?"

"Cause I told him not to." Louie shrugs his shoulders.

"Why?" I ask again.

"Cause I wanted to talk to you."

"Alright." I rack my brain to think of what he would want to talk to me about, then it pops into my head. The poem he wants me to write a melody for.

"I'm still working on that melody for your poem. I just about have it perfect. Is there something you wanted to change on it?"

Louie chuckles at my question. "That's not want I want to talk you about."

"Okay, then what is it?"

"Harry." He responds, making my heart sink. Crap.

I gulp before answering him.

"Oh Harry? What about?" I try to sound as casual as possible.

"You know what about."

"Louie, I appreciate your concern but that really isn't any of your business."

"And that's where you're wrong. Anything going on with my best mate is definitely my business."

I sigh, dropping my menu on my table. He is always so bluntly truthful. A trait I usually love about him, but one I'm not liking so much right now.

He raises an eyebrow at my apparent annoyance, but continues on. "I interrupted something this morning that I shouldn't have."

"No, I'm glad you did. That would have been a mistake."

"Well Harry wasn't to happy with me, and I think you're wrong. It wouldn't have been a mistake."

"Yes it would have."

"Why?"

I rake my hands through my hair and pull at the ends. I want to murder Niall for bailing on me and letting Louie take his place.

"Cause it would have." I finally answer him.

"That's not a real reason." He scoffs. "I just don't get it..."

"You don't get what Louie?" I ask, raising my voice. I'm starting to get angry, he really shouldn't be butting into my business like this.

"Why you two aren't together." He pauses, taking in my reaction before going on. "You get on so well, you're great friends. You both laugh at the same stupid stuff. You both obviously fancy each other, even if you won't admit it. You make each other happy. You should be together."

I pinch the bridge of my nose between my fingers, trying to push away the logicalness of what he just said.

"We can't be together Louie." I bluntly state.