For your eyes only - l.s

Chapter Four

Second chapter for today!!!

It is silent for a moment at the other end of the phone. Louis can hear Gemma bustling around and telling someone else that she would be back in a second. The nervousness Louis feels inside is unbearable.

"Oh, um... hi, Louis!" Gemma finally says after Louis hears a door close. She is obviously trying to overact her surprise, but Louis can hear it anyway.

"Hi," he replies shyly. It was a terrible idea to call.

"Um... How can I help you?" She continues but seems to realise herself after a moment. "It's because of the wedding, isn't it?"

"Y-yeah," Louis brings out and clears his throat once again.

"Glad you received the invitation," Gemma lets out a nervous chuckle.

"Where do you even have my address from?" The question bursts out before Louis can stop it. He has so many questions.

"Lottie," Gemma says apologetically.

"Of course," Louis murmurs under his breath and asks himself how he could not have come to this conclusion himself.

"Don't be mad at her, please," Gemma adds immediately.

"No, no... Don't worry, I'm not mad," Louis replies quietly. He isn't lying, he's not exactly mad at his little sister. What he's feeling is more like the irresistible urge to secretly replace the liquid in her shampoo bottle with hair removal cream and calmly watch her freaking out after her shower before confronting her with the legitimate question why for God's sake she sent him into this embarrassing situation.

"So...," Gemma continues, and she sounds as if she's chewing on the inside of her cheek. "Have you decided whether you want to..."

She doesn't even have to finish her question. How can she really think that there is the slightest chance for Louis to say yes? Something he has wanted to know the whole time without even admitting it to himself prepares itself to burst out of Louis' mouth. He doesn't make an attempt to stop it.

"Did he ask you for it?" he asks quietly.

Gemma seems to choke on her breath.

"He-? No, no – he has no idea," she answers casually.

Now it's Louis' turn to cough in shock.

"HE DOES WHAT???"

"He doesn't know that I invited you," Gemma replies sheepishly. "He would kill me if he did..."

"Then why the f-... why the hell did you do it? Do you think, only because ten years are over, we could – I could...," he trails off, desperately stumbling over his words. He hates himself for the fact that an incident, which happened such a long time ago, is still making him so upset that he forgets how to talk properly.

"I thought," Gemma begins carefully, "that I should spend my wedding with people that mean something to me. And I've always liked you, Louis Tomlinson."

Louis can hear the smile in her voice, but her answer doesn't really explain anything.

"But we haven't seen each other in ten years, Gemma. We didn't even talk much back then. I should be the last person for you to think of when planning your wedding. Congratulations on your engagement, by the way," he adds when remembering his good manners.

"Thank you," Gemma replies happily, despite the otherwise awkward conversation. This time she is audibly beaming. After a moment she continues her explanation.

"I know that we haven't seen each other in a very long time. This is exactly the reason why I had the urge to invite you."

"Why do you even remember me?" Louis asks then, chuckling lightly. "I was only there for a very short time and you were, well, often gone, hanging out with your friends and, of course, not with your little brother's-"

Louis stops abruptly when realising how incautiously he is talking about it. Fortunately, Gemma is fast to pick up the thread.

"How could I forget you when I had been reminded of you for weeks, every time I looked into his face? I still have to think of you every once in a while, when I look at him now..."

"So, this is the actual reason then? You thought that inviting me to your wedding would turn things into how they were back then? Did you genuinely expect me to come?"

Anger is boiling inside of Louis, but he isn't planning on venting his spleen on Gemma. Even though he is mad at her, he doesn't want to ruin her happiness about her engagement. This would be cruel.

"No Louis, I didn't expect any of that. I actually thought you would decline... I didn't plan to... It's just – I wish I could help him. He doesn't show it, but I can see how sad he is on the inside. I just thought that seeing a familiar face...," she trails off. "It was stupid, I'm sorry."

"It was indeed," Louis can't withstand to agree. "Don't be sorry, I'm sure you meant well. He doesn't know about all this and it should stay that way. I wish you and your fiancé all the best for your future, Gemma. Have a wonderful wedding."

"Thank you, Louis. I understand your decision," she adds and sounds a little bit like she's trying to hold back some tears. "I wish you all the best, too. I hope we'll see each other again at some point. Goodbye, Louis."

"Gemma, wait!" Louis suddenly shouts.

"Yeah?"

"Is he there?" he asks breathlessly, not sure if he wants to hear the answer or why he is asking the question in the first place.

"Who? Oh-,"

"It's just, I heard someone talking in the background..."

"Um, this," Gemma mumbles, "it must have been my boyfrie-, fiancé."

"Oh, yes... sure," Louis says, not totally sure if he believes her.

"Do you want to talk to him?" Gemma makes sure to ask quickly.

"God forbid, no!" Louis exclaims with a bitter chuckle. "It was nice talking to you, Gemma, and thank you. Goodbye."

"Bye," Gemma replies slightly confused, before Louis hangs up and lets himself fall backwards onto the mattress. Dear Lord, what a mess.