Throughout the next few days, Melina couldn’t help but look over her shoulder, just expecting Louis to pop out and surprise her. But he didn’t.
Though that most certainly did not stop Louis from texting her constantly. He would sometimes just text, other times, Louis actually sent pictures, of New York, the boys, and most often himself, so she wouldn’t forget his “handsome” face, his words not hers.
What made them all the better was that the other boys constantly photo bombed them. Harry and Niall amongst the most though Zayn and Liam often made faces if they managed to be in the way of the pictures.
Yet despite the fact that Louis wasn’t right there with her, she couldn’t seem to escape him. Ever since Lucy got to meet them that night, she would not stop talking about them nor playing their songs when it was her turn to play music. Not to mention Melina's own radio when she took a break from country. Once, two channels were playing exactly the same song by them! So now she had One Direction stuck in her head! Ironically the verse was “get out, get out, get out of my head” oh the irony was killing her.
~~~
“Pass the mashed potatoes!” Doran, her brother asked.
“And more turkey too,” Carsten added.
Melina looked at her two brothers, both with their mouths full and still asking for more food. “It’s a wonder you two ever get girlfriends.”
Carsten grinned at her with a mouthful of mashed potatoes. “Thankfully we’re so good looking, that most of them can get over our eating habits. Anyway, we’re heading off in a minute or two. Heading to the Astor’s for the rhubarb pie.”
“How have they not kicked you two from their house yet?”
“Bradley’s practically our triplet! So we’re basically family, they wouldn’t.” Doran explained.
“Although Ara does try all the time.” Carsten added.
“I don’t blame her.” Melina sighed at them.
“She never succeeds though.” Doran grinned.
“You guys can’t make her play tomorrow.” Melina narrowed her eyes at them.
“Of course we can!”
“No, no, no, after last year, you guys cannot make Ara play!”
“What are you going to do?” The asked her simultaneously. “Anyway, Mel, who’s this Louis guy that you’ve been posting about all on facebook?” They asked her, a brotherly edge to their words.
Melina could hear her dad cough and her mother huff at Louis’ name. This only made her clamp her lips shut. She knew she never should’ve friended her brothers. “Just some guy.”
“Some guy,” Carsten peered at her.
“We never even got to beat up Rob,” Doran mentioned, now that they breached on the topic of Melina and her love life.
“Oh don’t bother with that idiot.” Melina waved it away, thankful that they left the topic of Louis. “He’s not worth it.”
"Well great, so what about this Louis?"
Melina groaned.
~~~
Melina was helping her mother clean up the dishes when her cell phone chimed again, signaling a text message. She was not all that surprised when it was from Louis. She took a look of the picture then burst into laughter.
It was a picture of Louis, posing possibly by the biggest turkey she had ever seen in her life, he had his Ray Bans on, the same ones as that day on the subway, giving her a smoldering look. Just behind him was Niall with a small girl that looked no older than six, both wearing matching plastic white sunglasses, posing with their thumbs up, and fish lips.
Thanksgiving with the Mathersons and Ellises. One Direction style.
Was the caption underneath.
Melina shook her head as she responded. After hitting send, Melina sighed and closed her eyes. Louis Tomlinson, she really had no idea what she was going to do with him. She was still annoyed about all that Louis had done, from spamming her social networks with his name, to ruining her dates with Darren, and then just stealing a kiss like that! The boy was just, just, more than she could handle. But a part of her was starting to care for Louis and it was honestly impossible to stay mad at the clown.
~~~
“So you ready to be creamed this year?” Bradley Astor asked her, upon her coming down for breakfast.
Melina merely glanced at him before going to the fridge and getting herself orange juice. “I’d call you a moocher, but there’s only one of you and two of my brothers.” Melina poured the orange juice.
Bradley grinned at her.
“But not a chance Bradster.”
“We'll see Mel, we’ll see.”
“Are you waiting for my brothers?”
“Yep.”
Melina eyed him, then quickly snatched his breakfast plate.
“Hey!” Bradley roared.
“I know what you want to do.”
“So you should know that it’s no use stopping us.” Doran said coming down the stairs, his Mediterranean dark hair still wet from the shower.
“You three are terrible! Give Ara a break, last year you nearly broke her leg!” She pointed at Doran.
“But I didn’t!” Doran defended. “Anyway it’s not my fault she literally tripped just as I was catching the ball.”
“You almost landed on her!”
“But I didn’t, in fact I was the one that was left with a bruised butt.”
Melina facepalmed.
~~~
Melina looked down at the poor girl that had once again been dragged out to play.
“Are you sure you really want me on your team?”
“Of cour-” At that moment Melina was distracted as she heard a familiar whistle, Kent’s whistle in fact. She looked up over at the entrance of the community baseball diamond just to see Eva and Kent entering. Her mouth went agape as she glimpsed the person behind them. Darren, the very same Darren she had ditched when Louis blackmailed her. The same one she also was too much of a wimp to call and apologize to. Melina just watched them, having no idea what to say.
Melina barely had time to get over her shock when her mother finally came out. She wasn’t alone though. Mrs. Haze was with her, as well was Henry, in a pair of loose quarter length pants and an Underarmour shirt, one that she could swear she’d seen before, but she knew for a fact she’d never seen it on Henry. In fact she wasn’t sure if she’d ever seen anything remotely athletic on Henry in her life…
“No, oh my god,” Melina said as she suddenly knew why the shirt was familiar. It was one of the twins’ which only meant one thing. Her mother was still at it! She’d probably given Henry that shirt so that he could play with them and potentially get closer to her. Melina just wanted to die, her mother, her mother!
To make matters even better, Melina’s dad was coming out of the house too and behind him was… Louis frickin Tomlinson. What the hell?!
“FML.” Melina said not believing her reality. Weren’t these things only supposed to happen in Soap Operas? Not in real life? Darren was here being pushed at her by Eva and Kent. Henry was here, being pushed by both their mothers, and Louis. Louis. Louis was just a force of his own.
~~~
Louis didn’t even get to enjoy the shocked look on Melina’s face as his jaw dropped when he saw the familiar blonde hair of Darren. What was he doing here?
“Who are you glaring at?” Niall asked beside him.
“Darren,” Louis answered simply.
Niall started to crack up, finding the situation quite hilarious. Darren was the same guy that Louis despite never having met, disliked with a passion, when it really should’ve been the other way around. Louis was the one that crashed his date and then stole his date the second time.
“Louis Tomlinson, what are you doing here?” Melina hissed as she marched right up to him, arms crossed.
Louis couldn’t help but think she looked quite cute in her baseball get up. Her long auburn hair was pulled up and hidden underneath a baseball cap, a Cubs baseball cap in fact. She wore an old high school jersey with yoga pants underneath.
“Louis!” Melina narrowed her eyes at him to get his attention. “What are you doing here?”
“Your father invited me.”
Melina’s jaw dropped. Her father?! First Eva, then her mother, now even her dad! She was only twenty! Not fifty and on the road to spinster hood! And as much as it hurt when Rob cheated on her, she wasn’t giving up on all guys, she just hadn’t found one she was interested in!
“What is Darren doing here?” Louis asked crossing his arms this time, demanding an answer.
Melina facepalmed. “Louis,” was all she said before turning around about to leave, however Louis grabbed her arm before she could.
Melina barely had any time to react as Louis hugged her from behind.
“I missed you.” Louis said leaning his head into hers, then let go and stepped back. A grin on his face as he looked in Darren's direction.
Melina stood there frozen unable to say anything. Did Louis just? In front of her friends and family…
Louis chuckled when he saw Melina throw her hands up in the air in defeat.
~~~
“What was that?” Eva hissed as she grabbed Melina’s arm to walk her away from everyone else.
“That’s Louis, Eva.”
“Louis, the one that had your cell phone?”
“Yes,”
Eva looked at her silently, then looked behind her at Louis who was now surrounded by Bradley and her brothers.
“Well crap,”
“Yes, crap, why the hell did you bring Darren? I can barely look at the guy, I feel so bad!”
“Darren still likes you and I didn’t know about Louis!”
“I told you that Louis was a thorn I couldn’t get rid of!” Melina hissed.
“Well I didn’t know that Louis liked you or that he was cute! You didn’t tell me anything about that!” Eva hissed back.
“He doesn’t-”
“Melina the guy can’t take his eyes off you unless its to glare at Darren, and it took Kent like three months before he could hug me like that!”
“Kent’s pretty much the awkwardest nerd ever, it’s a miracle he ever got the courage to ask you out!”
“Don’t change the subject on me young lady!”
“Eva, we’re the same age!”
“Yo, you two bickering hens, are we going to play or not?” Doran asked already holding a baseball bat on his shoulders, behind his neck.
~~~
Melina and Bradley eyed each other as Melina’s dad tossed the coin. Both had been the captains for the annual baseball game for years, since they both loved the sport. Both had also played four year varsity on their high school teams and had a healthy, sometimes not so healthy competition about the sport. For one Melina was a Cubs fan all the way, meanwhile Bradley was a true Whitesocks fan. They were just built to be rivals.
“Heads.” Bradley claimed.
Melina cheered when it ended up Tails. “Eva!” Melina claimed causing Bradley to groan. Eva had also been four year varsity with Melina, and the two of them together was always deadly.
“Carsten.”
“Doran,”
Bradley stopped to think. “Uh Kent.”
“Ara.”
“Really?” Ara asked again, surprised to not have been picked last.
Bradley snickered as well as the twins at her.
“Go Bradley.” Melina rolled her eyes as Ara joined them, sticking her tongue out at her brother and the twins.
Bradley ran a hand through his hair as he looked at all that was left. Damn, he had no idea… “Actually Melina, I think you should pick again considering you have Ara on your team and all.”
Ara gasped offended as she threw her brother a nasty look.
Melina bit her lip unsure of what to do. All that was left was Henry, Darren, Louis, and Niall. She could feel all eyes on her. Melina wanted to just disappear but she didn’t have the power of invisibility.
“Um,” Melina started to walk forward and stopped in front of Niall.
“You don’t remotely like me right?” Melina asked.
“Well I do like you,” Niall began to laugh. “But not like that, anyway Louis would kill me.” Niall said still laughing.
“Works with me,” Melina said. “I pick Niall!”
~~~
Louis wanted to protest when Melina picked Niall but he was picked right after as Darren decided that he was going to sit the game out, quite embarrassed at that point. He seemed to realize what the situation was upon finding out that it was just him and the two other guys.
Even Louis felt a little bad but inside he was silently celebrating.
Henry also joined him on Bradley’s team and the teams were finalized.
“Let’s play ball!” The twins rumbled.
~~~
As the team that picked first, Melina’s team was in the field first.
First up to bat was Bradley of course. Melina and Bradley smirked at each other, getting ready. Bradley tapped the base with the bat two time before looking up straight at Melina. “Hit me Mel with your best shot.”
“You got it hot shot.”
Louis watched Melina, not taking his eyes off her, drinking her in as she pitched, rather spectacularly in his opinion.
“Mel’s always been good at sports,”
Louis looked to his side to find that it was one of Melina’s brothers.
“Some of it is our fault, I’ll admit, we always made her practice with us you know. She’s our only sister, we wanted to make her tough so that idiots couldn’t take advantage of her.”
Louis nodded.
“But she’s a natural, has always been. At seven she could easily beat any of the guys. At ten she could run faster than any of them. Managed to scare most of them off, she was pretty intimidating. Still is actually.” Carsten said rather proudly.
Louis didn’t really know how to respond.
“And she has us too though, so most guys don’t dare look at her twice. But then there was idiot Rob…”
“Strike!” Melina’s dad cried as the umpire, when Kent struck out.
“It’s obvious you like Mel,” Carsten said putting his cap back on. “And I’m warning you now, hurt her, we, Doran, Bradley, and I will make sure that you pay.” Carsten grinned. “But you’re a hilarious chap, from what we’ve heard and my sister’s one tough cookie. You two would make an interesting couple. Much better than Henry that’s for sure.”
Both Louis and Carsten looked out at the field where Henry was walking up to bat. The guy was turned the wrong way and had to have Mr. Hanas show him how to stand, then how to hold and swing the bat.
“Much better, at least my sister can beat the crap out of you and not feel guilty.” Carsten said when Melina pitched the softest ball he’d ever seen.
~~~
Carsten went up next to bat, letting Bradley come home but was caught himself when Niall caught the ball Melina threw him at second base.
Louis fit his baseball cap back on his head as they switched to the field.
As he passed Melina, he grabbed her hand, causing her to stop and look back at him. She looked at him questioningly.
“Your brother just threatened me, which means that I got the seal of approval.”
“What? Shouldn’t that be the other way around.”
“No, I would know, I have four sisters.”
Melina’s jaw dropped. “Four?”
“Yep, and I know threats, that was the threat of approval.” Louis smugly smiled at her.
Melina threw her head back as she laughed. “You look mighty smug Louis Tomlinson.”
“I guess I am. Your dad quite likes me and now your brother.”
“Yeah well you still have my mom and Eva, not to mention me.”
“You already like me Melina Hanas, you just don’t want to admit it.”
Melina’s jaw dropped. “That’s ego-”
“Love birds, we still have a game going on!” Bradley yelled this time causing Melina to flush bright red.
“Shut up Bradley!” She said as Louis simply laughed.
~~~
Melina easily batted, making it to second base.
She kept teasing Kent and Bradley as she would start for third, but then step right back on second base.
After her to bat was Eva who was a riot. Eva was one of those girls that you wanted to hate because she really was just absolutely gorgeous. Her mother’s Eastern European heritage mixed with father’s Argentinean, she was both exotic and one of the most genuine people you would ever meet. She wasn’t shy either. She knew she was gorgeous and used it to her advantage such as times like this. Her motto for boys was, “if they’re going to stare like idiots, let them”.
Eva gave Bradley a doe eyed look as she adjusted herself to bat. She bit her lip as she stuck her butt out just a little bit more, displaying her Hispanic heritage at its best angle.
Melina had to hold back a laugh as Bradley let out a pitch, a rather weak one because he had been a little bit preoccupied.
Both girls laughed and grinned as the ball flew past all of them.
“Home run!” Mr. Hanas said trying to hide a grin himself.
Melina waited for Eva to make it to second base, and then the two girl skipped to fourth, having the time of their lives.
They got three home runs total before they had to change places.
~~~
When it was Louis’ turn to bat, Louis managed to have one strike but then whacked the ball as hard as he could.
“Run, run!” Carsten and Bradley yelled after him. Louis did just as they said. He ran to first base as fast as he could. He keeled over a bit.
“Nice swing.” Eva acknowledged him,having just caught the ball from Niall a little too late.
“Thanks,”
Eva threw the ball but was distracted when Bradley and Carsten decided to pay her back by running across the field topless, she threw the ball but missed Melina.
“Steal, Steal!” Carsten yelled straightening his shirt.
Louis’ eyes widened before he did just that, running to second where Niall tried to block him but Louis dived between Niall’s legs, just touching the base as Melina got the ball and threw it to Niall.
Sadly, Henry was next to bat because Bradley had been forced by Mrs. Hanas to give him another chance. Sadly he struck out again. Not wanting to embarrass him, Bradley let Kent go next. He managed to hit the ball. Unfortunately Kent though was not fast enough to outrun the experienced teamwork of Melina and Eva as Melina ran forward to catch Kent’s ball and throw it to Eva, who caught it on first base before her boyfriend could run to it.
Kent groaned at getting caught but smiled as Eva kissed his cheek.
“Thankfully I do not date you for your athletic abilities.” Eva said causing the players to laugh.
~~~
Louis was honestly having the best time playing baseball with Melina and her family. Baseball wasn’t the most popular sport at home thus he’d never played it often, but he hadn’t had so much carefree fun like this in a while. With the stress of finishing their album and the breakup with Eleanor, he’d couldn’t recall. And in a small suburban neighborhood like this, he didn’t have to worry about being photographed constantly. If he could say so, he was fairly good at baseball too, at least a lot better than the poor boy next door.
As he waited for Henry to bat, he kept poking Niall for retaliation for when he blocked him but as the third strike for Henry came, he just poked him out of boredom.
“Stop it Louis!” Niall growled at him before facing forward, back to the new batter.
Louis just poked him again.
“Louis!”
Louis innocently put his hands behind his back but Niall glared at him. Louis chuckled.
Kent didn’t hit far enough that Louis could safely go to the next base.
He braced himself though as Bradley stepped up to the plate. He smiled at how cute Melina was when she butted heads with Bradley, the two of them were hilariously competitive. He was almost worried about something between them but Carsten had apparently sensed it and snorted telling him Bradley was basically Melina’s brother and their triplet. A relationship between them was never going to happen, it felt too incestuous on both ends.
As soon as he heard the whack of the ball connecting with Bradley’s bat, he ran like as if his life depended on it.
“Oh my god!” He heard just as he made it home. He turned around to find that Melina was running towards second base where he saw Niall…on the ground?
~~~
“Yes Mummy, I want more potatoes…”
Louis had to hold back a laugh as he caught Niall’s head to keep it from hitting the ground a second time.
“What happened?” He asked Melina while he and the twins all worked together to move Niall back into the pit and the shade.
“Uh,” Melina looked over to her side where Ara was freaking out, checking Niall furiously for any further injuries. “Ara maybe you could get something for us to put on Niall’s head?”
Ara looked up at her, then nodded before racing to her house.
“Yeah so Ara just accidentally hit Niall with the baseball when she meant to throw to him.”
Louis threw his head back and laughed. “It would be Niall,” was all he said.
“By the way Bradley,” Melina touched the ball in her hand to touch Bradley’s arm, “You’re out.”
“Hey wait!”
“No, you did this to Eva two years ago when Ara hit herself with the bat. We all ran to make sure that she was fine including Eva, and you tagged her out.”
Bradley opened and closed his mouth before settling with a curse.
~~~
As they had an injury and there was no chance of a tie for another inning, Melina’s team was declared the winners as soon as Niall woke up.
Not one unused to hitting his head, Niall easily got up and celebrated his victory with his teammates, joining them as they sang Queen’s We Are The Champions all the while holding the frozen pack of peas against his temple.
Melina stuck her tongue out at Bradley, who scowled at her in return, promising next year.
Louis bit his lip as he watched them, then just shrugged before he butted between Niall and Melina to join them in singing Queen.
Niall poked him when Louis came between him and his team.
Melina looked up at him and simply sighed causing him to laugh, meanwhile Niall continued to poke him as pay back for the game.
~~~
“I love your family.” Louis said as he stood next to Melina, drinking a coke. They were all now in Melina’s back yard while the Bradley and Carsten had to barbeque, being the losers.
“What did my mom say to you?” Melina asked worried.
“She approves of me now too. She said I had a nice set of teeth.” As he said that, Louis gave her a grin, displaying said teeth.
“Oh my gosh, my mother.” Melina closed her eyes.
“And she said I had good genes for grandchildren.” Louis couldn’t help but add.
“What!” Melina said, her face turning furiously red. “She did not!”
Louis nodded, laughing at Melina’s expression.
“FML.”
“What are you praying the lord for you silly girl.” Mrs. Hanas said as she came towards them.
Louis looked at Melina confused. Melina slouched, trying to hide her expression.
“Nothing mom. Just still celebrating kicking Bradley’s butt.”
“Oh, of course, you two,” she shook her head walking away.
“Praying?” Louis asked as soon as her mouth was out of ear shot.
“She thinks FML means for my lord, not... yeah because I’m not allowed to curse, its unladylike.”
Louis snorted then just outright laughed.
~~~
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