Young & Beautiful

aware state of mind, when we met. I can forgive you for forgetting a few things. Or everything,
really.” He smiles easily, his jaw strong and ever so lightly flecked with stubble.
A stirring begins in Louis’ stomach. A creeping suspicion.
“You’re not from…that party?” Louis asks, fearing he already knows the answer. And what are
the chances? What is his life? “That house party?”
The guys smiles, lips caught in his teeth.
Louis feels a bit sick, to be honest.
“Are you—did we--?”
The guy’s smile grows and oh yes, there it is—the sound of Louis’ life playing a cruel trick on
him.
“Oh. Well. Hello,” Louis says awkwardly, wondering where the fuck Zayn is and why the fuck
he isn’t at Louis’ side. Or Harry. Where the fuck is Harry for that matter?
He has such shitty friends.
The guy laughs again—he laughs too much—and shields the sun from his eyes, looking out over
the river.
“There it is. I’m Romeo, I’m studying to be an engineer…?” he says, as if to jog Louis’ memory
and nope, Louis definitely does not remember even exchanging words with the boy that sucked
him off in a dark corner of a strange house, let alone catching his name.
Maybe it was said post-coital. Louis never remembers anything post-coital.
“Sorry, mate. I’m a bit pathetic when it comes to holding my liquor,” Louis smiles apologetically,
but it feels tight and he’s not really in the mood to pretend to like strangers, sexual history or no.
Romeo nods (and what is that name? Louis would have remembered that name), rubbing a hand
to the back of his neck before looking up at Louis through his eyelashes. He really is quite fit.
Too bad Louis’ ruined for anybody else.
“I won’t keep you,” he says amiably, but there’s a hint of regret in his tone. “I just wanted to say
hi.” He shrugs.
And now Louis feels like an ass.
Shit.
As Sir Romeo makes to leave, Louis rests a hand upon his forearm quickly, before he can change
his mind.
“Hey, wait. No rush. I’m just…standing here pretending to be interested in eight lads thrusting
their oars into a river. I can use any entertainment I can get,” he smiles and, okay, so he’s doing
this. He’s going to play nice and earn his gold star for the day.
Yay.
Romeo grins, turning back easily to stand closer to Louis. “To be honest, when you put it like that,
I can’t imagine how anybody wouldn’t be interested.”