Sage’s POV

I looked out across the golden sand and saw a little girl and boy that look a little bit older than her, building a sand castle. They were giggling as they built it. Next to them, their parents were holding each other and watching the kids play with smiles on their faces. Seeing them play like that made me think of Taylor and how we were when we were kids.

“Hey Sage.” A sweet, rough voice broke me from my thoughts.

“Hey Louis.” I turned around and looked up at him as he sat down with two drinks in his hands.

He handed me one and moved closer to me. I took it and took a sip tasting the crisp taste of citrus spread over my tongue. Louis draped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me toward his chest.

“Are you okay? You seemed really upset today at the hospital.” I asked looking up at him.

“Yea, it’s just hard for me to see him like that.” He looked away and toward the ocean.

“I’m sorry any of it happened.” I cupped his cheeks and made him look at me. “I’m here if you need to talk.”

“Thanks Sage, you really are a great person.” He smiled and kissed my forehead.

I blushed and hugged him as he took a deep breath. He pulled me closer to his body gently.

“Hey guys!” Niall ran up to us from the water with the boys following behind him with wet clothes dangling off their bodies.

“Whoa whoa whoa! Back up!” I yelled jumping up to my feet to get away from them but ran into Liam.

“Hi Sage.” He smiled wrapping me in a cold hug. “How are yooouuuu?”

“Let. Go. Of. Me. Right. Now.” I clenched my jaw trying to get out of his arms.

I put my hands on his chest and pushed until I was out of his grasp. With a laugh of success, I jumped in the air and cheered as they laughed at me.

“Dork.” Harry mumbled under his breath.

“Shut up.” I glared and him with a smile.

We all sat down, still laughing, and looked at each other. Zayn knocked over Louis’s drink and spilled it all over the blanket we were sitting on the blanket.

“You suck!” Louis pouted trying to wipe the blanket off.

“Sorry.” Zayn mumbled helping him clean it up.

“You okay?” Harry whispered in my ear.

I wasn’t paying attention to any of them, I was hearing them but not listening to them. Looking at Harry, I could tell he thought something was wrong so I set my hand on his and looked up at him.

“Yea, I’m okay.” I smiled weakly at him and saw his eyes flash down to my lips and back up. “Are you?” I laughed.

“Yup.” He kissed my cheek and looked at the rest of the group.

“Hey Sage, have you talked to Taylor since we got here?” Liam asked with a worried look.

“No.” I mumbled looking away from him.

I hadn’t talked to him since we left, I didn’t know what else to say to him because the Shawn thing came to mind every time I thought about calling him. When I looked up at Liam again he looked away from me and toward Louis with confusion.

“Oh.” Liam didn’t look at me when he mumbled that to me.

“So…Where’s the food?” Niall asked breaking the seriousness.

“In the car.” I pointed toward the car. “I’ll go get it.”

“I’ll help you.” Harry stood up and reached down to help me.

We walked out to the car in silence as a million thoughts raced through my head. He had his arm slung over my shoulders and I had my arm around his waist when we got to the car. He unlocked the car and leaned against the trunk while I looked in the backseat for a jacket.

“How long are we staying?” I asked sitting down.

“I don’t know.” He mumbled moving closer to me. “Can we talk for a minute?”

“Sure” I stood up and looked into his green eyes. “What’s up?”

“What’s going on with you? One minute you’re super happy and the next you're off in your own place.” He seemed really worried about me.

“Harry, I’m okay. A lot’s been going on lately and it’s hard to deal with so I just need a little time.” I shrugged and grabbed his hand. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t have time for you and them.”

“When you say you ‘have time’ for me what does that mean? Does that mean we can go back to normal?” He looked really shy when he asked it but I knew he was serious about it.

“I don’t really know, I just mean I wont shut you out.” I didn’t know what I could handle. “Harry, you know I care about you and I like you but I need some time to get used to things. That’s why I broke up with Zayn, I don’t know how to handle everything that’s going on.”

“Okay.” He nodded and stepped back, letting go of my hand.

“Harry, please don’t do this.” I could feel my throat get tight. “You know that I like you and want you around.”

“I know, Sage. I like you too and I’m not going to shut you out but I don’t think I can be ‘just friends’ with you.” He grabbed my hand again and pulled me closer to him.

“I never said we had to be ‘just friends’, I don’t want that. I want it to be how it used to be.” I set my hand on his chest and looked up at him. “Are you okay with that?”

“Of course I am.” He smiled and leaned down letting his lips touch mine.

Notes

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