Light. (Louis Tomlinson AU)

Panting hard, I slowed to a stop on the damp sidewalk and rested a moment. Wiping the hair from my face, a moment later I began to run again, this time back to Aunt Marie and Jacob's house.

It had been two days since the odd encounter in the locker room. I'd kept it to myself, not telling Bethany or Jacob about it. But I knew I had seen that man before, I hadn't realized that he looked familiar in my shock at his rude behavior. I mean, I was plenty rude of course, but I was a female Olympian athlete, you had to be rude to make it anywhere.

Within five minutes I was back at Jacob's house, hot and sweaty in the mid-morning sun. I jogged up the driveway and into their home, not bothering to knock. I had lived here until I turned eighteen, about two years ago now, and I was still completely comfortable here. I grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator, then considered going home. It seemed like too far to walk, so I sat at the bar in the kitchen and booted up Jacob's laptop. I checked all my social media sites then went and found Jacob in his room and took him out to practice.

~ ~ ~

“COME ON HAYDEN!” Jacob bellowed. I laughed heartily and kicked the ball into the goal. Jacob lunged for it and missed.

“No, you come on man!” I called back. “Your goalie skills are horrendous!”

Jacob pouted and dusted his goalie clothes off. “I'm just practicing! It's okay if I miss!” He informed me. I snorted.

“Jake, it's never okay to miss if you're going to make bronze this year, and you know it,”

I retorted. “And anyway, you need to be good in all aspects of the game just in case.”

Jacob relented and got ready as I kicked the next ball high at the upper left hand corner of the net. Jacob leaped and caught it, and I cheered and applauded him.

“Again.” Jacob grunted, and I grabbed another ball from the crate beside me on the grass and kicked again.

This time the ball hit Jacob in the stomach, winding him.

“BLOODY HELL!” Jacob gasped out, collapsing on the ground in agony. I rolled my eyes, but innerly felt awful.

“Jake, if you worked out your stomach muscles more then you wouldn't be on the ground right now.” I said impatiently. Jake got to his feet as he caught his breath, narrowing his eyes at me.

“I KNOW you didn't just insult my abs.” He growled. I shrugged looking down at my nails. I defiantly needed a manicure.

“It's not an insult if it's the truth,” I sang out. “Besides, I'll help you later, I learned some new exercises from my trainer.”

Jacob's eyes lit up and I grinned inwardly. The boy wanted to be on top, and I was going to help him as best as I could.

I kicked another ball at the goal without warning and it hit Jacob in the face. I realized my mistake as soon as Jacob's hand came back from his face with blood on his fingertips.

I turned and started to run through the park as fast as my legs could carry me, which was pretty fast. Jacob's yells behind me and heavy breathing only made me run faster, dodging around a couple of trees and bushes until I sprinted across another soccer field in the private park. It was reserved for professional athletes only, so I used my pass here to help Jacob practice.

The field I was currently running through was being used. Players hooted and catcalled as I sprinted across it, dressed in what I now realized was my tight biking pants and blue sports bra.

I dodged around a couple of players, and for fun stole the ball from one of them and passed it to the player he was trying to avoid, a blond with bright blue eyes who whistled and waved. I turned and stuck my tongue out at a very out of breath Jacob, still running. And then I collided with something and fell.

I fell backwards onto my elbows and grunted as someone fell on top of me. I heard the soccer players around me laugh and yell as I pushed the man off of me.

“Hello love. Fancy meeting you here,” A unpleasantly familiar voice spoke into my ear. I was on my feet in an instant, using only my legs and stomach, no hands. Which must have been pretty impressive, as the boys catcalled again.

The man from the other day smirked at me as he got to his feet, much in the same way as I had. He dusted his clothing off and smirked at me.

“Hello.” I deadpanned. “Excuse me for knocking you over.”

He raised his eyebrow at my tone. “You're excused. Hayden.”

I put my hands on my hip and cocked an eyebrow. “How do you know my name?”

“Mine's Louis.” He replied, ignoring my question. His hip and hand mirrored mine, cocking outwards with his full lips pouted.

“Don't care.” I replied, turning to walk away.

Jacob was still on the sideline as the soccer players resumed their game, and I started towards him. Only to be stopped by a hand wrapped around my arm, yanking me back.

I reacted defensively and twisted my arm much as I had in the last encounter Louis and I had had. I began the maneuverer only for Louis to block it and grab both of my wrists, bringing me back up against him.

“Um, do you have a problem?!” I cried, attempting to yank away. He held fast, his bright blue eyes never leaving mine. They held a spot of anger, along with something else, something not right.

“Yes, I do,” He hissed. “You ignore me and insult me last week, then today you run into me and insult me! Are you following me?!”

While he spoke, I was considering ways to get him off of me. I didn't appreciate being manhandled. I curled my hands into fists and yanked Louis toward me, bringing my knee between his legs in an upwards jab.

Louis released me and collapsed.

“Maybe the reason I insulted you is because one; You didn't even introduce yourself properly, and you manhandled me just now. And NO, I am not following you! I'm not into self torture!” I hissed, and turned and stomped away.

I made my way through the field and back to a wide eyed Jacob, ignoring the laughter and shouts behind me from the soccer players.

“Do you know who you just hit?!” Jacob asked excitedly. I shrugged. “Whoever it was, he deserved it.” I snapped.

“That was Louis TOMLINSON!” Jacob cried. He was hopping from foot to foot and grinning.

“So?” I asked, still furious.

“SO!? That guy is a legend!” Jacob cried. “Can you introduce me!?”

“NO.” I replied. “Come on, let's go get something for your nose. And I'm sorry about that, by the way.”

Jacob shrugged off the apology. “It doesn't matter, it was a accident. Why was Louis Tomlinson talking to you?” He asked excitedly.

“I met him the other day when I went to get your hat, and he was in the locker room.” I told him. We were making our way back to the field we'd been using. Jacob dodged a branch as we ducked under a tree.

“And you didn't tell me this!?”

“There was nothing to tell! He knew my name, but I didn't know his.” I snapped.

“Whoa, calm down,” Jacob told me. “You're acting rude.”

I sighed. “I'm sorry, but that guy brings the worst out of me.”

“But he's LOUIS TOMLINSON.” Jacob said again, disbelievingly.

“You've already informed me of that,” I said, attempting to be patient. “Come on, you need practice if you're going to build your abs.”

I burst into laughter as Jacob tried to tackle me and I sidestepped, catching him in a headlock and giving him a noogie.

Two hours later, tired and sweaty, Jacob and I made our way back to his car. Laughing at something he said, I was taking a swig from my Gatorade when my eyes met Louis'. He was leaning against a big white van with their soccer team's logo on it, talking to a tall curly haired guy. He was looking pass the guy and directly at me.

I raised an eyebrow at him, still drinking. His eye's left mine and focused on my lips.

I stilled when he looked back into my eyes, wetting his lips with the tip of his tongue.

He winked.

That stupid douche mood broke the trance I was in, and I turned away and back to Jacob, throwing myself back into our conversation vigorously.

Jacob was carrying the crate of soccer balls we'd brought, and I helped him load it into the back of his truck. Jacob climbed into the back of the truck and I stood on tiptoe and pushed the crate up to him so he could secure it with the cross ties.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder and I spun around, shoving my sweaty hair out of my face. A soccer ball fell and a tall curly haired boy kicked it upwards and bounced it off of his knee, then caught it.

He was standing in front of me, smiling. He had beautiful, green eyes and was wearing a sweaty soccer uniform.

“Ello', Love,” He said, sticking out his hand for me to shake. I noted the Cheshire accent. “I'm Harry. Harry Styles.”

I took his hand and shook it, a smile gracing my face.

“I'm Hayden Turner. Pleased to meet you,” I replied. Harry grinned down at me. “What can I do for you Harry?”

“Well, for starters you could give me your number maybe?” Harry asked, then immediately backtracked. “I mean, if you want, I was just asking, you seem like a wonderful bird and fun to talk to and-”

“Sure,” I interrupted. I reached into my pocket and took out my phone and unlocked it, then handed it to him. After he'd typed his number in he gave me his phone, and I entered my number.

“Text me sometime.” I told him, and Harry grinned at me. He nodded and turned with a wave.

“I gotta get back to my mates, see you Hay!” He called over his shoulder as he made his way back across the parking lot.. I waved, then turned back to a smirking Jacob. Who then threw a soccer ball at my head. I caught it before it hit my face and threw it back vehemently.

“Brat.” I snorted.

“Bit-” Jacob started as he got off of the bed of the truck. I tripped him before he could finish the word, and he landed on the ground amidst peals of laughter from the soccer players.

I started laughing and gave him a hand to pull him up, and he pulled himself up. Choking out an apology, I continued to laugh as I got into the passenger side seat of his truck.

I was still laughing when we drove out of the parking lot, until I saw a furious Louis jumping on what looked to be Harry, plummeting him with his fists.

“JACOB!” I shrieked, “STOP!”

But it was too late. Jacob had pulled onto the busy road, and franticly searched for a place to pull the truck over but there wasn't anywhere.

I unbuckled and turned around in my seat, looking through the rear window, just in time to see the blond guy pull Louis off of Harry.

“What was that?!” Jacob yelled, looking over at me. He swerved away from the side of the road as he got too close. I buckled back up, shaken by what I'd seen.

“I honestly don't know.” I replied.

~ ~ ~

Notes

So, new story! Comment and vote, folks!