The Secrets We Keep

As Clairo and Louis chatted between matches, Clairo brought up a memory that caught Louis off guard.

"Hey, Louis," she said with a light tone, "I just remembered seeing you at the Christmas concert last semester, right before break. You were on stage with your friends and classmates singing Do They Know It's Christmas? by Band Aid. You all sounded amazing."

Louis smiled at her words, a flicker of warmth lighting up his chest. "Yeah, that was a great time," he replied. "We had a blast rehearsing for it. I'm glad you thought we sounded good."

Clairo chuckled. "Good? You guys were incredible. The whole concert was festive, but your group definitely stood out. It looked like you were having the time of your lives up there."

Louis laughed gently. "We were. After the concert, Harry, Liam, Zayn, Niall, and I celebrated. We'd just found out we passed most of our finals, so the timing couldn't have been better. We grabbed food, blasted music, and hung out. It was one of those nights where everything felt... perfect."

Clairo smiled, hearing the fondness in his voice. "That sounds like an amazing memory. You guys must've been so close."

Louis nodded, his thoughts beginning to drift. "Yeah, we were. That night was just the beginning."

As he spoke, his mind wandered back to the Christmas party the night after the concert. He remembered how the boys, Maria, and he had danced, laughed, and soaked in the holiday cheer. He could still hear Maria's laughter echoing through the room.

"We had this big Christmas party the next night," he said softly, his tone more reflective. "Maria was there too. We all had such a good time. After everyone fell asleep, Maria and I stayed up talking for hours."

Clairo listened quietly, sensing the shift in his mood.

"Maria and I had this little tradition," Louis continued, his voice dropping slightly. "Every year before Christmas Day, we'd watch Christmas movies together. Just the two of us. It was... special."

He paused, the weight of those memories pressing down on him. The warmth of those moments now felt bittersweet, a reminder of everything that had changed.

"I guess it's funny how things change," he said quietly, forcing a small laugh to break the silence.

Clairo's voice was gentle. "It sounds like those were really meaningful memories, Louis. Things like that are worth holding onto."

Louis nodded, even though she couldn't see him, and let out a deep breath. "Yeah. They are."

As the next match loaded, Clairo hesitated before asking, her tone cautious but curious, "Hey, Louis... who's Maria?"

Louis froze for a moment, his fingers hovering over the controller. He hadn't realized he'd mentioned her name aloud. Clearing his throat, he tried to gather his thoughts.

"She's... she was a friend," he said carefully. "Someone I was really close to."

Clairo picked up on the weight behind his words. "Oh," she replied softly. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I just... you seemed thoughtful when you mentioned her."

Louis sighed, leaning back in his chair. "It's okay. Maria and I had... a complicated history. We started as friends, but things got messy. She meant a lot to me, though. Still does, I guess, even if things aren't the same anymore."

Clairo took a moment, choosing her words thoughtfully. "I get it. Some people leave a mark on you, even if they're not part of your life anymore."

"Yeah," Louis said quietly, his voice heavy with regret. "That's exactly it."

Sensing the sensitivity of the topic, Clairo gently shifted the mood. "Well, for what it's worth, I think it's nice you have those good memories with her. Those are the kinds of things that stick with you, no matter what."

Louis gave a small smile, grateful for her understanding. "Thanks, Clairo. I appreciate that."

As the match began, Louis focused on the game, but Maria's name, her face, and the memories of their time together lingered like a shadow he couldn't quite shake.