wheels on the bus ➸ [larry au]

ღ chapter twenty-four ღ

louis ends up dropping me off at my dorm a little while after our walk back from the ice cream shop. we had talked the most we have ever talked and honestly it surprised me that louis was trying to open up and actually trying to have a friendship with me.

it was weird but definitely appreciated. i didn't want to continue disliking him as much, that's for sure.

i had promised to work on forgiving him as i of course can not just automatically forgive him. i wanted us to take our time building trust in one another (something we never did when we were younger).

so after saying our goodbyes, i unlocked my dorm. entering my dorm and seeing how there was no one there makes me relieved. i really didn't want to have an awkward encounter with michael. and nick and daniel were almost never here anyway so i really was not worried about them.

michael, nick and daniel had gone out probably to a keg party seeing as it was not unusual for some fraternity house to be holding a party mid-week. but it didn't really matter. all that mattered was that i had some alone time in my dorm, which is just what i needed right now.

i wanted to facetime with mum for a while seeing as i haven't spoken to her in weeks. so now seemed like the perfect opportunity to do it. without my roommates annoying me and asking to speak with her (they have developed some type of crush on her like what even).

grabbing my laptop, i search for the familiar icon that was setup to call her up. after a few seconds of staring at the screen, i start to see her pixelated self.

"hey, mum!" i greet her with a smile. seeing her smile back with a wave made me realize how much i did miss her.

"harry, hon!" she replies happily and cheerily as usual. i really just wanted to go home now and give her a hug or two. or ten.

"how are you?" i ask her, "we haven't talked in a while."

she replies, "good, good. what about you? how is university?"

i go on and tell her about my classes and the routine i hold everyday really just wanting to talk to her about everything. i try to avoid bringing up louis and michael and instead focus on telling her about the work i had to do here and the fact that i missed home.

"christmas break is coming, do you think it's possible for you to fly back home?" she asks her eyes lighting up probably with the thought of seeing me again.

"i don't know, mum," i reply, "i don't have enough for a flight back home. i really need to apply for a job or something like that around here."

she brings up that she could pay for the flight but i stubbornly decline as she shouldn't spend her money on a flight. despite how much we wanted to see each other.

i really needed to apply for a job.

"oh! before i forget, have you seen louis yet?" mum asks and my eyes widen at the fact that she knew? but how would she even know?

"y-yeah," i stutter out, "i have."

"how are you feeling about that? i know you guys didn't exactly end things on good terms," she says sympathetically. of course she knew.

she knew the moment louis wouldn't acknowledge me at dinner when he would come over. she would suspect when i no longer was the happy and bright kid i once was and gemma and louis were spending more and more time together. she just knew.

"actually," i say nervously, "we started hanging out recently. he's been very serious about apologizing for things... i just don't know if i should fully trust him."

"well that's up to you," i hear her say, "if you think that he's truly changed and that he's trying to be better at building a friendship with you then i don't see a problem in putting a little bit of trust in him."

i nod taking in her words.

was i capable of trusting louis?

"i always suspected you had a thing for louis actually," she then says. my eyes widen and i stutter a "what" at what she just said.

"you clearly liked him when he friends with your sister. honestly it might have been the jealousy you felt that tore you guys apart. didn't he try to talk to you that one christmas eve party?"

ah yes, louis' 12th birthday party.

"we should take a picture of the kids!" jay beams to my mum as they watched us huddle up around louis and his birthday cake.

louis' sisters clapped for louis who was smiling ear to ear. gemma was right beside him whispering wishes for him to wish meanwhile i stood aside- close but not too close watching as they brightly celebrated louis' birthday.

"i'll go grab my phone!" mum replies and dashes to retrieve her phone that was left in the kitchen.

louis takes his eyes for once moment from his birthday cake and his eyes suddenly meet mine and for a split second i had almost forgot that we were no longer friends. his eyes lingered on mine yet once my mum came back he had his eyes back on the cake and smiling once again for the pictures.

faking a smile, as i usually found myself lately, i watch as my mum and jay took pictures.

few hours later, once we had eaten the cake and louis has opened his gifts and i'm talking with lottie, i feel a small tap on my shoulder.

turning around i see the last person i'd expect.

"c-can i talk to you?" he stutters nervously.

his blue eyes were staring at my eyes and honestly it sent chills down my spine on how much i loved having him look at me.

i shake my head, too stubborn and my pride too high and say, "i don't want to."

"oh," he says, "okay."

and he goes back to talking to gemma.

seriously wondered what he had been trying to tell me that day.

"i never knew what he wanted to tell me," i admitted.

"seems to me like he was trying to reach out, hon," mum says, "and now he's trying again. i think you should see where this leads you. who knows? maybe something more than a friendship, perhaps?"

"mum, i barely like louis much less fancy him." i now say rolling my eyes. i didn't view him like that.

although i cannot disagree with the fact that he got hot during his first two years at college.

after an hour or so of talking about my none existing crush on louis and other things that didn't include him, we hang up and promise to call each other soon to hear back.

her words still lingered in my head, "you clearly liked him".

cause obviously that's insane right? obviously.

~

A/N:

short chapter sorry loves.

haven't written about anne in a while.

what do u guys feel about anne's words to harry??

unedited/unrevised

december 13, 2020 [happy 1 year to fine line].