strawberries and cigarettes (always taste like you)

Fourteen

Mary's smile immediately turned into a frown, "No? I haven't seen him since last month."

Wait, so... Harry is really going to stand me up on our tradition? That feels so wrong to even consider. Maybe he forgot. He wouldn't ditch me on purpose. He wouldn't.

Mary spoke softly, "Louis? Is everything okay?"

I shook off my thoughts, "Yeah. All okay. I'll see you back out, yeah?"

She just nodded at me as I walked out to the backward, worry etched on her face. I spent the next half hour at the barbeque. There was still an hour and half to go, but I just wasn't feeling it anymore. My stomach was in knots, and I still hadn't received a text from Harry. Plus, being here without Harry is just weird and uncomfortable in general. 

I left soon after, after informing Mary that I was leaving. She was unpleasantly surprised; Harry and I always stayed for the full event. But I think she understood the situation. She told me she'd see me next month as I left the restaurant, and found my way to the bus stop.

I reached home at nine p.m. I ran into my other roommates at the main door. They were just leaving for their Friday night clubbing. I told them that I didn't want to join, which they accepted quite easily for a change. Of course, Harry wasn't with them.

I hurried into the house and locked it behind me; one of the others probably had a key. They'd be fine. I walked up to Harry's room immediately. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't this. 

Harry was asleep on his bed, his phone on the bed next to them. I may have overreacted a little when I purposely slammed the door shut loudly. In my defence, I was upset! He missed our monthly tradition; of course, I'm not happy about it.

He woke up with a start, and looked around for a few seconds before his gaze fixed on me. He mumbled sleepily, "Hi, Lou."

I glared at him, "Hi Lou? That's all you fucking have to say? Hi? Okay then, Harry. Fucking Hi."

My tone was too sharp even to my own ears. Harry's eyes cleared of the last wisps of sleep, and he looked at me in confusion, "What... What's going on?"

I took a deep breath, trying my best not to lose my temper any further, "You have no idea what today is, do you?"

I could see the gears in his head shifting. He looked at me again in confusion before checking his phone. He must have found the calendar app, because he visibly swallowed. I just know that his stomach dropped when he saw the little note under today's date on the calendar app. A little note that probably says something along the lines of 'Barbeque!!!'

Harry swallowed again as his eyes found mine, "Fuck. Lou, I'm so sorry, I didn't check my phone because I was so busy, and it completely slipped my mind."

I paced around in his room, "I went to the restaurant, you know. Asked Mary if you were there yet. I didn't think you'd actually miss Barbeque Night. We've never missed a month, Harry."

Harry wrung his hands together nervously, "I know! Fuck, I'm so sorry, Lou."

I sighed, "I know you are, but you understand why I'm upset, yeah? I was looking forward to this all week. I got a good grade on my business project which you helped me with, and this would have been the perfect way to sort of celebrate."

Harry sounded miserable when he next spoke, "That's great about your grade Fuck, I'm so sorry. I had like seven classes today, and I was so exhausted when I got home. I completely forgot about it."

I blinked at him, "Classes?"

He waved his hands around aimlessly, "Yeah, you know, it's Friday. Seven lectures on Fridays."

I'm pretty sure I shouted without meaning to, "Fuck you and your classes, Harry. What the fuck? I keep telling you to drop them. You want to drop them as well. You said you'd let me come along to the administration office the next time. And you obviously don't want me to. And now you've missed our two-year tradition for your stupid classes."

He gaped at me, a hard tone to his voice, "Excuse me, are you genuinely upset that I forgot a date because I was at class? It's not like I was doing something else like playing video games unnecessarily! You can't even remember to get groceries because you're too busy playing stupid games."

I glared at him, "That's different!"

He scoffed incredulously, "How is that any different? You're the most irresponsible person I've ever met, and now you're going to stand there and yell at me for not remembering a date? Fuck's sake, Louis."

I clenched my fists, "I'm not mad because you forgot! I'm mad because you refuse to man the fuck up and do something about your overbearing classes. I've had it with you constantly complaining about all your classes and not doing anything about it. I'm tired of letting you off for everything just because you take a bunch of unnecessary classes. Hell, half of the days you can barely keep your eyes open for long enough to fucking eat with me. And I get you food every time!"

He glared at me, "Well, nobody asked you to! You can just let me be in my room. Nobody fucking asked you to get me food or even pay any attention to me. You could just let me go to sleep hungry or whatever!"

I scoffed, "Of course, I'm going to get you food and take care of you, H! I love you, for fuck's sake."

He looked at me in bewilderment, "Well, I love you too! Thank you, but you're literally fighting with me because I forgot about barbeque night. And the only reason I forgot is because I had classes! You're genuinely mad at me for going to my classes!"

I rolled my eyes harshly, "Get over yourself. I'm not mad at you for going to classes. These classes are going to fucking kill you at some point. You're always tired and you never have the energy to do anything. This is not fucking healthy! I'm just fucking worried about you, H. Is that so hard to understand?"

His posture relaxed, and he bit his lip, "You're worried."

I sat down next to him, "Of course, I'm worried. You're always so exhausted, and I hate seeing you like that. You don't even need these classes, babe."

Harry sighed, "I know. Ugh, Lou, I'm so sorry."

I slowly touched his wrist, and then went to ahead to hold him properly when he eased into my touch, "Don't be. I'm sorry for yelling."

Harry just leaned against me for a while, not really saying anything. Both of us had calmed down by now; neither of us yelling or breathing harshly anymore.  We relaxed easily. Harry's touch was always a relaxing element. He then spoke up a few minutes later, "Lou?"

I hummed in response, "Yeah?"

He hesitated before speaking again, "Come to the administration office with me tomorrow?"

I had the intense urge to cheer and dance, because hell, yes! It's time to put the Karen or the Candace at the administration office in her fucking place. Instead of doing any of that, I just kissed his curly hair, "Yeah, okay."

He craned his neck to smirk at me, "You can cheer and yell if you want to, you know."

I rolled my eyes, "Hush. I'm glad you're finally letting me come with you. Watch me free you of all your grievances tomorrow with my incredibly charming self."

Harry snorted, "You're a dork. I love you for some reason."

I bent my head to kiss him, "Love you more, H."

He apologized again, "I'm really sorry, though. We'll go next month, okay?"

I grinned at him, "Of course. The barbeque today was shit anyway."

Harry just giggled and rolled his eyes endearingly; he clearly knew that I was lying. But we were both going to let it pass.

***