Would You Want Me?

Summer

Summer 🌻

Harry ignores the night of the party as long as he can. He pretends that day never happens. He pretends he doesn't know that Louis is embarrassed of him. He lets himself fall back into the way they were before he knew, and Louis lets him. Louis comes over after school and Harry goes to Louis' house on the weekends and they don't speak in public.

Harry, Louis, Niall, Liam, and Zayn graduate on a Saturday a few weeks later. They walk across the stage together, take pictures together, have a nice dinner out together. Always together.

Louis surprises Harry with a night at a bed and breakfast, flowers, and a graduation gift of a silver ring. Louis tells him it doesn't have to mean anything other than he loves him.

Harry resists the urge to roll his eyes as he lets Louis slip it onto his right middle finger. He resists the urge to scream how angry he is and how much he resents Louis as he follows him to the bed. Harry only wears the ring when Louis is around.

The next morning, Louis tells Harry that he's thinking about getting a flat with Jack and Grey this summer. It feels a bit like betrayal as Harry lays there naked and exposed body, heart, and soul. It feels a bit like Louis wanted to undress him just to pull the curtain back and laugh at him once again.

Their time together feels a bit like a dream, and a lot like he wants to wake up.

The next week Harry finds himself ignoring Louis' texts like the plague and walking along the streets of the city. He walks by the park, the spots they used to park at when it was dark, the school, and the broken cobblestone street of the university most of their class were going to start come autumn.

Harry turns around when he hears tires on the rubble and sees Mersey pulling up in her Jeep with Liam and Maya in the back.

"Harry!" she yells out the window. "Get in, we're going on a road trip for the summer,"

"Funny, Mersey," Harry says smiling at the ground and kicking rocks.
"I'm being genuine, we were just at your house, but your mum said you were out walking. Come with us, we'll take you home to get some clothes, but you have to come with us," she says sounding excited.

"Why?" Harry asks.
"It's a spur-of-the-moment trip, you'll love it. One last adventure before we become adults, yeah?" she says, and Liam gives him a look that makes him feel like this is what he needs.

He thinks about it for a moment. Really thinks, maybe this is life telling him to get the hell out of here, get away from Louis, clear his head. Harry thinks an adventure is exactly what he needs, a getaway, an easy out.

Mersey is like a figment of his worse intentions and this trip seems like his ticket out of the cage that is his relationship with Louis. So, when Mersey honks her horn and says, "Harry, get in, let's go! Please?" he does without giving it another thought.

He knows it's full circle to get in a car with her and road trip without a word to Louis, no goodbye, or I just need a break, or a figure yourself out before you drag me into your mess. Nothing, just leaving with a girl that causes them issues day in and day out just like last time.

He packs any clothes that are within arm's reach, his chargers, his toiletries, his wallet with his credit cards. He kisses his mum on the cheek and leaves without allowing himself to really think any of this through.

Liam asks him if he's sure when he gets in the passenger seat and as an answer, he puts his hand on the back of Mersey's neck, pulls her in, and kisses her. "Yeah, I'm sure,"

It feels so wrong. It feels like he should be cuddled up with Louis in bed. It feels like he should be yelling and screaming with Louis, fighting for them instead of running away and kissing a girl that he can't really stand. It feels like he should be doing anything but this.