The X-Factor Experience | L.S

Twenty Eight: April

Niall had Harry's shoulders in a tight grip, shaking him back and forth in the middle of the store. "Did you at least get his number?"

Some people turned to look at them and Harry cowered into himself.

The pair was on a shopping trip to the mall, gossiping about things that were going on in their lives right now. Niall had told Harry about all the details of how he and Lucas got together. It was a quite a funny story, it made Harry laugh at how dumb they both were. He even caught himself thinking of them as cute.

And now he'd just told Niall about the incident with Louis.

"No!" Harry said, frustrated and angry with himself for forgetting to ask Louis for his number.

Niall slouched in disappointment and Harry freed himself from Niall's clutch with a sigh.

Last night might just have been the last time he would ever get to see Louis again in his life. He had no way to contact him. Except if he went showing up in front of his apartment again. But even for Harry that seemed just a tad desperate, intense and creepy.

He'd done it before and he was not about to do it again.

He knew he was in too deep to just forget about it now. It was never really a possibility, but now it was just strictly not going to happen. No way.

It wasn't just his toes that were dipped into the saccharine poison anymore - it was now reaching up his knees, the bottom half of his legs were full on soaked in the sweet intoxicating pool that was Louis.

Every now and then the giddy happiness would course through him as he thought about what happened with. It almost had him doubt if Louis actually liked him. Pondering over the possibility that Louis could return his feelings one day, and that maybe Harry's feelings could turn into something deeper with time.

He pushed away the thought, not wanting to get his hopes up only for them to get crushed by the harsh reality at some point.

But he swore there was something between them. The way Louis had called him adorable, the way he had complimented his eyes. The way he had faked a limp to get harry to walk home with him? People who don't like each other don't do stuff like that...

Niall groaned, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Harry," he sighed. "You are a dumb, dumb boy. Stupid, even. But it'll be alright, your friend Niall is here to guide you."

Harry laughed loudly, "and how exactly would that happen?"

Niall brought an arm around his shoulder as they continued ambling around the store in a lazy pace. "This man obviously likes you. Don't even try to deny it. He faked a limp," Niall stopped to laugh, "the man faked a limp to be in your company. He's a simp for you. Whipped like whipped cream."

"He's not a simp!"

"He is. But so are you," Niall shrugged and patted Harry's curls. Harry glared at him, then his look softened. "He's my simp."

Niall made a face and lead Harry out of the store, "I'm not gonna lie that was a cringy line of you to say, Har, but I'll take it." They walked into a nauseatingly fragranced perfume store, "my ship consists of a cringy romantic and a famous simp. I love it."

Harry pulled Niall's baseball cap down over his eyes and laughed. "You're so weird." Niall swatted him in return.

Harry averted his eyes and focused them on some random pink perfume bottle on the shelf in front of them. "Okay, so say he does like me. It would never work out. I don't have a way to contact him, I'm not gonna scare him off by showing up at his home again, oh and I almost forgot this one: he's a famous musician. I'm just me."

"Ever heard of Social Media? Duh? DM him on like Instagram or Twitter or something, grandpa. And why does it matter that he's famous? if you like each other then that's that. Trust me, lots of celebrities date... their fans."

Harry scoffed. "Yeah right."

"Let's at least try and DM him. Come on," Niall grabbed Harry's hand in his own and pulled him out of the mall as they took the underground back to Niall's place.

They entered his bedroom and Niall placed Harry on the bed and stuffed his phone into his fist. "Go on. Log in."

Harry responded grumbly, "Niall I think you're forgetting the fact that Louis literally gets like a thousand DM's a minute. He's never going to even notice mine. Plus, I bet he's got some manager that takes care of his socials anyway."

The bed sank and Niall shuffled to sit next to him, his hot mayonnaise breath tickling at Harry's cheek. "Doesn't hurt to give it a try."

"Get your nasty ass musty breath off my face, I just had a shower," Harry made gag sounds to emphasise how disgusted he was to which Niall responded with a bored look.

After a long while of begging and pleading and even bribing, Harry sighed defeatedly, finally giving in.

"Fine. Asshat."

Niall's entire face lit up like a damn Christmas tree, "yay," he grinned and huddled closer to Harry, leaning over to the lit up screen.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Insta or Twitter?"

"Both."

Harry made a face, "forget it, I'm not desperate."

"Yeah, okay," Niall scoffed, "if that helps you sleep at night. Okay try Twitter first."

Harry's fingers found the Twitter application on the screen of his phone and opened it. He typed in Louis' username and went to the envelope icon. His fingers hovered over the suddenly intimidating keyboard. He bit down on his lip. "Ohmygod, what should I say?" he asked, turning to Niall for answers.

"Tell him to come over."

Harry put his phone aside to give Niall a bored look.

"Ugh, fine. Don't. Here, let me type something," he extended his hand in order to demand Harry the phone, which he agreed to. Niall took the phone and started typing away.

Harry started growing more suspicious when he tried to read whatever Niall was typing and Niall would purposely cover the screen from him.

"Niall, let me see," Harry said, almost throwing himself over his friend. Niall finally let go of the phone and handed it back to Harry who gripped it tightly and read over the message Niall had sent.

im lonely :(((..... come over pls
Sent 01:54PM

Harry's mouth fell open in sheer horror. He snapped his head to glare staggers into Niall so fast he thought he'd break his neck. "Have you lost your mind?"

A playful smiled broke across Niall's dumb face. "Thank me later, luv. Relax - he's not gonna see it. You said it yourself."

Harry nodded, for once thankful for that. "Yes, lucky for you. Or else I'd have to murder you."

"Don't you think you're a little too delicate to do that?"

"What the hell do you mean delicate? I'm twice as big as you."

"Height doesn't rule out delicateness," Niall smiled.

"You're so annoying remind me why I'm friends with you again," Harry said monotonously.

"Because you love me and because you need someone to push your limits otherwise you'd probably be in like college doing homework and studying for finals right now?"

Harry pressed his lips together in a flat line. "Okay you have a point."

Niall just gave a cocky smile, sitting with his hands behind his neck and leaning back on the bed.