I Bet You Won't • Larry

31. I Bet You Won't Kiss Me

"Shoot," he says, looking at the boy.

"How'd you get to California? Last time I saw you, it was in Florida back at Target, when you worked there. How did you get here, and working back at this place?" Harry asks, genuinely curious. Louis is, too, but he wishes that the ginger boy could leave so he and Harry could be alone.

"Oh, well, I moved out here because I'm trying to get my singing career started, like I told you back in Florida. And I got a job here because my old boss from the UK and then the one from Florida recommended me, and even though it kind of sucks, it was way easier than applying for job after job and it pays well. Figured it would be a good way to make money until some kind of miracle happens and I get signed," Ed says.

Harry nods, listening to every word he says. "Well, I truly hope you get signed. It'd be fun to be able to look at you years ahead on billboards and be able to say 'I knew him when'," Harry says, smiling a dimple smile and laughing.

Okay, now Louis' jealous.

Harry only smiles a dimple smile for him. And now he's smiling one for Ed.

Hell no.

"Um, Ed, aren't you supposed to be getting our food?" He asks sassily.

Harry gasps. "Lou! That was rude," he says, but he then realizes why Louis said that and he feels the butterflies in his tummy again.

Which is funny, because he has a tattoo of a butterfly on his tummy. And he feels butterflies in his tummy.

Ed nods his head slowly, smiling at Harry. "You're right. Harry, you have my number. Text me," he says, walking off to check on their food.

Harry looks at Louis, smug. "You're jealous," he says, smirking proudly to himself.

Louis scoffs. "Uh huh. Whatever helps you sleep at night," he says.

Harry chuckles. "Well, you, for one," he says.

The older lad looks at him. "What do you mean?" He asks.

"Well, you help me sleep at night. Remember when we first moved into the dorm, and on the first night we each slept in our own beds, and I couldn't sleep at all? We were literally in the exact same room and I still couldn't sleep for some reason. I assumed it was because it was my first night at Uni and I was nervous. But then, the next night, I couldn't sleep again, so I crept into your bed, and you were all confused, but then I told you I couldn't fall asleep, so you held me. You held me and I fell asleep in seconds," Harry says, reminiscing on the time that was only a bit over a year ago. But so much has changed since then that it feels like a century since that night.

Louis nods. "That was the first night I ever held you. I'll probably never forget that, to be honest. My heart was beating so fast when you came in. I never told you this, but I couldn't sleep the night before, either. And I was awake when you got into bed with me. But the second I heard you snoring, and I held you, I fell asleep," Louis says, noticing how the conversation got much deeper than it had been just a few minutes ago. They tend to do that a lot.

"I loved that night," Harry admits, playing with his fingers as his cheeks heat up.

Louis smiles his sunshine smile, one that he saves just for Harry. "Yeah, I did, too," he says.

Harry looks up at him, a crooked grin plastered on his face. "Lou," he starts, grabbing the boy's hand again.

"Hm?"

"You did a sunshine smile," Harry says, almost bursting into tears at the sight.

Louis shrugs it off. "Yeah, so? What of it?" He asks.