Letters to London

Chapter 11

Harry picks up his keys and turns around to look for Louis, but he’s nowhere. He readjusts his scarf and fluffs up his hair, pushing it back with one hand, checking to make sure the ring is concealed in the pocket of his jeans and calls, “Louis! Time to go!”

“Coming!” he shouts from somewhere down the hall of the dorm. Moments later gentle footsteps approach the end of the hall, and Louis comes into sight. He fixes his blazer and looks in a mirror by the door, running a finger up the edge of his quiff. “Haven’t seen this style in a while- looks a bit funny,” he jokes, flashing a smile at Harry.

Harry returns it, wrapping a hand around the doorknob as Louis approaches him. "Alice is spending the day at a friend's house, she'll be back around nine tonight though. Just if you needed to know. Ready?"

Louis nods and tucks his hand inside of Harry's as he's led out to the car. He steps inside and watches as Harry climbs around to the driver's side. He turns his head and leans it on the door window, watching the trees pass by in silence.

Meanwhile, Harry's grown uncomfortably fidgety. His leg bounces and his eye twitches, and though he wishes it would stop, it will not. He sighs and bites down on his lip hard, his brows screwing up in concentration. Every minute he gets closer to proposing and it's painful to think about. Although he shouldn't feel nervous because Louis has been his for the longest time, he is. What if Louis doesn't want to yet? 

His thoughts are interrupted by mindless chatter from Louis.

"I'm kind of worried about Eleanor, she texted me this morning crying. She's in pain as much as I am," he whispers, turning to look at Harry. When he notices he's extremely fidgety, he grows concerned. "What's wrong? Why are you so wiggly?"

Harry forces a small smile and shrugs. "I dunno. Guess I just hope nobody is going to be there except us," he lies. He feels Louis' little hand placed on his knee, so his leg stops bouncing.

"Calm down. If people are... there, don't... whatever," he says, stern but gentle. Harry nods and places his hand over Louis', curling his fingers around Louis' so his thumb can run over the back of his hand. He thinks about what Louis has said about Eleanor and sighs. Everybody's just been having enough lately.

~

The restaurant is lit up beautifully inside, light conversations ringing and bouncing around the walls. The couple are seated at a table near the middle of the restaurant, set apart by a white tablecloth, a vase of daisies and food. Wonderful food. They've both gotten some type of chicken they both have taken a rather liking to. Harry watches as Louis turns his head to look out the window, and then up at the light fixtures again.

"Everything looks so fancy and modern," he jokes, his eyes glistening as he looks down at Harry. The younger boy blushes and looks back down at his plate, digging his knife into the chicken breast. 

"I'm impressed. How much is this costing you?" Louis continues, pulling off a strip of his food on his fork.

Harry shrugs and smiles up at Louis. "Don't worry about it Lou, this is just for us right now. Alright?"

"Alright. I love you."

"I love you too," Harry says, and the words strike a nerve. His hand flutters down to the box in his pocket, his index finger tracing the lid. Now or never, he promises himself.

He's about to push himself up from the table, about to kneel in front of Louis and propose in front of the restaurant, when he's interrupted by a ringtone. Louis' ringtone. He gulps as Louis frowns, pulling the phone out of his pocket.

"Uhh... I guess I need to take this- I'm sorry," Louis stutters, staring at the number on the screen. He excuses himself and feels Harry's eyes on him all the way to the bathroom. He answers the call once he's successfully locked himself in a stall.