Louis Meets Harry | On Hold |

Pining

Louis spends all of Monday morning searching for Harry, heart racing when he sees anybody with curly hair, only for it to plummet as he realizes that it's not his mysterious prince to be. Please, let him be looking for me too, he prays.  Louis isn't religious, not in the way that Niall and his family are, but he's not going to risk anything. Taylor and Niall promise to be lookouts for him, and although Louis is grateful for them, he is also afraid that they might force the poor boy to talk to him, not giving him any say in the matter. He just hopes that he gets to Harry first.

Unfortunately it seems that nobody can find him, and Louis swears he can feel his heart shriveling up as the hours go by. He's still searching the halls when he ends up running into his friend Gigi, head of the cheer-leading team and Homecoming Queen (again, third year in a row). She's constantly in crisis mode, and today is no different. "Thank the stars I found you, Lou, I've got a dilemma!" she all but screams, pulling him to the side. He lets himself be pulled, even though she is freakishly strong.

Louis sighs, deciding to put his own crisis to the back of his mind for a few moments. "What's up, doll?" He tries not to let his mind (and eyes) wander as Gigi goes on and on about something - homecoming related? - but it's difficult. He can't help but continue to scan the hallways, not sure what he'd do if Harry were to actually turn up, but unable to stop looking. He'd probably force himself into the nearest locker, but that's besides the point.

Eventually Gigi realizes that she doesn't have his full attention (did she ever?) and pouts. "What's gotten into you!" Her eyes follow his, perfectly plucked brows going up once she makes the connection. "Ah, okay, who is it?"

Louis blanches, unsure of how much he should share with her. Gigi means well, she always does, but she isn't the best at keeping things to herself. She was built for an audience, and can't help but share any juicy gossip that comes her way. "No one, really..." he says, refusing to say anymore despite her persistent prodding. She's about to reply, determined for more information, when she notices something over his shoulder, and glares.

He turns to look, and then instantly wishes he hadn't. Liam Payne walks by, walking faster as he realizes exactly who is staring at him. God forbid he acknowledges me, Louis thinks ruefully. Liam Payne. Straight boy. Only, he wasn't straight when he and Louis were dating; he wasn't straight those nights they spent kissing up in Louis' room. When they held hands, cuddling as they watched romantic movies. Now, Liam refuses to talk to Louis, refuses to even be seen near him. He tells people that Louis tricked him, that he confused him. Sometimes Louis wonders if that's true, but he knows that it can't be. It felt real, and that's why Louis is so hurt, so confused.

"I'm sorry, babe, he sucks," Gigi sighs, frowning as he simply nods in response, not wanting to elaborate. Eventually, finally, she gets distracted by someone else, another person waiting for the famous Gigi to dazzle them, and goes on her way after giving Louis a kiss on the cheek, ever dramatic.

He's still grimacing and wiping lip gloss off his check when Taylor finds him. Before he can even open his mouth to ask, Taylor shakes her head, blond hair swishing side to side. "Sorry, boo, no luck," she says regretfully. "I do know people, that know people, that seem to know who he is, but I can't get much further than that. Joe helped me look for a while, too," she adds, rolling her eyes at Louis' knowing smirk.

As interesting as knowing someone who knows someone that knows who Harry is, it doesn't really help him. At all. Seeing the disappointed look on his face, Taylor rushes to add, "I also heard that he's into music, that might help? Don't look so crushed, he's just some guy."

Louis wants to agree with her, after all they only talked with each other for a few minutes. However, he felt something in those few minutes that he can't yet let go of, something that feels like it could last forever. No, he can't let this go. He has to find Harry.