Scared (L.S)

forty two

 So Louis accepted the offer. He applied to live in the dorms and Harry helped him pick out new bedsheets and a roommate. They spent all their time together and as relieved as Louis was to be moving to London, he was dreading the moment he would have to leave Harry.

Eventually, Louis graduated. Harry and Anne attended, along with Lottie and Fizzy. When Louis saw his sisters there, a surprise from Harry, he burst into tears. Happy tears, though. Louis knew he would miss his sisters and, through the summer, he and Harry spent more and more time with them. Lottie, at twelve, was technically old enough to babysit the twins but Jay opted to put them in daycamp for the majority of the summer, leaving Lottie and Fizzy at home to entertain themselves. After Jay and Dan left for work, Lottie would call Louis over and, more often than not, both he and Harry would go over.

Some days, just Louis went while Harry worked at his summer job (a bakery) and some days, neither of them went because they were both working (Louis had begun working as an assistant in some office closer to Sheffield). They tried to spend as much time as possible during the day with Louis' sisters, and their evenings were reserved for couch dinners in front of the TV with Anne. But the nights, the nights were just for them. Louis would drive them to diners and ice cream shops and drive in theatres and they would spend all their time disgustingly in love. But, in their defense, every day that passed was one day closer to Louis leaving and they wanted to make the most of their time together.

Eventually, the time came for Louis to leave.

"That's the last bag, mum," Harry said, closing the back door to Louis' small car. Through his many trips to his old house to visit his sisters, Louis had been able to swipe everything he wanted from his room. Now, almost all of Louis' belongings were packed into his car, save for the clothes that were still sitting in Harry's closet and dresser, waiting for his next visit.

"Okay, come give me a hug, Louis." Louis knew it would be hard for him to say goodbye to Anne, the woman that had taken him in and treated him as if he were her own. But when he saw Anne's eyes fill with tears and felt the way she pulled him in tight, he knew that he needed to be strong.

"I'll be back real soon, Anne," Louis said quietly into the hug. "Besides, you'll still have Harry and, trust me," Louis made eye contact with Harry over her shoulder, "He's so much better than me."

Anne laughed and Harry rolled his eyes. "I'll be expecting you before the end of the month, young man."

"Yes ma'am." Louis nodded before stepping to the passenger side door and opening it. He motioned to Harry, "Coming in?"

Harry grinned and nodded, slipping into the seat and letting Louis close the door behind him. Harry was driving down to London with Louis to help the older boy move, and would be staying the weekend before returning to Doncaster via train on Sunday.

It took them about three and a half hours to get to London given the moderate traffic and their stop to get gas and snacks. They didn't talk much during the drive. Sure there was the occasional comment but they mostly just basked in each other's presence, singing along to Louis' CD's with their fingers intertwined tightly.

It was nearing noon, Louis' scheduled move in time, when they pulled onto the campus. They parked close to the door of Louis' dorm building, which they had toured on a day trip to London in July, and Louis ran off to the registration desk while Harry started pulling Louis' stuff from the car and onto the sidewalk.

"Need some help?" Harry looked up to see a boy adorned in a brightly coloured university shirt.

"Um, sure," Harry nodded and the boy walked over to the open back seat, beginning to pull out boxes and bags onto the curb.