The first day of school at the Royal College meant student orientation. Harry and Louis were still drowning in their moving boxes. Some were half unpacked and some were still taped shut but they all made it nearly impossible to move around in their tiny dorm appointment. That however was probably the best part of attending the prestigious school. It wasn't the world-class professors or the notoriety you get from attending it, no it was the fact that even as a freshman you weren't stuck in a tiny itty bitty dorm that made you feel claustrophobic. The only downside? It was obvious when you looked at your tuition bill.
The boys had woken up early to fix themselves breakfast, digging into the only box that was labeled kitchen Louis pulled out two cooking pans and an old bag of pancake mix. It wasn't anything fancy, they didn't even have syrup but the idea was still there. Busy mixing the pancake batter Harry went through and found the tea kettle and tea bags.
Soon, the apartment was filled with the warm scent of a warm breakfast. Neither Harry nor Louis bothered to try and find any plates so instead they used paper towels as plates and used an unopened box as a kitchen table. The tea was poured into a large thermos and place in the middle for the two to share.
Halfway through breakfast, Harry burst out into laughter.
"What is so funny?"
All he had to do was a gesture at the cardboard table for Louis to bubble up with laughter as well.
"Okay you're right this is so stupid."
"Oh it is but I bloody love it.
"And why is that?"
"Because it feels so normal. To be a student sitting in a pile of boxes eating a shit breakfast before Uni and living with my best friend. It's like one of those Hallmark movies or something."
"This is not a shit breakfast!"
"There is no syrup!"
"We'll go to the shops today after class so Mr. Styles doesn't have to suffer from another shit meal in this overpriced flat."
Harry got up onto his knees and leaned over the makeshift table, grabbed Louis' flustered cheeks, and placed a kiss onto his lips. Pulling away he laughed at the adoring and confused look on his boyfriend's face.
"There is no one else I would rather eat bland pancakes on top of a cardboard box with so please, do not fret about this because I love it. I love everything I do with you."
Louis never really knew how to respond to these acts because words and kisses never seemed to be enough. If he told Harry how much he loved him he feared it would lessen the value of those three little words. But when he was silent he felt as if he was taking a photograph and storing it forever. Just like the photos Harry had given him.
The two finished eating their breakfast and changed into their uniforms of khakis and polo shirts. Orientation started promptly at seven-forty-five in the auditorium so the pair hightailed it across the small campus to make it on time.
Almost all of the seats in the auditorium were already taken so Louis and Harry snag a pair of seats in the back left corner. The dean of the school was giving a speech about the history of the school, how Queen Jane Seymour made her husband King Henery VIII promise her that he would create a college for their son on the last day of her life. One not just for him but for all of Britain's brightest minds to study together. It was quite interesting but also boring for eight in the morning.
Just before the pair began snoozing in their seats the entire group of students were divided into seven equal sections of thirty students and were placed with an upperclassman for a guided campus tour. Being in the back of their group Louis could not see who their guide was but Harry was sure he had seen the man before. Ash-blonde hair was a unique commodity and to see it twice within two days was rare and when the voice upfront cracked a joke about eggs he put two and two together.
"Hey Lou, I think our guide is that server we had yesterday."
"Free pass server?"
"Yeah?"
"Let me see."
Harry quickly grabbed Louis at the base of his hips and lifted him up just high enough to seas over the tiny crowd ahead of them, and without a doubt leading the pack was hot server, Josh.
"I think you're right."
"What a small world. He didn't mention attending here did he? What do you think he studies?"
"Something to do with money or painting."
"Painting?"
"I don't know, kinda seems like he could paint."
"Fair enough."
For the rest of the tour, the duo paid attention to the tour stops and tips that Josh was sharing with the group so they wouldn't be completely clueless the next day when classes officially began.
By one in the afternoon, all of the students had returned to the auditorium to receive final instructions for the day, which just so happened to be the steps to complete their identification cards so they can get around campus.
The queue in the hallways was longer than it should have been given the fact that only two hundred photos were being taken and over ten stations had been set up to handle the task. Harry leaned against the brink wall while idly twisting the ends of his boyfriend's overgrown hair.
"If you're not careful my picture will look like I just got electrocuted."
"Maybe. Or maybe you'll still look bloody perfect."
Louis recoiled into Harry's chest and blushed. "You can't keep saying things like that to me!"
"Why?"
"Because!"
"Because why? The things I say are all true."
"Because how am I supposed to respond to that!"
"You respond however you, please. One of your giggles or perhaps a dance? Heck, maybe even go crazy and dance like a chicken or-"
"If I kiss you will you shut the hell up?"
"Maybe..."
Sure enough when he planted a kiss onto Harry's lips the only thing he got in return, other than his heart leaping in his chest, was a cheeky smile.
The pair had finally made it to the front of their line and the cameraman called Louis to take his ID card picture. He flashed a cheeky smile before waiting for his card to print. By the time it did finally print Hary had taken his photo already.
Maybe it was the archaic printing machine to maybe it was because both men were pretty sure the camera used was manufactured in the mid-evil ages but either way their ID cards look horrible. Louis' looked like a badge of a preschooler and Harry looked as if he spent one to many hours in the tanning salon. Both of them ink lines breaking up their faces making the card virtually useless for true identification purposes.
Just as they were laughing and being ushered out of the building there was a voice.
"I thought you two looked familiar."
Josh had changed out of his university-issued jumper and into a brick-red t-shirt. A brown leather bag laid across his broad chest and his hair seemed to be freshly air dryer, almost as if he carried a hairdryer in his bag with him at all times.
"Josh! We didn't know you were a student here. yet alone a resident assistant."
"All a part of the scholarship. Wave money in front of a broke college kid and they'll do just about anything. Including being an ass to excited freshies. Speaking of which, why all the laughs."
"Just looking at our pass pictures. Absolute rubbish!"
They both showed their freshly printed ID cards to Josh to let out a deep, low chuckle.
"Wow, they've gotten pretty cheap with these things haven't they!"
"Don't act like yours isn't complete rubbish man."
"I guess we'll never know now, will we."
"Oh don't tempt Louis like that, It'll only make him work harder. One time when we were like ten he wanted to find out the secret ingredient in hi mums cupcakes so he hid in a cabinet for five hours while she made them!"
"Wow, that's dedication there mate. But I have to know. What was the secret ingredient?"
"That will go with me to the grave man, sorry."
"Well, I'm going to meet up with a couple of guys from campus downtown if you both want to join."
"Thanks for the invite but we still have to head to the shops so we don't starve to death within the next week."
"Alright then. Nice to meet you both again. Say hi to Niall and Cassie for me!"
Before he finished the sentence Josh was peddling down the street on his bike.
"Well, that's a little weird?"
"What is?"
"That he remembered Cassie and Niall. Especially just from seeing us and not them."
"Oh come on Lou. It's not like he's stalking us. Besides, It's not like we necessarily were the least memorable table he ever waited before."
"You're right. You're right. Guess my mind's just readjusting to the city."
"You and me both. Why don't you text Ni and Cas and see if they want to go shopping with us after lunch?"
"Will do."
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I am SO sorry that this has taken absolutely forever to update but my goal this year is to try and write at least one chapter a week from now on! I hope y'all liked this one!