A/N: enjoy x
Chapter 27
LOUIS POV
Louis and Harry held hands on the car ride down to Brookside. They didn't let go once, and didn't say a word.
Louis wasn't really sure where they stood. They kissed for a while that morning in the kitchen, before Harry insisted that Anne and Gemma were going to get home and catch them any minute and that they needed to eat and get ready anyways, so they stopped. Very reluctantly.
They joked around while they ate, Harry feeding him grapes and trying to catch blueberries in his mouth. He was so incredibly silly. Louis adored him so much.
Louis tried not to think about school during breakfast. They were happy, he didn't want to ruin it, or talk about it. But the niggling thought was there, in the back of his mind.
He didn't know what they were; whether they were now dating or not or what. If they were dating, what would they do at school? Would they hide it? Even thinking about that made Louis' head hurt. But Louis decided that that conversation could be saved for another day; this was not a morning to be ruined.
And then, before he knew it, they were back.
"Bye mum," Harry said softly to Anne in the parking lot of the school, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "Oh baby," Anne whispered softly, running her fingers through his curls and kissing the side of his head. "I'll see you over Easter hols, love, that's not too far away."
Harry pulled back, eyes a little more watery than they should be. "But that's months away," he almost whined, shuffling his feet around awkwardly. Anne smiled sadly at her son, and put her hand on his shoulder. "Sweetie you know you can call me to talk anytime, okay? And you have Louis and Niall and Zayn and Liam, you'll be fine."
Harry sighed. "I know, I just...I just miss you a lot, that's all. And Gem. And Robin. And Dusty."
"I know you do, H, and we miss you too. But it won't be long, I promise it'll be over before you know it and then you'll be home again."
Harry bit his lip and wrapped his arms around his mother in response, and she hugged him tightly.
Meanwhile, Louis was just standing there awkwardly to the side while they said their goodbyes. He wasn't even involved and he felt like crying, for god's sakes. Sappy Styleses.
"Alright, I should be going," Anne sighed. "Louis it was great having you, hopefully I'll see you again soon! And I just have to meet your mum, she seems so lovely!"
Louis laughed. "My mum wants to meet you as well. We don't live all that far away from each other, maybe you guys can meet up or something?"
Anne looked at him thoughtfully. "You know what, that's actually a great idea! Let me have her phone number Lou, and we'll set something up."
Harry rolled his eyes, even though he was smiling. Louis smiled because Harry smiled.
He pulled out his phone and read out his mum's number, before thanking Anne profusely for allowing him to stay and for being so kind. She shrugged off all of his thanks, saying that it was nothing and that she enjoyed having him just as much as he enjoyed being there. After hugging Harry one last time and pecking him on the cheek, she was off, and Louis and Harry were stood there in the parking lot, suitcases sitting in front of them and watching Anne drive away.
Louis glanced over at Harry and saw that he looked upset. Very upset, actually. So upset that his bottom lip was starting to wobble, and Louis wouldn't have that. He hated miserable Haz. Miserable Haz made him feel miserable, and then everything got all messed up.
"Aw Harry," Louis muttered before pulling Harry into his arms. Harry melted into the hug, resting his head down on Louis' shoulder and holding him tight. "Don't be sad love, everything's alright."
"But it's not," Harry said shakily, pulling away. "We're back here. What's going to happen, Lou? I just....I don't know."
"What's going to happen with what, love? Talk to me."
Harry paused before shaking his head. "S'nothing, just me being stupid is all. Don't worry about it."
"Haz, anything that makes you upset isn't nothing. It's important, alright? So. Explain."
"It's just that...this school is a fucking shithole, Lou, we both know it. And everyone here hates me and they're so terrible to me and I liked it better without them, when it was just us and we could do whatever we wanted without getting made fun of. But now...now they're everywhere, what am I going to do?"
Harry was looking at Louis with huge, frightened eyes. His facial expression would be comical if it weren't for the fact that Harry was legitimately really upset. Louis took a step closer to him. "Haz, we're just going to keep doing what we were doing before. People stopped bugging us, you don't have to talk to them if you don't want to. Nothing has to change."
Harry closed his eyes. "But Lou," he said softly without opening them. "Things have changed, you can't deny that. This morning...we...us..."
Louis didn't say anything, just lightly tangled his fingers in Harry's.
"Unless..." Harry's eyes snapped open, anxiety making the green look murky. "Unless you didn't...unless that was just a, um, a one time thing? Because if it was, I mean...I mean I get it, I understand, I just...yeah, that's what it was wasn't it? I'm sorry, I'm being stupid again, I'll just stop talking. Forget I ever said anything."
"Shh, Haz," Louis said softly. "You're rambling again."
"Sorry," Harry squeaked, before looking down at his feet and untangling his fingers from Louis'. His eyes were welling up with tears, and Louis' heart felt like it was being smashed into a million pieces. He hated seeing Harry so upset.
"Harry," Louis said again. Harry looked up at him, blinking tears out of his eyes. "It wasn't...it wasn't a one off. I mean. Yeah, you're right, things have changed. A lot. We. I just. I, um. Want you."
Harry's eyes brightened a notch. "Do you mean like...physically, or?..."
"No no no, not just physically, though that's definitely a part of it," he said, winking. Harry blushed. "You're gorgeous, Haz."
"Stop," Harry said bashfully, biting back a smile.
"Never ever. But anyways, it's not just a physical thing. I, um. I kinda want you all the time? Like, as in, a relationship maybe? Only if you want though, if you don't then. I mean. That's fine too. Just know that I want to be with you, and I think you're amazing and brilliant and beautiful. And, uh, don't doubt my feelings for you for a second cause. Like. They're there, for sure, I have no doubt about it. And I've given a lot of thought to this, and I just really care about you."
Harry was tomato red by then, and trying to hold back what would be a massive grin. It made his face look kind of squished and funny, but Louis thought it was cute. "Do you really mean that?"
"Yeah, definitely."
Harry went even redder. "I. Uh. Yeah, yeah okay. I mean, I want that too."
Louis took his hand again, butterflies erupting in his stomach. "So, what do you say to a date Friday night then Hazhead?" he asked quietly.
Harry didn't even bother trying to contain his grin this time. "Yes, Louis, for sure."
"Okay," was all Louis could manage to say back, with Harry's gangly body so close to him and that grin so bright and beautiful. He looked around quickly to make sure nobody was in the vicinity, before leaning forward to gently kiss Harry on the lips.
"Let's get our stuff inside, yeah?" Harry mumbled into Louis' mouth, and Louis hummed in response, pulling Harry closer. Harry chuckled and removed Louis' arms from where they were wound tightly around his neck, and leaned down to get his luggage. Louis pouted and picked his up as well, and Harry laughed loudly.
They walked into the building in silence, heading towards their hall on the other side of campus. There was a stray student here and there, but not too many yet. The crowd would arrive later that afternoon. "I can't believe classes start tomorrow," Harry grumbled. Louis groaned. "Don't remind me, I still have a maths assignment to do for tomorrow and I really don't want to." Harry laughed, and then they lapsed into silence again. It wasn't uncomfortable though, or awkward. It was nice.
"Lou?" Harry said after a while. He sounded nervous. "Yeah?"
"Uhm, what do we tell the others? Like, are we telling people, or?..."
"What do you want to do, Haz?"
"I mean, I don't. I don't know. Like. I want Niall to know, definitely, and Zayn and Liam too? But, like, I don't want other people to. Cause. Then maybe they'll start being jerks again, and I...I can't deal with that."
Louis hated how broken Harry sounded, and he hated that everyone at the school had made him feel so unsure of himself. When he wasn't at school, Harry practically oozed confidence. At Brookside, however, he was terrified. Less terrified than before, but terrified all the same.
"Yeah love, of course we can tell the lads. If you don't wanna tell anybody else though, I'm completely fine with that. I'd also be fine if you wanted to tell people, whatever you want, whenever you want to. I just don't want people to give you shit because of me, that's all. We'll have to be careful though, if you don't want anyone to find out."
Harry sighed. "I know," he said regretfully.
"That means we can't kiss around other people babe. And we can't hold hands or cuddle or anything. It has to be just like before."
"I know. I just wish it could be different, I wish they weren't so mean." Harry furrowed his eyebrows in anger, but he looked more like a confused, adorable chipmunk. Louis bit his lip to hold back a smile. "I know, me too."
Harry looked down at his feet as he walked, dragging his suitcase behind him.
"We'll make it work though, don't worry," Louis said softly.
"For sure?" he asked quietly, smiling a little at Louis.
"Yeah love, I promise."
And with Harry grinning and Louis feeling giddy, they trudged off to their rooms, worries (temporarily) forgotten.