Louis had to return to the kitchen after the talent show to clean it for a punishment for punching Nick. Harry really wanted to go help him but Joel wouldn't let him, claiming it was Louis' punishment, not his. So instead Harry trudged back to the cabin, right arm slung over Liam's shoulder and left arm around Niall's. The four boys laughed with their arms draped over one another, and didn't let go until they reach the door of the cabin.
The boys all slumped onto Liam's bunk and wrapped themselves in his large, fuzzy blanket. Harry wished Louis were there because it felt like a moment Harry would remember forever.
"Alright guys. We need to start planning out how our friendships will last until next year." Niall voiced the thought all the boys were having.
Liam shifted. "Well I live in Wolverhampton."
Zayn squeezed in closer to Niall because he was slipping off the edge of the mattress. "Yeah, and I'm from Bradford."
Niall nodded. "Okay. Well both me and Harry live in Holmes Chapel."
"Wait ... then how do you have an Irish accent?" Liam asked.
Niall nodded, having to have answered this question a lot in his life, and looked at Liam. "I was born in Ireland but moved to Holmes Chapel when I was six months old and was neighbors with Harry. My parents and brother all had strong Irish accents so I picked up on it at home. Then we moved back to Ireland for two years when I was five so when I came back the accent just kinda stuck."
Liam nodded. "Yeah, I was just wondering because I can tell your accent is Irish, but its like, a British Irish, if that's even a thing."
Niall laughed. "Now it is."
Harry waved his hands trying to get the boys back on the topic. "Well its only about an hour from Wolverhampton to Holmes Chapel and like an hour and a half from Bradford to Holmes Chapel so we could like see each other on long weekends or something."
All the boys nodded, happiness coating their eyes, before Zayn spoke up. "What about Louis?"
"Well he lives in Doncaster and that's about two or so hours away, a little far from Holmes Chapel." Harry sighed, realizing yet again that it would be difficult to see Louis during the school year.
The boys all shrugged, their hopes lowering slightly, but of course Niall couldn't stand to not smile. "Guys, come on! Zayn is an hour and half away, Louis is only a half an hour further. That's not that bad. We might not be able to see each other on every long weekend, but during holiday breaks we definitely can."
Liam, Zayn, and Harry picked up on Niall's optimism and smiled, agreeing with the blonde lad, but they all seemed to know how difficult it was going to be to see each other.
"And besides," Niall piped up again, "It's not like we live in the 20s. Ever heard of group chats!?"
The other boys started laughing. Leave it to Niall to have the smart ideas.
"We'll exchange numbers when Louis gets back." Liam decided and everyone nodded.
That's when it dawned on Harry – he hadn't gotten Louis' number yet. That felt a little weird.
* * *
Harry didn't know how he ended up in Zayn's bed.
Louis still hadn't returned when it was time to go to sleep and Harry was already practically unconscious. He remembered that he tried to climb the bunk ladder, but his legs failed and he ended up on the floor. The next thing he knew, he was under covers in a bunk much closer to the floor, looking across from Louis', and before he had time to question it he was out like a light.
The next morning, Harry let out a yawn at the morning horn, and moved his leg to stretch out, but he couldn't move anywhere. He rubbed his eyes and rolled over in the little space he had. He was met with a mouth full of raven black hair. He jumped back, slamming his head against the cabin wall and the bunk above him. He looked down, making sure he still had a shirt on. He was still dressed in his flannel. Sighing, he looked back at the sleeping boy next to him.
It didn't take much time to realize it was Zayn and relief rushed over him. From the back, Zayn and Nick had similar hairstyles and Harry would've jumped off a cliff if he ever slept with Nick.
Harry laid back down, not wanting to wake Zayn up. He knew from spending five weeks with him that Zayn got cranky in the mornings and no one wanted to be the one to wake him up.
Harry was about to shut his eyes once again, but he felt the springs squeak under him as Zayn rolled over to face Harry. In one swift motion, Zayn's arm draped across back and lightly pulled him closer.
Harry smiled, not thinking much of it, and snuggled back into the pillow, making up reactions Zayn might have when he wakes up in his head. It only felt like seconds before Harry's eyes snapped open and he felt Zayn's presence disappear from around him. Harry looked up just in time to see Zayn's sleeping body fly off the mattress and on to the wooden cabin floor.
Harry rubbed his eyes and noticed a second figure standing next to the bunk. Harry squinted at the boy's legs, not being able to see his face. The sweatpants looked somewhat familiar. It suddenly dawned on him that it was Louis.
"Lou?" Harry mumbled, letting out a loud yawn.
Louis didn't answer. Instead Zayn let out a sudden, "OW!" and stumbled to his feet. "What the hell, Louis!?"
Louis continued staying quiet, tapping his foot on the floor, and his arms crossed along his chest.
"Why the hell would you do that!?" Zayn asked again, rubbing his head where he must've hit it against the floor. "Why would you pull me out of my bed!?"
"Oh I don't know ... maybe because you were sharing it with HARRY!" Louis snapped loudly.
That's what it was about? Harry quickly threw back the blankets and scrambled out of the bed, standing next to Zayn. "Wait ... Louis. You don't have the full story!" Harry started but his breath caught when he saw Louis' face. He looked beyond pissed.
"I didn't do anything with Harry, alright!" Zayn started. "Last night he was just –"
"I don't care! Harry, can I please talk to you?" Louis interrupted. Without waiting for an answer he grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him out of the cabin door.
Louis led him down the familiar path to the waterfront and over to the grove where the campfire was usually held.
Louis released Harry's hand and started pacing, leaving footprints in the sand. It started getting too quiet and Harry was scared Louis' head would pop off.
"Lou?" He whispered.
Louis stopped, tugging at his hair, and looked Harry in the eye. Were there ... were there tears in his eyes?
"Lou? Are you okay?" Harry started forward.
"No, I'm not okay! I just caught my ..." Louis froze for a minute before continuing like nothing happened, "you in bed with ZAYN!"
Harry tried not to dwell on the fact that Louis almost slipped up and could've just called Harry his boyfriend.
"Louis! I wasn't in bed with Zayn because I love him!" Harry said quickly so he wouldn't be interrupted by Louis like Zayn was. "I was in bed with Zayn because I was beyond exhausted last night, waiting for you to come back from the kitchen, but when you didn't, I decided it was just time to go to bed and I'd see you this morning. Well, I didn't know how tired I was and I couldn't climb the ladder up to my bed, so I collapsed on the floor and I guess Zayn was being thoughtful and let me bunk with him so I wouldn't have to climb any ladders!"
Louis' face seemed to relax a little more but scrunched up tighter almost as quickly. "Then why didn't Zayn take your bunk, huh!?"
If Zayn hadn't told them his fear of top bunks then Harry might've been suspicious as well, but because Zayn had told him, the whole situation seemed perfectly fine. "BECAUSE!" Harry shouted. "ZAYN DOESN'T LIKE BEING ON THE TOP BUNK WITH THE THOUGHT OF SPIDERS CRAWLING ABOVE HIM!"
Louis puffed up his chest, seeming to be trying to look for a comeback, but found none. "Oh." He whispered almost inaudibly.
"Yeah." Harry panted.
"Sorry. I – I didn't know." Louis kicked at the sand now coating his Vans.
"I know you didn't. But ... why did you go all 'Hulk like' on Zayn?" Harry asked.
Louis shrugged, biting his lip, and keeping his eyes on the ground. "I dunno. I guess ... I'm doing stupid labor because I punched Nick but every time I get fed up with it I remember that I did it for you, and I have you now, and its all worth it. I guess ... I guess I didn't like coming back from scrubbing down a filthy kitchen and seeing my ..." Louis paused again, "you sharing a bed with someone else. And its not like I want you to share a bed with me right now because we're only fifteen and sixteen, but like ... I guess I didn't like seeing you and Zayn together."
Harry nodded, understanding where Louis came from when he freaked out on Zayn that morning. He walked over to his ... to Louis and pulled him into a tight hug, resting his chin on Louis' hair. "You have nothing to worry about Lou. I'm not gonna start making out with Zayn, or anyone for that matter, except for you."
Louis looked up, smiling brightly. "I know. I guess ... I guess I just get jealous sometimes, you know?"
Harry nodded. "I know."
He then leaned down and pulled Louis in a soft and loving kiss. Harry listened to the waves lap against the sand and felt perfectly content. He pulled away first and brushed a strand of hair out of Louis' eye.
"But I promise," Louis choked, "I'm gonna try to work on my jealousy problem."