A/N: I've been slacking on this book, I apologize. Before Christmas, this book should be finished and then I will be starting on the second one.
“We’re going to be late!”
“Zayn, where is my cap and gown?”
“Lets get a move on, people.”
“You can’t see Harry until the ceremony, Lou. And it was hanging on your door last time I checked.”
“Phoebs, you’ll get chocolate on your dress!”
“This isn’t a wedding, Zayn. But I checked and it’s not there!”
Things were absolutely chaotic in the Tomlinson household. One mother and father, trying to keep their girls in check and make sure they’re all properly dressed, and not getting food on their nice clothing. Zayn and Louis have, for the past twenty minutes, been attempting to find Louis’ graduation attire and find where he put his Valedictorian speech. Liam has drove down also, since he graduated a semester early, and is walking calmly around the kitchen, snacking on pickles and cream cheese with his iPhone pressed against his ear, making sure all of their reservations and plans are in check. He’s probably the only one not about to lose his mind. Hair gelled up, suit on, and looking as smart as ever. (He and Danielle had broken up after five months for unknown reasons, but he’s moved right on happily with a lovely girl named Sophia, who currently was helping Phoebe and Daisy with their last-minute hair touches.)
Louis finally found his speech- folded four times flat- in the crevice of the couch, waving it around in the air with a victory screech. “I found it! Now, where’s my gown?”
“Found your cap, poppet.” Louis’ mother, Jay, smiled and walked over, placing it snugly on the top of Louis’ hair that was styled into a wavy fringe, biting on her bottom lip. The tears welled up in her eyes and no, Louis cannot handle that right now because last night, alone in his room, he got emotional enough while packing an overnight bag for a stay at a hotel after Graduation for the Graduation Party a bunch of people at school were throwing. Only rules were you had to book your own room and it was preferred people brought alcohol to go around.
He brushed a few loose strands of dark brown hair from her forehead, giving her the best- shaky- smile that he could muster up. “Mum, I’m only graduating, yeah? Not like you’re going to be giving me away for marriage.” His voice went an octave higher and cracked at the ended, causing him to press his lips together in a lame attempt to keep the tears from spilling over.
Jay just shook her head, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and pulling him into her chest, fingers moving as a distraction for herself around the nape of his neck, squeezing and rubbing and scraping her freshly painted nails gently across it. “With that boyfriend of yours, it might not be too long, now.” She whispered against his cheek as she pressed her lips to it.
It hadn’t been too long ago, Louis remembers, whenever the conversation about marriage came up with Harry. They had been sitting together in the bed of Harry’s truck (whenever he had gotten home after weeks of being in central London for court, he saw the truck in the driveway, and he smashed out all of its windows until the cops had came whenever a neighbor called. He, and Anne- who had been oblivious to the destruction going on outside- had to explain that yes, that was his vehicle and no, he did not have any previous offenses with the law). It had just finished repairs that morning, so Louis took him on a picnic in the back of the truck. With food astrewn and the couple pressed side-by-side in silence, the stars in the sky being their only light, Louis spoke up.
“My bounty is as boundless as the sea.”
Harry turned to face him, eyebrow raised in confusion while Louis lolled his head onto Harry’s shoulder, looking up into curious green eyes. “My love as deep; the more I give to thee. The more I have, for both are infinite.”
“I don’t have a clue of what you just said.”
“Romeo and Juliet?”
“Doesn’t ring a bell.”
“You read it in Lower Sixth, babe, all of the English classes did. I just found the plastic bound play on the bottom of my closet shelf, under clothes and empty packages of Goldfish crackers.”
“Quote some more.”
Louis smiled, rubbing his thumb over Harry’s knuckles before straightening up his posture. “Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.” He shifted, draping one leg over Harry’s legs before positioning himself on his lap. “Do not change by the moon, for she changes constantly. Then your love would also change.” Soft breaths came from Harry, fingers running nimbly under Louis’ shirt, tracing down his spine. Lips pressed against the slight stubble on Louis’ jaw, causing him to tilt his head to give more access as he racked his brain for more. “But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Harry is the sun.”
With a quiet giggle, Harry pulled back to place a kiss on Louis’ nose. “Shut up, idiot.”
“You’re my Juliet.”
“No, you’re my Juliet."
“Are you making fun of my slightly feminine characteristics?”
“I’m the manly man.”
Louis snorts, and Harry protests. “Heeeeey.” He whines, fingers kneading into Louis’ hips.
“Well, if I’m your Juliet, does that mean that you, Romeo, will ask for my hand in marriage?”
“I was planning on it.”
And that was the part that Louis’ mouth went completely dry, and he had to blink to get his eyes back in focus. With his mouth opening and closing- as if he was a fish- he shook his head. “You . . . what?” He asked weakly, pointer finger tracing slowly down Harry’s soft cheek.
All Harry did was smile, curl his fingers around the back of Louis’ neck and pulling him close. “Let lips do what hands do,” he whispered, breath smelling of Roast Beef sandwiches and Peanut Butter. Their lips pressed together in a soft haste, rough meeting soft. But all that was on Louis’ mind as Harry lay him down into the pile of blankets in the bed of the truck, making love to him and bringing him into a whole other world, was that Harry said he was planning on asking for his hand in marriage.
Louis shook his head, wrapping his arms tightly around his mother and pulling her close. “I’ll always be your LouBear,” he whispered into her ear, pulling back so he was holding her at arms length. There were tears on the brim, threatening to spill over, and Louis just smiled. “Don’t cry, mum, it’ll ruin your makeup.”
With a watery laugh, Jay turned her attention from him to behind his shoulder, where Liam was stood, holding Louis’ graduation gown over his arm. She took a step back, motioning for Liam to come forth and give it to Louis, who all but squealed and pressed a kiss to his cheek, exclaiming that he was a ‘miracle worker’ and a ‘life saver’.
Everyone was divided in three cars. Louis, Harry (once they pick him up), Zayn, Liam and Sophia were going to be in the first which was a towns car. Mark, Lottie, and Phoebe in the second. Jay, Anne (once they pick her up), Fizzy, and Daisy in the third. With Anne in the third car, Harry was sat beside Louis in the first, one hand holding his and the other gripping a little black box in his tuxedo jacket.