"Why do boys have nipples?" Harry inquired as we watched Sherlock.
I stared at him with a perplexed expression, "What kind of question is that?"
Harry shrugged, "They're just there and they have absolutely no function; they're useless nubs."
I shook my head in disbelief, "The real question is how dense can you get,"
"I'm not dense! It's a legitimate inquiry,"
"Oi, Mum, why do lads have nipples?" I regarded my mother as she ambled through the family room with a basket full of laundry.
"Basically because everyone started out female in the womb," she answered, straining to keep all the articles of clothing in the basket.
Harry noticed her struggled and got up. "Allow me to help, Jay," he lifted the basket from her arms.
She sighed in relief, "Thank you, Haz,"
I grinned as I watched him follow my mom into the laundry room. When they walked back in, my mom recited her usual line, "Why can't you be more like Harry, Lou?"
"You should put that on a shirt," I grumbled, my eyes fixed on the consulting detective on the screen.
"Keep that in mind for Christmas," she responded before disappearing into the kitchen.
Harry chuckled the slumped down on the couch next to me. He laid his head in my lap. I glanced down to see his cheesy smile. I chortled, "Hey, Curly,"
"Hi, Boobear." He purred as I tangled my fingers in his curly hair. "Are you excited for summer break?"
"Sure am," I answered. "I'm mostly ecstatic that I don't have to do a mountain of bloody homework every night."
"I'm glad I don't have to take chemistry next semester." He added.
"Why would you need to take a chemistry course when there so much going on right here?" I said, jokingly winking at him.
He laughed, "I suppose you have a point."
Harry and I had always kidded about us being a couple, as did everyone else. We've gotten asked numerous times if we were dating, though, which was a bit awkward, but I didn't mind.
In fact (if I'm being honest with myself) I wouldn't mind actually dating him. He's kind of perfect. But I'm straight, and so is he. I think.
Alright, maybe I have a tiny crush on him. But it's probably just because we've been best friends literally forever. We have an unbreakable bond.
Sure, I get butterflies when he looks at me and I feel electricity when we touch. And I may or may not stare at his lips and fantasize about them against mine...
But, that's completely platonic.
Kind of.
"Are we going to Zayn's tonight?" Harry wondered aloud.
I wandered my stare back down to his brilliant emerald eyes, "I mean, if you want to. Niall and Liam are bringing dates, though."
"Well, it looks like I'll just have to be your date," Harry suggested, grinning, and propelling himself off the couch. "Go get ready,"
"Why can't I just wear what I've got on?" I gestured to my plaid pajama bottoms and grey v-neck.
"If you're going to be my date I expect you to look sharp. C'mon!"
I groaned as Harry grasped my hand and lead me to my bedroom. He shut the door and sat me on my bed. I chuckled to myself as I watched him invade my closet in pursuit of something 'sharp' to wear.
"In my defense, I look hot in anything I put on," I called to him as I laid back on the mattress.
"Well, yeah," He agreed nonchalantly, "But you'd look even more fit in clothes that you haven't been wearing for three straight days."
"I have not been wearing these for three straight days," I argued, turning my head and sniffing the slightly dirty material of my t-shirt.
Harry ceased his actions and peered at me, lifting an eyebrow, "Lou, you came home from the last day of school three days ago and put those clothes on; and you've been in them ever since."
"When did you become my wife?" I grumbled, removing my shirt and tossing into the hamper.
"Today," Harry answered, throwing a pair of red jeans and a stripped t-shirt onto my lap, "Put those on."
"Yes, ma'am," I smirked, "Are you sure you don't want to dress me yourself, dulcet darling?"
Harry tossed his eyes round their sockets, "Positive."
We shared a laugh as I replaced my pajama bottoms with the red trousers and tugged on the shirt Harry had instructed me to wear. "Well," I spoke, outstretching my arms, "Does my appearance satisfy his highness?"
"Yes, my loyal subject," Harry retorted with that smirk of his.
"Glad I can appease you," I snorted, glancing at my mobile. The time told me that it was nearly time to leave for Zayn's. "Let's go,"
Harry shrugged on his grey blazer and nodded at me, "Of course, dearest," he opened the bedroom door for me, "And you do, by all means, look riveting,"
"Yeah, yeah. C'mon, sappy,"
Harry laughed as we made our way downstairs. "Mum, Haz and I are going to Zayn's, don't wait up,"
"I never do. Just don't complain about your hangover all day long," She responded from the couch.
"The faith you have in my integrity is overwhelming,"
Harry chuckled, "I'll keep an eye on him, Jay. I hope you enjoy your night by yourself, you deserve it,"
"Oh, I definitely will, Sweetheart. Thank you," Mum propped her feet up on the coffee table and grinned at us, "Be safe,"
"Always. Bye, Mum,"
"Bye, Jay,"
"Bye, lads, I love you two!"
We mumbled 'I love you's in return then made our way to the party. Harry and I drove in my horrendous truck to Zayn's residence, talking and joking about completely random and unorthodox topics. I swear, if people heard the things we discuss, they'd put us right in a psychiatric ward for reason of pure insanity.
_
"We should do something fun," Niall suggested as the eight of us sat round Zayn's living room, chatting about boring things.
"Such as?" Liam posed, sipping at a glass of water.
Niall shrugged, "Play a game. Like spin the bottle or something,"
"Ooh, seven minutes of Heaven is fun!" Prudence, Niall's date, spoke up.
"And a bit scandalous," Harry countered.
"Such a saint," I teased, pinching his cheek.
A light, pink tinge appeared across his fair, pale skin. His deep dimples were prominent with his grin, "I'm not a saint, I just don't want to end up snogging Zayn or something like that,"
"You know you want it, Harry," Zayn dropped his eye in a wink at Harry.
Everyone laughed, but I was unable to find the situation funny. I draped an arm round Harry's shoulder and glowered at Zayn, whose hazel eyes were fixated on me.
"Jealous much?" Zayn mouthed.
"Bite me," I mouthed back, averting my attention to Liam, who was standing up.
"I'll go get a bottle,"
Michelle and Lucy giggled to each other as Liam exited the room. Although Lucy was with Zayn, it was quite obvious she had a thing for Liam. I don't see why neither of them like Harry, with his charming smile, curly hair and dimples that swooned near to everyone, including me from time to time.
Once Liam had returned with an empty, glass Coke bottle, we all gathered in a circle on the velvety, white rug on the floor. I glanced at Liam, "How are we doing this?"
"Just traditional spin the bottle, yeah?" Liam spoke.
"Yeah, whoever it lands on when you spin it, you've gotta snog 'em for a full thirty seconds," Niall smiled proudly at this, peering at Prudence who was peering at him all cheerily. I smirked.
"I'm going to laugh when lads end up snogging each other,"
"You'd like it if it was Harry," Lucy teased.
"So would you," I retorted, pinching both sides of Harry's cheeks, "Look at those luscious lips,"
Harry laughed adorably and shoved my hand away, "Let's get this started, shall we?"
The first to spin was Zayn. He crossed his fingers as the glass bottle skidded against the hard-hood, "Please let it be a bird, please let it be a bird,"
Much to his content, the bottle landed on Michelle. Not so much to Michelle's content, but she wasn't complaining about snogging Zayn for thrity seconds. He was experienced, and not ugly by any means.
"Right, your go," Zayn told the blonde girl he'd just separated from, wiping his mouth.
Michelle's cheeks were rosy as she took a spin. The bottle landed on Niall, and the same tongue-bath occurrence appeared before my eyes. Slightly off-put, I peered at Harry, who's hand was cupped over his eyes. I chortled to myself and whispered in his ear, "I don't suspect you'll be watching porn videos anytime soon by the looks of this,"
Harry scoffed, "You're gross, man,"
I shrugged and turned my eyes back to the red-faced Niall, who spun. The bottle landed on Harry. My blood boiled so hot I couldn've melted an ice-burg. My lips formed a tight line as the two boys awkwardly leaned into one another getting closer... and closer.. and-
"Okay, I can't do this, sorry, Haz,"
"Do not apologize," Harry sighed in relief. He glanced at Liam, "Isn't there a chicken or something I can use?"
"Well, yeah, but you only get one. The person you land on you have to snog no matter what," Liam warned.
Harry exhaled deeply and placed his slightly large hand on the bottle. He spun it and shut his eyes, afraid of who it would fall on.
It's weird, I was inwardly attempting to stop the bottle from moving. I couldn't bare to sit here and watch Harry suck faces with a girl- or boy, for that matter. It just wasn't fair, really, I'm his best friend. No one else should be allowed to kiss him. Not that I have kissed him in the past... Because ewe, gross, we're just friends..
"Louis?" Someone's voice pulled me from my thoughts.
"What?" I returned, peering round at everyone, who was staring at me for a reason unknown to me.
"Well, are you going to use a chicken or not?" Zayn demanded, rendering me even more confused.
"What are you on about?"
"Boo," Harry added in a small voice, peering up at me with big-beautiful-green eyes. He pointed his finger in front of me.
I flicked my eyes to the bottle before us, only to discover that the top was pointed straight at me.
I widened my eyes, attempting to process the situation in my brain. Harry spun the bottle, and out of seven other possible human specimens, the bottle landed on me. Me. If this isn't a sign from Jesus Christ himself, then I don't know what is.
"Uh, I think he'll just use his chicken..." Harry said, with something laced into his tone. Disappointment?
"What? No, no he won't. I'm saving that for if I land on Liam," I counter-claimed.
Liam snorted, "So get snogging, Stylinson,"
Larry Stylinson is something Niall made up for Harry and myself. He says that we're 'so cute together', and that's what the boys referred to us as from time to time.
I slowly looked back at the curly-haired lad, who looked slightly happy yet petrified. His wild stare landed on me, as if searching for an answer.
"You heard the man," I finally said, then spoke dramatically, "Now kiss me, you fool,"
Harry softly chuckled as his cheeks grew deliciously red. He wetted his lips with his tongue, making my heart thump because hot damn. He placed his palm flat against the ground, beginning to lean into me.
"Are you positive you're alright with this?" Harry whispered, inches from my face.
The sexual tension between the two of us was absolutely unbearable at this point, and I was twelve and a half seconds from pouncing on the kid. I nodded my head.
We both took in a deep breathe before it finally happened.
Harry attached his warm, heart-shaped lips to mine.
Everything paused; nobody was moving, the Earth wasn't spinning on it's axis, and my heart stopped beating. The only thing my body seemed to detect was Harry's soft lips that were currently pressing an endearing kiss to my mouth.
I ceased myself from gasping at how amazingly wonderful-how immensely powerful this one kiss was. I felt ever centimeter of my skin tingle with a sentimental feeling. I think Harry felt it, too, based on the way his fist clenched adjacent to my thigh.
I remembered that this was supposed to last for thirty seconds, and then I thought that it wasn't nearly long enough. Harry's moist lips moved with mine in perfect synchronization. My heart started up again, but this time it was beating three billion miles per minute. I cupped Harry's soft-skinned cheek in my hand and smashed my mouth against his, desperate for more contact.
The kiss ignited my entirety. I had always wondered why I did feel a genuine spark, snogging girls. This is why, I thought. The bastard was right in front of me the whole time.
It was like finding the missing puzzle piece and I had completed the complex problem that was gradually becoming more and more obvious; this just confirmed it, however. Harry was always the one I'd been searing for. Harry was the one who could make my senses come alive.
Once the moment had ended, much to my disliking, I found Harry staring doe-eyed straight into my soul. Neither of us were able to speak, only to continue ogling at one another wordless, like fish in an aquarium, waiting to be fed.
"Well," I breathed out finally, "That was..."
"Interesting," Harry finished.
"Yeah..." I agreed, unable to stop the smile that appeared on my face, coupled with Harry's.
"I'm sorry, but you two are so in love," Lucy spoke up.
"I called it!" Niall announced.
I rolled my eyes and spun the bottle. I immediately said I'd use my chicken.
"You don't even know who it's landed on yet," Liam said to me. When the bottle landed on Prudence, I cocked an eyebrow at him.
"I do now. I don't want to play anymore, anyways," I stood and stalked out of the room, tugging Zayn's front door open and taking a seat on the porch-swing.
The wind whispered softly to me as I stared into the dark, cold night. I could see my breathe as I exhaled. I had to get out of there for a moment; my head was pounding.
I knew that I liked Harry a little bit.. But that kiss. What the heck was that, anyways? You aren't supposed to feel that way about the boy that's been your best mate since birth. Especially when you're also a boy. This is wrong.
But it felt so right.
I didn't know what to think anymore. My mind was flooded with perplexed emotions and rouge feelings that were out of my control. My brain stability came tumbling down like the Walls of Jericho, and it was chaos in there my head.
It was like that one episode of Spongebob where he's trying to rid his mind of everything but fine-dining and breathing and the little Spongebobs are running round in his head going absolutely mad and every thing's on fire.
I didn't know what to think. That kiss sent my mind spiralling into insanity.
"Boobear?" Harry's voice called quietly to me. I turned my head to see him stood there, arms crossed and shivering. He always got cold so easily.
I grinned, scooting over to make room for his person. He gladly took the weight off his feet and joinned me on the porch-swing. I wrapped an arm round his shoulder and watched as his eyes scanned the street in front of the house with an unreadable expression.
Harry cleared his throat, then turned to face me, "Nice night,"
"Yeah," I agreed, peering up into the sky, a sheet of bright stars blanketing the blackness and a waning crescent moon helping to illuminate it. "It is."
"Why'd you run off?" Harry shifted the subject.
"I just needed some air.."
"Did... Did our kiss make you uncomfortable?" Harry asked, worry in his emerald eyes.
I smiled at the memory of that kiss, and I shook my head, "No, no, definitely not. Just made me think, s'all."
"Made you think about what?" he leaned in closer to me, creasing his eyebrows and waiting for my response.
I studied his beautiful face momentarily. Every one of his features were absolutely perfect, but not flawless. His lips were heart-shaped and plump, but they curved to the side when he grinned or smiled or smirk, making it slightly lopsided. But it was still adorable. Everyone talked about how his nose was shaped like a penis; but I think it's cute. And his eyes. Harry's deep, sea of green that you can read when you look into. His eyes give away his emotions; whether it's happy, or sad, or angry. His curly hair was always messy, resting in tousled ringlets atop his head. But it was soft and lovely.
Harry slouched, too. He leaned to the right more than the left because of his spinal issues. And he had pigeon toes. When he woke up in the morning, his voice was really groggy and deep and he sort of mumbled, and it's hard to understand him. When he ate a sandwich or something, he'd eat with his tongue. Half of what he said never make any sense. He was extremely weird. He liked to walk about naked all the time. His voice was really morbid. He made terrible puns all the time.
But I realized that those are all the things I loved about him. All of that made Harry Styles; and Harry was a person that nobody could compare to in a million years. No one made me feel the way Harry made me feel. Harry's the only one I ever want near me if I'm upset. Harry's the only bloke in the world that I'd ever let kiss me.
And then this kiss? I certainly had feelings for Harry; strong feelings. This is crazy, though, he's my best friend. Best friend.
"Just... Everything," I answered his question. "You know something, Haz; you're the dictionary definition of perfectly imperfect?"
Harry grinned at my off-topic comment, "Oh, thanks, Lou... You're the dictionary definition of absolutely beautiful.."
Both of our cheeks burned at this, "Damn it, Harry," I whined. "I hate blushing."
He chortled, glancing down at his lap, "I'm sorry,"
"S'alright," I smiled at him. "So, was it just me or was that kiss kind of magical?"
Harry's lips transformed into a warm smile, "It's not just you.."
"And, I also realized that I kind of think you're the greatest person in the entire world and I love every single tiny, microscopic detail about you and your smile is like sunshine and daisies. And you're always with me, and we joke about being a couple but I'm afraid if were did that now, I don't think I'd be joking anymore," I surprised myself with my honesty, but I couldn't stop myself from blurting out my thoughts.
Harry stared me right in the eyes with sincerity in his, "It's never been a joke to me."
"Come again?"
"I've liked you since the beginning, Lou. You've noticed how I always have to be with you, haven't you? That's because it's painful to be without you. You're like a drug to me, Louis. If I don't get my required dosage I slowly loose my mind. When you were twelve and I was nine and you went away to camp for a week, I was completely depressed. It's like that whenever I can't see you. You're the thing that I look forward to seeing every day of my life; you're what makes me the happiest, and you make my heart beat so hard every time you look at me with those beautiful blue eyes of your's, Louis. Anytime Niall says something about us being together, or I call you my boyfriend, or ask you to marry me, it's not a joke. I mean every word of it,"
"Then why the bloody hell did you wait until now to tell me?" I demanded, tossing my arms in the air.
Harry grinned, "You were straight, and you snogged girls and you didn't like your best friend,"
"Ah, that's rubbish, I think it's pretty evident now that I've always had a thing for you, Curly."
Harry shrugged, "Maybe. But you never said it,"
"Neither did you!"
"Well, I've never snogged anyone,"
"That has nothing to do with anything."
"You wouldn't have snogged anyone if you knew you liked me"
"Jealous, are we?"
"Maybe a little,"
I smiled at Harry, "You've at least kissed someone for the first time today,"
Harry nodded, returning my smile, "Yeah, I did. I was waiting, so that you'd be my first kiss.."
"That's adorable," I told him. He mumbled a 'yeah, yeah' and dropped his gaze back to the ground. I sighed, "I wish I'd waited, Hazza."
He shrugged, "S'alright."
"But," I lifted his chin with my index finger so his eyes were gazing into my own. My heart thumped erratically, "You did. So, would you like your first proper snog?"
Harry swallowed, "You mean.. A proper snog?"
I nodded in confirmation, "Tongue and everything,"
"Oh.. I, uh... I don't really know how..."
"It's easy," I assured him, "Just kind of move it with mine,"
"I'm not sure about-"
Harry cut himself off by attaching my lips with his. I raised my eyebrows but allowed my mouth to move with his as he placed his large hand on my cheek. And we were there; on Zayn's porch, where it was freezing and Harry was still shaking. His lips tasted like the peppermint gum that he had just put in his mouth prior to this interaction. God, I love this boy.