harry walked into school monday morning fretting over his maths test and the fact that louis was walking next to him again.
he was also thanking the world because he had decided to wear his favorite cologne today, and he hoped louis noticed.
and it ended up happening. when they arrived at louis' locker, he felt something grab his hand. he looked down and saw that louis had wrapped his delicate fingers around his. he felt his breath catch and he lifted his head to look into louis' blue eyes.
"yeah?" he breathed out, but it was so quiet that harry was surprised louis could hear him.
"you smell really good today." louis smiled at the curly lad, and harry could feel his heart melt.
"thank you," he whispered.
and harry walked away to his locker, a blushing mess.
***
"remember to write your name, and you can use a calculator," mrs. lancaster, the maths teacher, called as she placed tests on everyone's desk.
harry cringed the minute the paper hit his desk. the numbers seemed to all blur together, and every formula he had ever learned retreated his mind.
"i freaking hate math," he mumbled, running a hand through his curls with a large sigh.
and since it was multiple choice, he went through and circled letters he thought looked right. when he finally finished, he slowly got up out of his seat and grudgingly handed his failed math test to mrs. lancaster. she gave him a suspicious look before pulling the pen out from behind her ear.
and harry didn't wait for her to grade it. he just stumbled back to his desk and sat down, laying his head on the cold metal of the desk.
he was almost asleep when he felt something shake his shoulder. "harry."
he shot his head up, blinking to the sudden change in light. "yeah?"
"harry, do you want a tutor? i highly recommend it." he cringed when mrs. lancaster gently placed the paper on his desk, and it was marked with a large, fat F.
"i guess? i mean, i could try harder, i guess, uhm yeah," harry sighed.
"well, i've already talked to liam payne about it, and he said he would."
harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes. she already found him a tutor before she even asked him. but then who she said would tutor him finally processed through his mind, and he felt his heart jump.
"so liam's my tutor?" he tried to contain his excitement. he could learn more about louis from liam.
"yep! i really think he can help you." she patted him on the shoulder, and harry stared at his maths test with a frown.
***
"okay! get your book out!"
harry grunted as he pulled his large maths book out of his backpack and slammed it on the table in front of a smiling liam.
"aren't you excited?" liam grinned, slapping his hand on harry's book before pulling it open.
"yeah." harry forced a smile and met eyes with liam. his hair was curly, not as much as his, and it was a caramel color. it was styled in a fringe across his forehead. his eyes were dark, chocolate brown, and warm. harry automatically liked him, but that didn't make him any happier.
and so for the next three hours, harry tried to pay attention while liam went over every problem with him carefully. it was much easier, because liam was a better teacher than mrs. lancaster.
"can we be done?" harry groaned after they had completed another page full of notes.
"i guess," liam sighed, slamming the book shut and reaching over to ruffle harry's curls.
"see harry? you're smart, you just learn differently."
harry smiled gratefully at the older boy. he could see why louis was friends with him.
"so, we have about thirty more minutes until we're supposed to be done. so what do you want to do?"
"you want pizza?" harry offered, stuffing all of his books in his backpack and zipping it up.
"sure!" liam beamed, standing up out of his chair and stretching. so harry got up and walked to the kitchen, where the phone was. after he had found the number in the phone book, he ordered a cheese pizza, watching as liam sat on the counter next to him.
"ten minutes? okay, thanks," harry said quietly into the phone before hanging up.
"so do you know my friend louis?" liam asked curiously, and harry felt his heart stop for a second.
"uhm yeah." he cleared his throat.
"do you like him?"
"what?! no, no i don't like him! why would you think that?" harry blushed.
"well, i meant as a friend, but now i can tell it's something more," liam grinned, jumping off the counter and walking closer to him. "how long have you liked him?"
harry didn't think his cheeks could get any redder, and he looked everywhere but liam.
"harry, it's okay," liam said, placing a hand on the curly boy's shoulder. "i think louis kinda, well. i know he's interested in you."
harry shot his head up, a smile beginning to form on his lips. "what do you mean he's interested?" he tried his best to sound casual.
"well, he's talked about you a few times," liam looked like he had said too much, and a guilty look crossed his face.
but harry didn't care. "what'd he say?" he rushed, grabbing liam's wrist and trying not to jump up and down.
"he said that you always smile, and it frustrates him because, he has this condition.." liam trailed off before slapping a hand over his mouth. "i was not supposed to say that."
"what!?" harry scoffed. "now you have to tell me."
liam just shook his head, and harry let out an exasperated sigh.
"he's interested in you, okay? that's all you need to know," liam groaned. he seemed torn between whether or not he should tell the younger boy.
and just as harry opened his mouth, the doorbell rang.
"that's the pizza," he muttered, dropping liam's wrist and digging for his wallet as he ran to the door.
"that'll be eight pounds," the pizza guy mumbled, handing harry the box, and harry paid him quickly before rushing back into the kitchen with the pizza.
"that smells so good," liam sighed, closing his eyes for a few seconds. harry smiled at him and opened the box on the counter. he grabbed a piece and bit the tip off, moaning a bit at the amazing taste.
"you know i gotta go in about ten minutes," liam frowned, chewing his pizza.
"you wanna, maybe, sleepover?" harry asked shyly.
"it's monday," liam bit his lip, as if deep in thought. "but okay."
harry immediately dug through his mind for the best questions to ask the senior boy.
"can you please tell me why louis takes medication?" was finally the question he decided on.
liam's eyes widened and the pizza fell out of his hand.
"how did you know he took medication?" he asked, his voice lowered although there wasn't anyone else there.
"i saw him. and he wouldn't tell me what was wrong with him." harry bit his lip and stared at the ground.
"well, i can't tell you. maybe we can invite him over and he might tell you if i'm here," liam suggested.
"you'll have to invite him and say it was your idea," harry replied, looking at his half eaten pizza.
"'course. he's my best friend, it doesn't matter."
and harry tried to ignore the jealousy burning in his heart.
***
the pizza was halfway done when the doorbell finally rang.
"probably mum, or louis," harry mumbled, but jumped when his phone buzzed. it was a text from his mum.
coming home really late tonight, like two a.m. took a late night shift at the gas station.
harry wasn't trying to smile, he really wasn't, but louis, him, and liam were going to have the whole house to themselves tonight.
"aren't you going to answer the door?" liam raised an eyebrow at the grinning curly lad, who blinked a bit and ran to the door.
"sorry, i was la-" harry began as he opened the door, but immediately stopped when he saw louis.
he was wearing a grey beanie over his messy, side swept hair and his normal apparel. but the different thing was the prominent smile on the blue-eyed boy's face.
"hi, harry."
harry almost lost his balance right there. louis' voice was raspy and low, a husky tone that proved that louis was, in fact, sex on legs.
"hi louis," he said sheepishly, opening the door wider so the shorter boy could walk in.
harry bent his knees a bit so he wasn't towering over the boy.
louis gave him a questioning look, and harry shivered when their shoulders brushed.
"louis' here!" harry called out, leading louis into the kitchen.
liam was biting into yet another piece of pizza, which made harry roll his eyes.
"ooh, pizza!" louis cried, in a childish tone that caused harry to smile fondly at him.
"have as much as you want," liam offered.
"hey! i'm in charge of the pizza here!" harry teased, laughing. and then louis laughed too, and then they were all laughing for no reason.
harry about died from stomach pains when louis took the rest of the half of the pizza in his hands and pressed it into his face.
"i'm hungry!" the doncaster lad groaned, and when he pulled the pizza away, his face was covered in sauce and cheese.
"oh my gosh, louis," harry giggled, rushing to get him some paper towels.
this is the louis i have a crush on, harry thought, then shook the mean words from his head. he liked all of louis, whether he had problems or not.
louis gratefully took the paper towels and wiped the red sauce off of his face, which harry thought was quite beautiful, especially because he was smiling.
and when louis ruffled harry's curls, liam looked surprised, but harry couldn't breathe.
***
everything was going perfect until harry hugged louis.
and no, he didn't do it out of random. louis and him had teamed up against liam on capture the flag when they were playing xbox, and they had one. so harry, being excited and also being totally in love with louis at the moment, decided to jump out of his seat and pull a cheering louis into a hug.
louis immediately froze, pushing the giggling curly boy away from him.
harry braced himself, knowing what was coming. liam stood up and pulled louis away just as louis had growled, "don't you dare touch me like that."
"louis, it's okay," liam said calmly, holding louis' wrists and staring into his icy blue eyes.
was it wrong that harry wished that he was liam? the one who knew him so well that he could calm him down and touch him and call him his best friend.
but he just sat on the couch awkwardly and tried to ignore louis' evil glares.
"he acts like we're friends, we're not," louis huffed to liam, his warm eyes now mean.
liam frowned, and harry could tell he felt guilty when he said, "i know. i know he's not."
"finally. someone who understands. he's the most annoying little twat i've ever spoken to," he whispered, but his bottom lip was trembling and he looked torn.
"and he keeps freaking smiling!" he shouted, making both of the other boys jump.
but the fact that louis said that, despite his mean words before, made harry smile.
his heart was hurting, but when someone tells you not to smile, it's kind of impossible to listen.
so he sat there smiling but he was also crying and everything felt so messed up because louis was laughing and liam was looking between them and it was so confusing that harry didn't know what to think.
it seemed his smile was the only thing that could save him.
***
ugh, writers block. -_-
sorry that this is so bad.
comment and vote.
-kayla x