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"Zaynie."
"Yes, Louis?"
"You know what I want more than anything in the entire world?"
Zayn rolled his eyes, slamming his locker shut. "What Louis, for Michael Bublé to declare his undying love for you?"
Louis scoffs. "Well, that would be nice, but I actually have my sights set on someone else right now."
"Yeah, and who would that be?"
"Harry Styles."
Louis sat in his physics class, not paying much attention to his teacher, but more to the curly-haired boy sitting across the room from him. He studied the way Harry furrowed his brow in concentration, how his big hand engulfed the pencil he held, and the way his lips (his beautiful, soft pink lips) would quirk up slightly whenever he understood something. Louis and Harry weren't necessarily friends, but they weren't strangers either: just a happy middle. Or not-so-happy for Louis, really, since he wanted Harry to wine and dine him and then fuck him till he cried before cuddling him and making breakfast the morning after.
Anyways.
Harry and Louis had spoken many times, and even flirted quite often, but Louis was always too shy to take the next step. Harry just seemed so unreachable, so gorgeous and perfect in every way, that it seemed impossible that he would ever be interested in Louis. That's not to say that Louis didn't think of himself as a catch - he knew he was - but in his eyes, Harry was out of everyone's league. This was why they had remained in this in-between space for almost three years know, only really talking in classes and at footie matches rather than hanging out outside of school.
Louis was brought out of his thoughts when Harry looked over, emerald eyes trained on his own. Harry gave him a slight smile, and Louis returned it before sticking his tongue out slightly, making a funny face. He relished in the way Harry's eyes lit up and his dimples popped out as he broke out into a grin. Their short moment, however, was broken when the bell rang, causing everyone in class to pack up their stuff and hurry out of the room. It was last period on a Friday, after all.
Louis was having a shit Monday morning. On Saturday, their footie team had won a hard match 3-2, with Louis scoring two goals. Afterwards, they had gone to one of his mate's houses to celebrate, and Louis may have had one too many beers. In fact, he vaguely remembers grinding up against someone that night, but figures whoever it had been was probably just as drunk as him. However, as much fun as partying with the team (including Harry), it had meant that he woke up Sunday morning with a killer hangover, and didn't start on his homework until way too late last night.
He stumbled over to Zayn, grumbling about how it was a crime to start school this early, only to receive a quick kiss on his cheek and a ruffling of his hair before the Bradford boy had to rush away. Louis groaned leaning, his head against his locker, before he was harshly tapped on the shoulder.
"You're Louis, right?" A blonde girl who seemed familiar rudely asked.
"Yeah, what's it to ya?"
Slap.
Louis stood there in shock for a second. He had just been slapped by some random blonde bitch. Sure, it hadn't really hurt, but it was the implication that made his blood boil. "What the fook! Who do you think you are?!"
The girl only narrowed her eyes further. "Serves you right, homewrecker, for trying to steal my boyfriend." What? Homewrecker? Last time Louis checked, he hadn't gotten some in ages. In fact, it had been months since his last kiss, and even more time since his last relationship.
(Yes, he was a little lonely, but that wasn't the point here.)
"Look, I don't know where you're getting your information from. But I haven't done anything. So go find someone else to blame for your clearly problematic relationship." With that, Louis turned away again, ready to head to class.
"Don't deny it, you twink, I know you tried to seduce Harry!"
At that, Louis froze. Not because she called him a twink, or even because she claimed that he tried to seduce someone, but because she had just said Harry. As in, the only Harry that went to their school. As in, the Harry who Louis had spent nights dreaming about but apparently had a girlfriend. Louis hadn't known he was in a relationship, much less with a girl. Dammit.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Harry and I are just friends. I'm not interested in him that way,” Lie. “and I definitely haven't tried to seduce him."
"Oh yeah?" The girl crossed her arms, challenging him. "Then how he moaned your name last night when we were making out?"
He what? Louis almost choked on his spit. "W-what? I- You must have heard wrong. Yeah, he um, he was probably saying your name, and you just heard wrong." There was no way that this was real. That the boy he had been crushing on since freshman year moaned his name. Just. No way.
"My name is Caroline." The girl -Caroline- deadpans. She knew just as well as he did that "Louis" and "Caroline" didn't exactly sound alike.
"Well, Caroline, it was nice to meet you, but I actually have to get going, like, right now, to a class that I'm currently late to, so, bye!" And with that, Louis rushed away.
It didn't take a genius to realize that Harry was avoiding him. The curly boy wouldn't take efforts to initiate conversation, and seemed to always disappear when Louis walked towards him. Every time Louis caught Harry staring over at him, he would try to smile, or pull a funny face, but Harry would only blush and quickly look away. Harry's behavior was starting to get to Louis. He missed their interactions, no matter how small they had been. Louis felt himself start to get more and more frustrated every time Harry avoided him.
Harry's behavior did, however, give Louis hope. Harry was embarrassed. Which meant that, as crazy as Taylor's statement had been, Louis was starting to believe it was more and more true. Finally, he decided it was time to screw it and find away to get Harry to talk to him.
Louis was planning on waiting until they were somewhere more private to talk, but patience was never his strong suit, and physics class was boring, so he walked over to the row of seats Harry was sitting in. He made eye contact with Harry before the boy quickly averted his gaze, blushing and working furiously at his worksheet.
Louis turned to the boy sitting next to Harry, making his best puppy dog face. "Lili, can I have your seat? It's next to an outlet and I need to charge my calculator."
Liam rolled his eyes fondly, knowing what Louis was up to. "Sure Tommo, drinks after practice?"
Louis nodded before setting his stuff down on the desk, plopping down in the now vacant seat, and turning to Harry expectantly. When Harry still didn't look over, Louis poked him on the cheek with the eraser end of his pencil. "Hazza."
Harry looked over at the small boy, eyes big and green. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, before saying, "Hi."
"Hello Harold."
"Hey."
"Wow, someone's not very articulate today," Louis teased, frowning when Harry just blushed again and turned back to his work. They worked in silence before Louis got restless and decided to try again.
"So, I got slapped last Monday."
Harry looked up at him. "Yeah?"
"Yup, right across my precious little face." Louis pouts, and then leans over to lightly pat Harry's cheek as if to demonstrate. He fights back a grin when he notices Harry slightly leaning into his touch.
"Oh."
"Yeah. Wanna know why?"
"Why?" Harry asks, even though it seems he already knows the answer. He turns away, not wanting to make eye contact with the blue-eyed boy sitting next to him.
"It seemed that a certain boy has a little bit of a crush on me, and his girlfriend didn't like that."
Harry groans in embarrassment, cheeks red as he buries his face into his hands. His response is muffled in the sleeves of his sweatshirt. "Ex-girlfriend. And 'm sorry."
"Why?"
"Huh?" Harry looks up, confused. He looks positively adorable right now, Louis thinks.
"Why are you sorry?"
"Because, I don't want to make you uncomfortable and stuff. And sorry about the slap too, I guess."
"Hey, Haz. You don't have to worry about making me uncomfortable. Ok?" Louis lightly grabs Harry's chin, forcing the boy to look at him. Harry nods in response, eyes reflecting so much vulnerability that Louis can't help but feel his heart swell.
Louis smirks. "So Hazza, as much as I'm sure your ex loved hearing you moan my name, I think I'd appreciate it much more. Dinner tonight?"
Harry's eyes light up. "Does this mean that...?"
"Harry, honestly. I've had the biggest crush on you since freshman year biology, I'm surprised you haven't noticed. You're gorgeous and kind and caring and even kind of funny. Sometimes.” Louis smirks. “So, will you go on a date with me?"
"Of course, boo."