Chapter Text
The two friends were sitting on Lottie's pastel pink bed. Harry had his head in Lottie's lap as they talked about who was the cutest boy at school.
"I think it might be Evan I mean he's got that posh nice boy in public but good in bed you know." Lottie says and Harry agrees but is not entirely listening as he thinks about his own cute boy; Louis.
Louis was Lottie's older brother, older by a year and a few months. He was extremely fit with a charming smile and funny wit. Harry has been friends with Lottie for just about since high school started which was three years ago. She had just moved from the UK to California.
Since the day Lottie invited him over to her house and he met her whole family including Louis, he's been infatuated with him since. The moment those ocean blue eyes meet his grassy green ones he felt love struck. He learned certain stuff about Louis. He played basketball and apparently was good, and Harry admired how much Louis loved his family. He was so protective over them, like when he gave Harry the cold shoulder for almost a year because he thought Harry was trying to be Lottie's boyfriend and he didn't approve.
Until Lottie brought home her now ex boyfriend Jake. Louis seemed to loosen up around Harry but they never held a conversation longer than a simple 'hello' and 'how are you?' because Louis was that polite. Harry was really gone for this boy.
"So I was thinking of dying my hair pink. Louis said I was such a weirdo for wanting that color, do you think it will look weird?" Lottie asks touching her long blonde hair.
"I think it will look amazing lots. Louis just doesn't understand because he's old." She laughs at that agreeing, although they both knew Louis was only one year older.
"Speaking of Louis, he's still with that lame girl Eleanor. She doesn't even greet us like ever when she comes around just stares, it really makes mum and I mad. Louis said she's just shy but it's been more than one time." Harry rolls his eyes thinking he would never, maybe Louis should just date him already.
Speaking of the devil Louis opens the door, shirtless and sweaty. Harry swears he's no longer breathing but Lottie just groans, "What do you want Louis?"
The older boy looks at both of them suspiciously before speaking, "Oi door open when you've got boys over." Harry and Lottie look at each other before laughing.
"I'm sure mum won't mind, it's just Harry." Louis and Harry's eyes meet and the younger boys heart starts racing. Louis just smiles at Harry as he notices him staring at his chest feeling a bit smug.
"He's still a boy and I made the rule and not even Harry can slide by. I also came by to tell you that Eleanor will be coming for dinner, so please be nice." Lottie rolls her eyes hating the idea of having to spend time with her.
"No promises... but where will she sit you know since Harry is staying for dinner?" Harry gives Lottie a look never agreeing to staying for dinner. Louis stares Harry down which makes him feel shy and flustered and he avoids any eye contact.
"I'll just go get an extra chair from the basement. Anyway that was it, keep this door open and mate my eyes are up here." Louis winks at Harry before leaving making Lottie gasp and Harry's cheeks to burn in embarrassment.
"What the hell was that about?" She questions Harry and he buries his face into her blanket hoping it will suffocate him to death.
"Harry... were you checking my brother out?" She asks the boy again feeling a bit in shock that her friend could find her brother attractive. Harry sits up on the bed facing Lottie trying to read her thoughts.
"I-... okay I was." Harry says in embarrassment he never thought he would confess his secret, about having a big crush on Louis to Lottie. He never really thought he would tell anyone really, Louis was this super fit incredible guy and Harry well he was Harry, a dorky teen barely going through puberty and his only friend was Lottie.
"Oh my god H! Do you like my brother?" She asks surprised and he can't tell if she's mad or feels weird about it.
"I- Lots, are you mad?" Lottie smiles like a mad man as she realizes that her best friend does like her brother.
"No fucking way, of course not. I would love for you to be apart of this family, even more than you already are." She hugs Harry and he hugs her back feeling accepted but still a bit embarrassed that she knows about Louis.
"Well that's not going to happen it's just a silly crush. You know with Louis being straight and having a girlfriend, I've got no chance so please don't make it awkward." He begs and Lottie rolls her eyes.
"You'd be much better for my brother than her." Lottie complements him but genuinely believing in that.
"Yeah well too bad she got to him first." Harry sighs sometimes it was hard seeing Louis with her. Of course it's only Harry's fault for falling for someone who is unattainable.
"I've got an idea!" Lottie says to Harry as she jumps up from the bed. Harry sighs and knows she's about to start spitting out horrible ideas that won't turn out well.
"Lottie no." Harry tries to intervine but the girl is already way over her head.
"I'll have Louis in your hands in less than a few months. All we have to do is dress you up a bit when you come over or maybe dress you a bit less show off your skin ay." She winks halfway through and he rolls his eyes, "You also need to start showing up to his games! Make yourself more noticeable and follow him on all his social media. I could also casually make us all hang out you know so you could talk to him for once." Lottie keeps on going and Harry mentally groans because he knows he's in too deep now.
"Harry I know you're scared but I genuinely think this could work! I know I sound crazy but I feel like Louis could actually like you. I can just feel it you're totally going to fall in love." She's lost in her own world and Harry can't help but imagine it. Louis and him being in love, having Louis hold him while they cuddle, kiss him with his thin pink lips, getting to make him laugh. Harry only lets himself stay in that imaginary world for more than a minute before he lets reality slap him.
"Lots no come on your brother is happy with that girl. I wouldn't want anything else than for him to be happy, I don't want to be a home wrecker." Harry pleads and Lottie rolls her big blue eyes.
"I don't actually think he's happy with her, but I guess I respect that you want to respect that fake happy relationship." Lottie says before Jay is yelling up the stairs that dinner is ready.
They both walk down the stairs and into the big dinning room. In the middle is a long brown table with enough chairs to sit about nine hungry people. Jay has already set food out on the table but I run over to help her anyway.
"Oh love thank you so much, you didn't have to." Jay says to Harry as he grabs the large bowl of mashed potatoes and another small bowl with bread rolls in it.
"It's okay I don't mind, it's the least I can since you took your time to make all this food." Jay smiles at him as she thinks about how much of a lovely human being Harry is.
Harry walks over to the dinning room and sets the bowls down. All of Lottie's sisters; Felicite, Daisy, Phoebe, and Doris are already sitting at the table. Ernest her youngest 2 year old brother than runs into the room his blonde hair a mess. He runs into Harry and Harry squats down to coo at him.
"Hareeha!" He squeals and Harry coos harder before scooping him up into his arms.
"Hi big guy, what are you doing mister?" Harry bops him on the nose as he squeals but tells Harry he's eating food. Harry sets him down next to Doris so he can sit and eat as Jay starts preparing his plate.
She had a small chicken on the table along with mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and the bread rolls. It was a bit like a thanksgiving dinner but without all the extra stuff like the turkey.
Harry takes a seat next to Lottie as everyone at the table says hi to him when Jay orders them to do so. They didn't hesitate to do so though because the girls really like Harry, Lottie had even told him that Felicite was gushing over Lottie dating him until she found out he was gay.
Just as they were about to start eating in walked Louis, Eleanor trailing right behind him she was a bit tall, slim along with long brown hair, and small features. She looked around the house eyes landing on the food as she stared at almost in disgust.
"Hey Mum, Eleanor's here." Louis says and pulls Eleanor forward to where Jay is standing. Harry watches as Jay puts on her best fake smile before she stands up to greet Eleanor who gives her back a smile but doesn't speak.
"It's nice to have you I hope you like what I made." Jay says and she was obviously waiting for a hug greeting because that's how Jay is with everyone but Eleanor just stood there.
"Oh actually mum she's kinda on a only salad diet so she brought her own salad." Lottie almost spits out her drink and looks over at Harry who is in the same state. They both know Jay loves feeding people and that she made extra food just for her.
"Oh well okay, you should probably go grab a chair from downstairs there's none left at the table." Jay says and continues to serve everyone a plate of food. She hands Harry his and he makes sure to tell her it looks delicious. Lottie also praises her food and then glares at Eleanor who is paying attention to her phone.
"Look at her she doesn't even try to look like she cares about us." Lottie whispers into Harry's ear and shares a look with her mum afterwards.
"Lottie remember Louis asked you to be nice." Harry whispers back as Louis walks back into the room a brown foldable chair in hand. He catches Harry whispering into Lottie's ear and he makes a face at him almost like he was trying to tell Harry to back off.
Harry blushes because Louis has never done anything like that before. He watches as Louis sits her chair down and allows her to sit before he sits down himself next to her. They're both sitting directly in front of Lottie and Harry.
Eleanor then stares at Harry before giving him a dirty look when Harry tries to smile at her. Lottie catches it and scoffs obviously about to cuss her out before Harry grabs her hand and pulls on it. Louis catches that and gives Harry the same look glaring at him and where his hand is on Lottie.
He quickly pulls away a blush back on his cheeks. Louis meets his eyes again but this time their softer as he notices the pink tint Harry has to his cheeks now. He quickly looks away and over to Eleanor who now has her salad in front of her.
"Do you think Daniel will ask you to hang out soon then?" Lottie asks Harry suddenly but only loud enough for them to hear and maybe Louis and Eleanor. Louis obviously heard as he looks over at them in curiosity, probably because Daniel was one of his team mates and friend.
Daniel was just a bit taller than Louis, with dark brown hair that was always brushed upwards, a slight beard, and big green eyes. Harry had seen him wearing a basketball jersey and hanging around Louis. They also had Math together along with Louis but only Daniel talked to Harry. He was always trying to talk to Harry and wasn't subtle when he tried flirting with Harry.
Lottie noticed right away the week before the current day. She was standing at Harry's locker and Daniel had came up to the locker as well. Daniel had told Harry he looked really good today and was not shamed to check Harry out from his toes to his head. Lottie has not stopped talking about him and Harry.
"Um I'm not sure." Harry felt shy under Louis's intense stare, Lottie catching on rolled her eyes and moved on to talk to Eleanor. Eleanor was also staring Harry down but almost like she was judging him which made the latter feel annoyed.
"So Eleanor what do you like to do?" Lottie asks her and she moves her gaze off of Harry and onto Lottie putting on a fake smile.
"I like to shop and take pictures of myself." She responds to Lottie and she tries to smile before giving Harry a look.
"Lottie does the same." Louis jokes and Lottie glares at him. Jay and both set of the twins we're in their own conversations so they didn't pay much attention to them.
"Harry what do you like to do?" Louis suddenly asks making Harry choke as he was sipping away at his juice.
He coughs violently as Lottie pats his back and everyone looks at him worriedly, well everyone expect Eleanor who looks close to laughing. Harry finally stops coughing after a few seconds and everyone makes sure he's okay before resuming their conversations.
"Uh sorry my juice went down the wrong pipe, I like to take pictures of things and I like playing the piano or my guitar." Harry finally answers Louis's question and Louis hums in response but gives Harry a small smile. Eleanor doesn't seem to like that as she speaks up.
"Do you not attend the same high school as us?" She asks mischief in her eyes as she asks the question.
"Um yeah I do actually." Harry didn't like the look the girl was giving him almost like she was trying to make herself feel superior.
"Oh really I've never seen you around, do you like not have a lot of friends then?" Harry's eyes widen as Eleanor says that trying to act innocent but Harry could see right through her.
Lottie could as well because she speaks up right away, "That's a bit fucking rude isn't it?" Louis just sits there with a blank look and Harry is steaming with anger.
"Was it? I'm sorry I was just curious because I've never really seen him around." She tries to clarify but there's a smirk tugging at her lips. Harry knows she's seen him around specifically because he sometimes stares at Louis from across the hallway and, well sometimes Eleanor embarrassingly catches him.
"It's okay I'm sure Harry knows you didn't mean to hurt his feelings, right Harry?" Louis asks giving Harry soft eyes again and Harry just nods lost in a trance of Louis. Lottie wasn't having it though because she asks to be excused before pulling Harry up to her room.
"I want to go through with the plans." Harry says right when they enter the room and Lottie's mouth was hung open as she was about to start ranting. The boy was annoyed and irritated with Eleanor, Louis deserved better. He almost felt bad about wanting to steal her boyfriend but she obviously wasn't a good person at least around them.
"Are you being serious?" Lottie asks a big smile on her face and Harry nods. Lottie hugs him and makes them jump up and down cheering in happiness.
"Louis deserves better than her. Did you see the way she was treating me?" Harry says not being the type of guy to dislike many people, but Eleanor was definitely at the top of his list.
"Hell yeah I did she was being a bitch. I'm so glad you came around I just know this is going to work." Lottie cheers still smiling from ear to ear, "you should sleep over it is a Friday after all, and we can get started on a few of my ideas. I won't take no as an answer by the way." Harry rolls his eyes but pulls out his phone to call his mom to ask her if he could sleep over.
"Alright I guess we're having a sleep over than!" Harry cheers as he gets off the phone with his mom who was totally okay with it as long as Jay was and if he promised to be behave.
Lottie tackles Harry onto the bed and they're both laughing when the door opens.
"Hey Lottie I-" Louis stops mid sentence as he takes in the scene a bit disturbed at the sight, but he also reminds himself Harry is definitely gay well according to Daniel.
"What's up?" Lottie pulls away from Harry to talk to Louis who's still standing at the door mouth a bit hung open.
"Oh right I was wondering if you wanted to watch a movie later with Eleanor and I?" He asks and Lottie tries her hardest to not roll her eyes and smiles.
"Sure but Harry is sleeping over so could he join?" Louis is a bit taken back by Harry sleeping in the same room as his sister.
"Yeah sure that's fine, meet you in the living room at ten then?" Lottie nods and Louis gives Harry a small smile before leaving, and Harry could die from all the smiles he's received today.
"Well would you look at that I guess my plans are being put into action tonight." Lottie grins and starts looking through her closet.
"What have I gotten myself into." Harry groans and throws himself on the bed as he realizes Lottie won't stop until Louis is truly his. He loves his best friend but he just knew this wouldn't end well.