Harry, Harry, Harry... Louis

Chapter 5

As I pedal away from the town square, my mind simply cannot stop spinning. I'm confused by his sudden coldness and angry at myself for helping him in the first place. But most of all, I'm hurt. I feel like a toy that's been used.

I just don't get him.

I try to shake the feelings away, but they stick to me, like gum under a school desk.

Who are you, louis?

Why the sudden mood change?

What are you hiding from me?

His tattoo.

I almost forgot about his tattoo. I promised that I would never look again, but I'm still aching to know more.

I'm exhausted. My day is only half-done, and I can't wait for it to be over. I need a distraction, something to take my mind off things.

I look around me. I'm currently at the edge of the village. I see a café, a supermarché and a small telephone booth.

Jeanne.

I hit the brakes and hop off my bike. I walk to the telephone booth and ring her.

"Bonjour?"

"Jeanne? C'est Harry."

"Ahhh. Well hello Harry." She says. I can hear the smile in her voice.

"Can I see you? Like now?" I ask, probably too quickly. I don't want to sound desperate.

"Bien sûr, unless you prefer being with Monsieur Mignon comme tout. What's his name again?"

"Louis." I reply quietly. "Trust me, he's the last person I want to see at the moment."

"Parfait alors. I'll be at your house in twenty. Au revoir Harry."

"Au revoir Jeanne." I hang up and head back to my bike.

The ride home was quite quick. I was going the fastest I could. I knew that seeing Jeanne was the only thing that could properly distract me.

Plus, we hadn't finished what we had started yesterday.

I want to kiss her, touch her, smell her. I want to feel her. I pedal faster and faster, with only her on my mind.

When I arrive home, I ditch my bike at the fence and practically sprint inside. I run up the stairs and go straight to my room.

Fuck.

Everything's in a mess. Clothes are everywhere. There are still peach pits from yesterday on my nightstand. The sheets of my bed are all bunched up into a ball. Quickly, I pick up my clothes and put them in my drawers, throw the peach pits in the trashcan and make my bed.

I look at my now clean room and take a deep breath.

What am I doing? I don't know shit about touching girls. I don't want her to think that I'm some inexperienced loser.

As I'm rummaging through my brain to remember what my friend Matteo had taught me about fingering that one afternoon in math class, I hear my bedroom door creaking open.

"Salut" Jeanne says, leaning against the door frame.

Guess I'll just have to improvise then.

"Hey" I say, breath shaky.

I just stand there like an idiot.

"Are you going to invite me in or...?" She says with a chuckle.