The Admiration Project

Chapter 10

Anne had to be getting tired of Louis' constant presence. He'd been showing up at their house nearly every day since the beginning of May and now it was June and he basically lived there. Louis had yet to invest in a new car, so Harry was acting as his own personal taxi. He even waited for Louis by the door at the end of creative class so that he could drive them back to Harry's house.

She hadn't said anything to him, though. In fact, she encouraged him to stay more often than Harry did. Although, Louis knew that Harry would throw a fit if Louis even suggested being at his own house more often. It was like they'd known each other their whole lives, even though just ten months prior, Louis had loathed Harry's entire being.

But anyway, he was always there. The boys didn't even have to be talking to each other to be comfortable. A lot of times they found themselves just doing things in each other's presence. Just existing together was enough for them. There were also some times that they found themselves just staring at each other. It would be weird to a bystander, but it was normal for them.

On one of his sparse days at his own home, Louis' mother finally approached him on the subject.

They'd been sitting together in the living room watching television when suddenly she paused it. He looked over at her with furrowed brows, and she smiled.

"You're leaving soon," she stated. Louis frowned.

"Don't remind me," he groaned, bringing his leg up onto the couch so that he could rest his chin on his knee.

"I'm sort of offended that you're not trying to soak up all the time you have left with Lottie and I." She was clearly joking, but Louis could tell that there was an underlying vein of hurt.

He stood from his spot on the couch and moved over to where Jay was seated. When he wrapped her up in a hug, she began to cry. He squeezed tighter.

"I don't mean to," Louis murmured. "It's just... Harry is new and everything... And it just feels good to have something new in my life, I think."

Jay wiped her eyes and looked over at Louis, fondness etching her features.

"You're in love with that boy, aren't you?" She asked softly.

Louis wasn't exactly sure why he'd never considered that this could be a possibility, but it clicked right then. Everything clicked right then. Because sometimes, hearing something out loud made it all real.

He used to look down upon Harry because there was something between the two of them that Louis was never able to decipher. But when the words were in his head, all of the mud that he'd been piling up became crystal clear.

He hated Harry because he wanted to love him.

He never wanted to be Harry. But all along, his puny little mind just couldn't comprehend that he wanted to be with Harry. It didn't feel like a crush because that wasn't what it was.

When he looked back up at Jay, the pure shock must have been scrawled across his face because she burst out laughing.

"So does that mean you haven't kissed him yet?" She teased, shoving Louis in the shoulder. Louis shook his head slowly, still processing all of this new information. "Oh my god, that poor boy has had goo goo eyes for you since the first time he came here and you haven't even kissed him?!"

He disentangled himself from Jay and stood up from the couch in a flash. Jay was still cackling as Louis shoved his bare feet into his vans.

"Where are you going?" She asked.