(the story of) The Not-So-Stereotypical Jock | [Larry Stylinson]

Ch. Seventeen | Shallow

Extra TW for brief SA

9:28am, Wednesday, February 8th

"So, you and Harry, eh," Nick comments as Louis packs up. Louis blushes and frowns, "I'm not sure what you mean. We-we're friends."

"Mm," Nick hums, "Sure," he nods. Louis stays quiet. When the bell rings Louis walks out of the room quickly. However he doesn't get far when he's slammed up against the locker. "Mine," Sam smirks, "You remember the party? Yeah. Harry likes you," he teased. Louis squirmed, watching kids pass by. Except for Nick, who walks up to Louis and Sam. "I bet. Him and Louis have gotten real close since Harry's birthday party," Nick grins toothily. "He walks this way to-"

"He doesn't like me, shallow shitheads," Louis shouted, continuing to try and move away. "He's just trying to not me an asshole anymore," he strains.

Nick looks to the side, "Quick, Sam," he rushes out. Sam chuckles and holds Louis's cheeks tenderly.

And leans in to kiss him. "Hey Hazza, how's it going-"

"What the fuck are you doing," Harry shouts, seeing Louis trying to move, Sam's lips against his. Harry storms over, but Nick shakes his head, pushing him back, tsking, "Now, now," Nick shook his head again. "We wouldn't want-"

"Agh! You fucker," Sam screeched, heads turning in the hall but paying no real mind. The blonde toppled over and held his crotch, Nick frowning and stepping up to Louis, "No way to treat your boyfriend, Louis."

But Louis just sniffled, turning and running away.

But Harry chased after him.

And he caught him, turning him around. "What was that," Harry shouted, letting go of his arm. Louis's voice cracked, "This bullshit again, I thought you told your sick friends to cut the shit," he cried. Harry felt sick, "I'm going to kill them, has this happened before," he asks as the bell rang. Louis shook his head. "If we're going to trust each other, Louis, you need to be honest. And no, Sam and Nick are farthest from my friends," he frowned. "No, Harry," the blue-eyed boy sighed. "They haven't done this before."

"Good," the pale lad stared into Louis's eyes, bringing his hands up and swiping away the tears. "Please don't do anything, they'll just get worse."

"I'll try."

"Harry, I'm serious. Get to class, now," Louis, smiled half-heartedly. "How can you smile when-"

"Get to class."

"Alright. But-but sit with me and my friends at lunch. Nick won't be there!"

"If it will get you to class, then sure."

Harry nodded and smiled, waving as he turned and left. Louis turned around and shuffled all the way into class. He was never noticed in English anyway, so nobody said anything when he was late, slumping into his seat.

12:49pm

"Harry invited us to sit with him and his friends...so," Louis mumbled when him and Eleanor and Niall sat down. He glanced up, finding Harry sitting at another table with three other boys and a girl. He looked back at his own friends. "After what you just said happened earlier? No fucking way, Lou," Eleanor laughed bitterly. Louis frowned, looking down, "It wasn't him, though. He-he was going to do something to them."

"Why are you defending him?"

"He's-why can't we just go?"

"Let's just go, El."

"Niall!"

"C'mon," he gave Eleanor a look Louis couldn't figure out. The girl sighed heavily. "Fine," she gets up, crossing her arms. Louis beams and Niall gets up as well. As they slowly made their way over, Louis and Harry caught each others' gazes. Harry says something, making the others' heads turn.

"Here, I saved seats. Not that...not that I was really expecting that you'd come over," Harry rambled on. Louis sat next to him (across from Ryan), Niall sitting to Louis's left (across from Zayn) and Eleanor next to Niall (across from Perrie). Harry sat across from Luke. "So these are my mates," Harry points, introducing everyone, "That's Luke," the blonde gave a short nod. "Ryan," the lad didn't look up, continuing to eat his food. "Zayn, and...um, Perrie. Who are dating," the dark-haired boy smiles and the girl waved. Louis nods at everyone. He stares for a second before realizing- "Oh! Um," he blushes, "Sorry, this is Eleanor and Niall," he gives a forced smile. "Well, it's nice to meet you all," Zayn said.

After a bit of awkward silence everyone eventually fell into conversation. Harry leaned over to Louis, "So, everything alright? You sure you don't want me to do something about you-know-who," he scowled. Louis smiled sweetly, "No. I'm positive I don't want you to do anything. Now, you ready to draw my perfect face," he winked.

Niall was the only one who noticed the way Harry shivered just a bit and how his cheeks flared red. Louis just looked away when Luke called his name to start a conversation.

1:10pm

Nick grabbed Harry's arm, "Hey," Harry exclaimed, face turning red, "What do you want, dirtbag," he spat at the brown-eyed lad. "Don't be so bloody shallow. Louis doesn't like you back, dipshit," Nick seethed. "Don't be a faggot, either."

"Get out of here before I hurt you," Harry shoved Nick back. He turned around, making his way through the kids and finding the art room, pushing through the doors.

"Fucking hate that kid," he sat down next to Louis, who hummed as he got his stuff out. "Never mind."

"No, tell me," the feathery-haired boy set his things on the table and turned to catch Harry's gaze. "Nick, he stopped me in the hall."

"Oh," Louis sighed, "What for?"

"He thinks I-he thinks we're-God, I don't even know. Just forget about it," the bell rang. The other boy just nodded, not saying anything.

3:04pm

"I never got your number," Harry blurted. His heart started beating quickly. Louis's was beating just as fast.

Harry was pretty, but that's besides the point. "Oh, right. Um, here," he takes out his phone when they find a seat on the bus. Zayn hops on the bus shortly after, pausing to take in the fact Harry was sitting with Louis. He cleared his throat. Harry looked up, smiling.

"Hey, Z," Harry eyed the seat across from him and the shorter lad. Zayn plopped down, and the curly-haired boy moved next to him. "Thanks, Louis," he smiles widely. "Mhm," the other hums, nodding curtly. He typed in his phone, Harry's contact name set as just his name, and texting him.

Hey :)

Louis smiled, Harry giggling. "What are you on about," Zayn leaned over, speaking low enough so only Harry could hear. "You're oddly fond of this kid, mate," he said. "Doesn't mean anything," Harry muttered while typing. "If you say so."

"I do."

9:34pm

"She's crazy, Haz! She failed me for drawing the...well, the wrong thing."

"Yeah, yeah," Harry rolled his eyes. "Well, I think Mrs. Banks is cool," he laughed. "Hey, it's getting late, I'll call again sometime."

"Of course Harry. I still can't believe you're eighteen. Wow," Gemma sighed. "Hey! Wait, how are you and Jess?"

Harry went silent.

"Oh...I see, um," his sister trailed off. "This just got awkward."

"No, no," Harry sighed heavily, "besides, I've made a...friend," Harry smiled to himself.

And he told Gemma all about the boy with the blue eyes. The whole time his tummy fluttered with butterflies and his heart beat a bit faster and somehow he couldn't connect the dots.

Maybe he was shallow. Or maybe he was in subconscious denial.

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