Falling In Manchester

Chapter Three - Harry

Louis was intriguing, more so than any other person that Harry had ever encountered in his nineteen years long life. He was kind, funny, and so pretty it made Harry's stomach twist in the most wonderful way. His eyes lit up when he spoke about things he enjoyed, and his lips would purse slightly as he concentrated on the things Harry told him.

Harry had to keep reminding himself that the boy was most likely straight as a pole. And not the fun stripper kind. Not that Harry had ever tried.

Yet Harry still couldn't help but feel drawn to the man. He had ever since their first meeting. And if Louis wanted to be at least a friend of his, Harry would embrace it. He wouldn't try and push for anything more, even though Niall insisted that Louis had been flirting a bit with him. Harry didn't know, and he didn't even know how to approach matters like this. So he had decided to just let it be as it was, an aspiring friendship, and if he happened to have a small crush on Louis, then it wouldn't affect anyone.

Except it did affect him when he accidentally stumbled into Louis in the hallway of the university, making Louis spill all his coffee over himself.

"Shit!" Harry cursed. He had yet to realise it was Louis he had stumbled into in his hurry to reach his lecture in time. Flustered, he tried to dry Louis' clothes with his scarf, and then he heard chuckling. He looked up, seeing Louis' face, and turned even more red. "God, Louis, I'm so, so sorry."

Louis began laughing even more, picking up his coffee cup. It was from Starbucks. Flashbacks from their first meeting rushed to the front of Harry's mind.

"Don't worry, love, it's iced."

Harry swallowed. "But you're soaked through—"

Louis shrugged, grinning. "I have extra clothes in my bag." He hoisted up the rucksack on his shoulder. "I'm always cold."

"Still, sorry." Harry was still red all over.

Louis smiled softly. "No bother. It's nice running into you again." Then with a slight pout, "You didn't text me."

Harry turned even more crimson. "I didn't know what to text."

Louis chuckled. "It's fine. Do you have a lecture now?"

Harry shook his head. "No, just got back from Author's Class. Was on my way home."

"You busy?" Louis asked. "You could walk a bit with me? We could talk." There was a hopeful glint in his eyes.

"You need to redress first," Harry said, eyeing Louis' soaked-through clothes. "You might get sick."

"Then let's do that first," Louis said, his eyes mischievous. "To the nearest broom closet!"

Harry followed Louis, Louis talking about an assignment he had gotten for photography. "I have to take pictures of animals in nature. Their 'natural habitat' as my teacher said."

"Ah," Harry said. "Sounds interesting. When will you begin?"

"I was planning to go to the park right after here," Louis said. "See if I could capture some birds and shit."

"Want company?" Harry found himself asking just as they stopped in front of a broom closet.

"In the closet or in the park?" Louis quirked an eyebrow.

"The park!" Harry rushed out.

Louis chuckled, a soft smile forming on his face. "If you really want to."

Harry shrugged, butterflies basking in his stomach. "I wouldn't mind."

"Neither would I."

And maybe, having a crush on Louis Tomlinson would affect Harry slightly more than he first had thought.