𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑰𝒔 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑩𝒍𝒖𝒆 // 𝑳𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝑨𝑼

- the dinner -

Johannah welcomed us all into their bright and airy house. I scooched in behind Mom and tried to be as quiet as possible. We took our shoes and jackets off and put them on the packed hallway stand. Next to it were two little hooks in pink. Knowing they belonged to Phoebe and Daisy made me smile in an instant.

I looked up and catched Johannah smiling at me. We walked through the hallway and I could already smell the food and grew tense with anxiety. I knew I was overreacting, but I still felt really uneasy. The kitchen was really bright, just like the living room.

The big windows revealed a big garden with lots of space, a swing and a slide. I saw Phoebe and Daisy watching some TV series with someone I only assumed to be their brother. I was standing close to the windows, hence why I could only see their backs. Fizzy and her sister, who introduced herself as Lottie, came running down the stairs.

"Louis, turn off the TV and take a seat. Everyone's here already." He turned to his mom and as I saw him and heard him answer her simultaneously, it was as if a shock was send through my spine. Or more like the room getting significantly warmer. How was something like that even possible? Why did stuff like that happen to me?

He turned out to be the boy that knocked me on the stores ground a few days before. It was so embarrassing, it was almost painful. I saw the expression on his face change too, as he saw me. At this point, I was clenching my sleeves in anxiety, but when the twins realized it was actually me, they pushed him aside and giggled in the way they always did when they saw me.

I broke the tension and crouched down to meet their eyes level and let them pull me in for a little hug. "Harry, we made little signs." "That's great and what are they for?" "So you know where to sit." "Where do I sit?" "We played rock paper scissors, so she gets to sit next to you right there."

"YES, I actually won", she said, grinning from ear to ear. "So it's me, then Phoebe and Harry next to Louis, because next to him is Fizzy and then Dad and Mom. Then there's your mom next to my mom, your sister and Lottie next to me." I didn't even try to question their reasoning and stood up again. I was probably making it up, but I could nearly feel his gaze on me. It was as if it was physically lingering in the air.

Dan and Johannah went to the kitchen with Mom, while Lottie began talking to Gemma with Fizzy joining in. Phoebe and Daisy sneaked into the living room, presumably to turn the TV back on. I awkwardly sat on my assigned chair and out of the corner of my eye, saw that he did as well.

None of us said a word. Suddenly, he nudged me softly and I looked him directly in the face. It was him. There was no doubt now. "Hey, I'm Louis. And you... I mean and you're Harry?" I nodded and tried concentrating on not getting all red again, as I seemingly did a lot of the time. "You're the guy I ran over in the store, right?", he asked a little quieter.

"Yes. I am." "I uhm- I'm sorry again, I didn't mean to scare our new neighbour away or something and I didn't even know who you were. What I wanted to say, uhm, I mean, I'm really sorry." "It's alright. Apology accepted." I tried grinning, to reassure him.

He had dimples when he smiled. "Harry, do you need to use the loo?" "What?" "You're shifting around in your chair." "A lot", Daisy added. I was just about to lose my mind because this strange tension between Louis and me kept throwing me off, but other than that, I was doing great. Really great.

"Yes actually, I'd need to", I answered in an attempt to explain my nervousness. "I can show you our bathroom." Oh, please not. "No need to, I'll find it myself if you explain it-" "I'll show you." "Well", I sighed. He went ahead of me, through the hallway and headed to the stairs.

"The bathroom is right over there", he said while pointing at the first door. "Thank you." "Should I wait?" "Yes." "I'll wait in my room." Still surprised at how fast my mouth just managed to speak before I even thought about what to say, I quickly went into the bathroom. Oh god. Oh dear fucking god.