Eroda Sunshine

The Truth Comes Out

Louis took a deep, cleansing breath, and although he felt beyond shaky, he plunged his body, sweats and all, into the water.

"Okay, Harry. You keep insistin' that I listen. Well you have the floor. Go ahead."

Harry tried to conceal how grateful and reassured he felt that Louis was giving him a chance. He'd gone over the conversation in his own head many times – too many times - what he would say, how he would act. He wanted to be as sincere as possible, as this might be his only chance to make amends with Louis. His best bet was to start from the beginning.

With a quiver and a measured breath, he began. "Okay, so Tristan came up to me one day. And you know how he was nervous about holding Savannah's hand?"

Louis nodded noncommittedly.

"I told you about it. That he was nervous to even hold her hand. Remember that?" Harry was so nervous that he was repeating himself.

"Yes," it was a deadpan answer, but Harry continued. At least Louis was listening.

"Well, a few days later, or whatever it was, Tristan brought it up again. At that point he was holdin' her hand, but he was at a standstill. He didn't know how to take things further."

"Wait – what was this got to do with anythin'?" Louis was becoming irritated and impatient.

"Please Lou, I'm gettin' to it. "He asked for help. Asked me how to kiss a girl."

Louis stood up so abruptly that he almost fell. Water cascaded off him in streams. His chest heaved with short, sharp breaths.

"This is bonkers!" He made to leave, but Harry grabbed him by the sweats, pulling him back down on the rock. Not roughly, but not completely gentle either.

"You said you'd listen!"

"Some made-up malarkey story, and I'm supposed to listen to it?" he demanded. "It's about the dumbest thing I've ever heard!"

"Just give me a chance!" Harry's eyes glistened like he might start to cry, and Louis couldn't help but feel a pang of pity. He had said he'd listen. He threw his head back, planted his palm on the back of his neck to massage it and rolled his eyes.

"Get on with it then!"

Harry sighed after letting out another big breath.

"We talked about it, and I explained that I couldn't describe how to kiss a girl. That it was impossible. So he came up with the idea, on the spur of the moment it seemed, for me to give him kissin' lessons."

Louis clapped his hands together loudly, making a point of how ludicrous he thought Harry was being. "Oh! To give him kissin' lessons! Now that makes perfect sense!" The sarcasm in his voice exasperated and frustrated Harry.

"I swear it's the truth, Lou."

Louis just sat there, glowering at him, his eyes a virtual thundercloud.

"Who does that?" he demanded.

"Tristan, apparently."

"So you agreed to it? You actually agreed to it?"

Harry nodded slowly. "It was a big mistake."

"And you really think I'm gonna believe it." Louis shook his head in disbelief.

Harry felt dismal and gloomy. For a moment there he had thought there might be the tiniest spark of a chance Louis would believe him.

"I should never have done it because your friendship means more to me than anythin.'"