What Is Love

Five

[Tuesday, October 3rd 2017]

Harry seems to take a liking of always finding a way to run into Louis somewhere. Whether it's at their almost daily rides to Louis' store, or at the shop right down the street from it. Even at the grocery store, which was just a really weird coincidence, but still.

It's been just over a month that the two have known each other, and for some reason they both didn't think to exchange phone numbers yet. Which results in Louis going to pick Harry up at school when his mum has the same idea.

Louis parks his motorcycle along the curb, taking off his helmet and running a hand through his faded red fringe. He looks around for Harry like he usually does, except he doesn't expect to spot him walking towards his mums car, right next to where he's parked.

Louis' eyes widen when Harry's gaze catches his. Harry mouths "sorry" to him, and he nods in acknowledgement. The boy climbs into his mothers car, and then she decides to spot Louis as well. Just great.

"You're that boy that works at the music store, right?" She asks out her window.

The man purses his lips. "Uh, yeah, that's me. I'm here to uh... pick up my sister." He tells her, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. She nods with a small smile before rolling her window up and leaving. Louis doesn't wait for his sister.

❊ ❊ ❊ ❊

When Louis gets back Niall looks up from his phone. "What took so long?" he asks curiously.

Louis shrugs. "Thought I was picking up Harry but his mum had the same idea," he sighs.

The blonde widens his eyes. "Did she see you?" He laughs. "Oh shit, if she saw you with him she'd probably flip." He cackles, "I mean, he's in high school and you're not."

Louis bites the inside of his cheek, not facing his friend at first. Sure, Niall knows that Harry's younger than him. But he thinks that he's eighteen, not sixteen.

He rolls his eyes. "No, she didn't. I just told her I was picking up Lottie and had to avoid them the whole way back. Which was harder than I thought. I have a feeling they live close to the shop." He walks over to the other side of the counter and hops up to sit on it.

"I still haven't seen this kid, though. It's like whenever I'm here he isn't. He's a senior?" Niall asks as he starts off to the back.

Louis gulps, biting his lip. "Uh, senior yeah." he says. Harry's a junior. "Yeah, eighteen." He lies, squeezing his eyes shut and sighing in relief when his friend just gives a cheeky comment before disappearing into the back room.

The feeling of Niall having sidekick powers come into view since after he goes into the back room, Harry bursts through the doors. "Hey." He smiles.

Louis smiles back. "What's up?" he asks, leaning against the counter.

Harry glances to the door. "Okay, first off, sorry about not telling you my mum was coming. I didn't know until this morning and I didn't have your number to text you. I'm out with a friend right now and said I wanted to peek in here real quick." He tilts his head towards the door for a second. "Um, and second I cant stay today but, could I like- uh, can I have your number? Just, you know, just-just in case?" He questions, gulping.

Louis smirks, but nods, holding his hand out for his phone. For a second Harry just stands there, but then realization dawns and he pulls the device out of his pocket and hands it over. Louis presses his number into the phone real quick, then gives the boy his phone back with a smirk. "There you are," he says.

Harry smiles timidly. "Thanks." He blushes. "Uh, I have to go." He tells Louis, tripping over his feet as he stumbles out the door. The older rolls his eyes with a laugh, and gets back to work when seeing two teens come through the doors.

Harry catches back up with Liam, who had been standing against the brick wall on his phone. He hears Harry coming though, since he looks up at him and shoves the phone into his pocket.

"Bout time." He teases. "What were you doing in there, anyway?" he asks. "And why's your face red." A smirk grows on the boys face, and Harry is quick to place his hands over his cheeks.

"No one!" He exclaims. "I mean nothing! Nothing!" He shakes his head, zipping his lips shut in embarrassment.

The eighteen year old crosses his arms. "There's someone in there that you like." He states.

Harry's eyes widen, and he shakes his head frantically. "No-No! That's a lie, you're lying."

Liam shakes his head slowly in disappointment. "And your ability to lie gets worse and worse." He sighs. "C'mon, we're going back in there and you're going to ask this guy out."

Harry jerks away when he reaches for his arm. "I can't, Liam." He mumbles. Liam snorts with an eye roll, and starts dragging him by the arm. Harry rips his arm away. "Liam, stop! I can't!" He shouts, crossing his arms and holding himself.

Liam frowns, "Why can't you just ask him out?" He walks back to Harry. "You've never been afraid to flirt."

"Yeah but I always did it to tease, I actually like him this time." He shrugs. "Plus, he's twenty, Liam. I'm sixteen. He's probably dating someone already and it's probably illegal for now, anyways. He wouldn't wanna date someone four years younger and still in school." He shrugs.

Liam looks at him with sympathy. A lot of curiosity and confusion, but sympathy. "Sorry, mate. Why someone older?" he asks.

"Because." Harry whines. "He's hot and so nice and funny- god so funny. He helped me out when I got into some trouble with a few random guys on the street, and his sister is in my year so I've ran into him more than I'd thought. And-and he's got tattoo's littering his body, and piercings, and red hair, and I know it's wrong to seriously like him especially since he's way out of my league but I can't help it. It's like Sophia's obsession with that boyband Five Seconds of Summer." He pours it all out.

Liam grins. "That bad huh?" Harry nods. "But you're friends with him?" Another nod. "Alright, so then just get to know him and if he shows signs that he likes you then go for it. It only seems like a big age gap when you're young, anyways. Isn't it only illegal if you do sexual things with him or something?" he asks. His voice sounds a bit hesitant, and Harry isn't surprised, but at least he's trying to help. "Or just seduce him. Then you'd know if he likes you."

Harry rolls his eyes. "Sure, Li."

He nods, and starts talking as he turns. "So, he works in that music place? I wanna see your new crush." You can practically hear the smirk in his voice.

"No no no, I've only known him for two weeks, I don't need to be showing him my friends. He probably wouldn't even care since I'm just a kid compared to him." Harry pulls him the opposite way.

Liam sighs. "It doesn't matter. You've been hanging out with him and the fact that he pays attention to you alone is enough. Just go in and introduce me. If not than I'll just have to go in myself when you're not here." He raises his eyebrows.

Harry stomps his foot impatiently. "No, Liam! C'mon, let's go back to your place and just hang out there! I'll introduce you later." He lies.

Liam doesn't catch onto his little fib though, and follows Harry to the car in defeat. "It's going to happen, Haz." He buckles his seat belt. "You're going to ask him out and before you know it there will be beautiful curly haired brats running around." Liam can't even contain his laughter by the end of his sentence. And Harry smacks his head before crossing his arms.

"Just drive, you arse."

-

OH SHIT ITS BEEN FOREVER

IM SORRY SCHOOL HAS BEEN A LOT AND IVE HAD VOLLEYBALL AND I HAVE VOLLEYBALL TRYOUTS TOMORROW SO IVE BEEN SO STRESSED Ok bye love you all lmao