What Is Love

Eight

[Monday, December 4th 2017]

When Harry spots Sophia in school the Monday after his "date" with Louis he instantly pulls her to the side. Besides having different teachers, they both coincidentally have a free period first thing on that day's schedule. Which fits perfectly for the sake of Harry's "crisis".

"Five minutes into class go to the library, okay? Back corner like always." He tells her. She just nods, a bit concerned, and frowns when her friend runs off.

Just as she was told, she asks the teacher to go down to the library a few minutes into class. He lets her go, and she almost runs down the halls. When she gets to the big double doors she pushes them open and smiles timidly at one of the women working.

Harry isn't there when she gets to the back corner, but a minute later he shows up out of nowhere and grabs her arm. "I'm having a crisis. I went on a date with Louis on Saturday and it was amazing and we kissed each others cheeks and he held my hand sometimes and my hip and I don't know what to do!" He rushes out in a quick whisper.

"You went on a date with Louis?!" She gasps.

Harry nods, but then grimaces. "Well, it wasn't identified as one but I treated it as one. Is that bad?" He bites on his nail. "That's not bad is it?" He shakes his hands out. "I'm having feelings that I haven't really had for anyone considering no one else in our school is really gay. So I'm having a lot of trouble because I don't know what to do, especially since he's a lot older than me." His face spells out nervous, and Sophia feels sympathy for him.

"Not that much older. Can't you tell him that you like him? I did that with Liam and then he asked me out." She suggests.

"I... I don't know. He's like three years older than me. He might just think of me as a friend or something." He wears a pout.

Sophia goes quiet for a moment, but then sighs. "You know what, there's so many guys in the world. Just tell Louis straight up how you feel and if he doesn't feel the same then he's not worth your time, alright?" She raises her eyebrows.

Harry doesn't want to, but he nods. "Yeah." He murmurs unfaithfully.

Sophia smiles. "Good. Now we should get back to class. I want to finish my homework that I forgot over the weekend." She sighs. Harry shoots her a fake smile, but walks out with her anyways. When they get out into the hallway they go their separate ways, Harry going over and over what he would possibly say later on. And as the day draws on he just gets more and more nervous.

It isn't until Louis picks him up that Harry feels like panicking. He doesn't. But he's close. He needs to tell Louis that he likes him in a romantic way. He's never done that before with someone he's liked, therefore making it even harder.

They only stop in the store for a moment so that Louis can grab something. After that they drive to Louis' place. When they get out of the car, Harry stands on the sidewalk for a moment, debating with himself. Louis notices, and cocks his head, walking back down the few steps.

"Haz, you okay?" he asks him.

Harry's mouth fishes open and closed. He sighs, rolling his fists. "I uhm." He starts, but he can't get himself any further.

Louis starts worrying. "Harry." He grabs Harry's bicep.

Harry flinches off of his touch. He feels like he wants to cry. "I like you." He blurts. "As in more than a friend." Louis' face is blank. Harry's lip wobbles. "I'm-I'm sorry. I don't want to get in trouble but I like you and I'm sorry." He's crying, panic starting to overtake him. "Don-" Louis reaches up and kisses him, holding the side of Harry's face.

Harry kind of gasps into it, but keeps his lips on Louis' and closes his eyes. It's only a chaste kiss, and it might be because he's ticklish, but Harry feels tingles in the spot where Louis' fingers touch him.

The older boy pulls away, and they both stare at each other. "Uhm." Louis mumbles. "I like you too," he says.

Despite his words, Harry frowns. "Really?"

"Yeah." Louis pushes his hands through his own hair. "But I just... I'm three years older than you. I-I shouldn't of done that. I really shouldn't of cause it's still illegal cause you're not eighteen yet, so-"

"We don't have to tell people." Harry offers.

Louis looks at war with himself. "I- Harry."

Harry panics. "I-I uhm, maybe I should uhm, I should go." His voice trembles. He can feel himself choking up. How could he be so stupid?

Louis watches him as he stutters and stumbles over his words, and when he notices him almost crying he pulls him into a hug. "Hey, no, shhh, Har it's okay." He murmures in his ear. He rocks him a tiny bit. Harry clutches onto him, taking deep breathes and squeezing his eyes shut. After a few moments of just standing there, and Louis hesitates, but speaks up.

"If we were to date and do sexual things, then I could be arrested for rape. And if we just date then I could just be arrested for dating a minor, I think." He tells him.

Harry gulps, and nods. "I understand." He mumbles. And it's true. He does understand. He doesn't like it, and he doesn't like that they couldn't even try it, but he understands. He doesn't quite have an option.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Harry gasps. "Shoot! I'm supposed to go over Sophia's and help her with the project!" He lies, but he can't stand there anymore and act as if nothing happened.

Louis offers to drive him over, and it's once again an awkward. Harry's disappointed when all he gets when getting out of the car is a small smile and a "see ya". So, he rushes up to his friends house, opening the door without knocking. They're those kind of friends.

"Soph?" Harry calls. He hears footsteps in the kitchen, and walks in as the girl comes out to him. "I kissed Louis." He states, his throat dry.

Sophia's shoulders slump from seeing her friends sad expression, and pushes him to the couch where she joins him and puts on reruns of Friends.

-

this is short I know. deal with it :)