Prove It (Larry Valentine's Day)

VI

At the end of the day on Friday, Louis was walking to his locker, averting his eyes from all the bright colored carnations. Nearly everyone had at least a few flowers, mostly pinks, and every once in a while he saw a red in the mix. One girl, who he recognized as a varsity cheerleader, carried about 10 pink and 15 red flowers. Louis suddenly felt very annoyed. Yeah, he hated Valentine's Day, but just because he was the only openly gay guy in school didn't mean he didn't deserve a flower too. He started to spin out his locker combination when he hears a voice behind him.

"Hey, Louis."

Louis turned to see Harry standing there holding a dozen red carnations.

"You passing those out to all the girls by hand?" Louis raised an eyebrow before turning back to his locker. "Classy."

"No, only you."

Louis froze.

"So, what's with those glasses you've been wearing recently?" Harry added, setting the bouquet down at the foot of Louis's locker.

Louis doesn't turn around, but says nonchalantly, "Oh you know, just something new I'm trying."

"Why?" Harry grabs one of Louis's wrists and spins him around. "They cover up your pretty eyes."

Louis's stomach filled with something undeniably similar to butterflies. With all his courage, he looks up into Harry's emerald green eyes and grinned.

"Are you flirting with me, Harry Styles?"

"Maybe," Harry confessed, holding back a smile.

"Thought that wasn't allowed," Louis reminded him, determined not to fall for one of Harry's tricks, no matter how pretty his eyes looked right now.

"Well, since I'm breaking all the rules now, perhaps I could make it up to you somehow?" Harry tried, and Louis realized that Harry was holding something else behind his back.

Louis swallowed. "And what might that be?"

"Well, here's the thing. I like you."

Louis's breath caught in his chest.

"And I wanna be with you. Have since we were in Mr. Kent's biology class in 8th grade when we both had to stay after to clean the white boards because-"

"We wrote on it that he watches Dora and writes poetry," Louis finished, his lips pressed in a thin line. "Classic."

"Yeah," Harry cracked a smile. "But before I ask you out on a date, because I'd really, really like for that to happen..a lot..."

Harry pulled out the hand he held behind his back, revealing a single pink rose. "I wanna be your friend first."

The gesture was just so unexpected and simple and cute that Louis dropped his books to the floor and wrapped his arms around the taller boy, nearly smashing all of the roses on the floor between them.

"So, now that that's settled..." Harry swallowed, not catching Louis's eyes. And was that nervousness?

"Will you go out with me tonight? We can go see a movie and be surrounded by gross horny couples, or we could go to a nice restaurant and be surrounded by gross mushy couples. Your choice."

Louis blushes, actually blushes at the expense of Harry Styles. He couldn't believe this was happening, and on Valentine's Day of all days.

"Anything sounds fine," he replied, breathless at how absolutely irresistible Harry was.

"Just fine?" Harry asked uncertainly.

"Good, great... terrific, even!" Louis clarified.

"Awesome," Harry replied, intertwining his fingers with Louis's as he pushed him back towards the lockers. "And just so you know," he whispered, "I kiss on the first date."

Louis grinned impossibly wide, and pushed right back.

"Prove it."