Seven Years // l.s.

3. Just Friends

Sophomore year was better.

Louis and Harry were a lot closer than they were before. They hung out more often and talked more. They still weren't that personal when it came to things, but Harry knew why Louis was crying that day he came into class. He knew what had happened and he couldn't help but feel his heart break just a little bit for the boy he somewhat liked.

If you were to ask him what their friendship, Harry nor Louis would be able to answer you because it was something special. They weren't friends that hung out all the time, but when they did, they made memories worth remembering and they enjoyed each others company.

And Harry was really beginning to like this boy the more he talked with him. He was beginning to find more and more things he liked about the blue eyed boy from the way he talked to the way he ruffled his hair. He was falling more and more each day and he couldn't stop himself.

Then one day Louis shared something very personal with Harry that Harry vowed never to tell anybody: Louis liked boys. And this gave Harry hope that there was the possibility that Louis could like him.

But then Louis had to continue and say that he liked another boy that wasn't Harry and it crushed Harry inside.

They went a time without speaking or making eye contact: Harry didn't want to bring it up and Louis didn't want to feel as if he were annoying Harry.

 So Harry became quieter than usual and it took a lot from Louis to try to get him to speak up in math. Harry would mumble to himself more often and it sometimes made Louis very nervous to see him like that.

But they never talked to each other outside of class until the day one of their friends were killed in a car accident and they were both at the funeral. Harry was a mess. Ezra had always been one of his best friends and to know that he would no longer see him walking past him in the hallways was torture.

So Louis did the only thing he could think of when he saw Harry crying silently in the corner; he hugged him.

It was tighter than most hugs and at one point Louis never wanted to let go of the other boy. But Harry let go after a while and slightly pushed Louis away.

"It's okay," Louis whispered.

"It's not okay," Harry said, trying to push pass Louis.

But Louis stood his ground and tried to get a better look at the boy he thought he once knew-somewhat knew.

"This isn't about him, is it? It's not about Ezra," Louis questioned, patiently waiting for Harry's reply.

He didn't say anything and instead fell into Louis arms again, "it...I can't tell you, though." 

"It's okay," Louis said, soothing Harry, "you don't have to tell me." 

.

The funeral had past and so had Halloween and Thanksgiving and Christmas was coming up. Which also meant that Louis' birthday was right around the corner. Harry was glad that Louis and him had been talking for the past few months more frequently.

He didn't realize how much he missed his friend.

His friend.

They were just friends.

Just friends.

Harry really had to get that through his head. He wasn't Louis' anything. He was just Louis' friend. Just some kid that he sat next to in math and helped out every once in a while. He would never be a boyfriend. He would never be Louis' and Louis would never be his.

You could say that the whole situation was quite depressing, but Harry would disagree. As he saw it, Louis was still a part of his life and that was good enough for him.

"Hey!" Louis said enthusiastically, throwing his arm over Harry's shoulders; the curly haired boy was catching up in height, finally, "you up for some root beers tonight and maybe a little one on one basketball or something?"

Harry laughed, "out of all the sports in the world, you choose basketball?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I? What's that people say: basketball is life?"

Harry shook his head, "you sure are a weird one."

"You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch," Louis began to sing, "you really are a heel. You're as cuddly as a cactus. You're as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch."

Harry and Louis laughed as they made their way out of the school, "I would gladly join you for a game of basketball."

.

Harry had always had a dream that at the celebration of the New Year, someone would kiss him right as the clock struck midnight. He had dreamt this for as long as he'd been watching the big ball drop in Times Square on T.V. which was long before Louis. But since Louis has made his way back into Harry's life, he couldn't stand stand not being able to touch him or kiss him. As he stood there next to Louis and everyone counted down the last minute of the year, some sort of something ran through him and he pulled Louis close.

"Three, two, one," he said, before laying his lips on Louis'.

And boy was that the worst way to start the new year. Louis rushed away once he pushed Harry off, giving Harry now time to explain himself.

How could he have been so stupid?

There was no way Louis liked him, absolutely no way.

Harry walked home alone that night, hoping that everything would be alright when he saw Louis the following week. But his prayers weren't answered and he walked into math feeling like a complete douche-bag, knowing very well that he shouldn't have even thought of kissing him.

"Look," Harry started to say in a hushed voice, "I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to. Well, I meant to, but I shouldn't have. I...I'm just really sorry I put you in that situation and I apologize."

Louis didn't look at Harry as he spoke, "forget about it."

"I...No. I'm not just going to forget about it."

"Harry, forget about it," Louis snapped, "and leave me alone for a while, okay? I'm not interested in that happening again. And just to keep you from doing that ever again, know that I have a boyfriend and I like him very much."

Harry simply nodded, not wanting to stand up for himself in any way. He knew that he would lose if he tried and he didn't feel like being kicked and beaten while he was already on his knees begging for help.

Just friends.

If only that would change.