i'm not the prettiest flower but i'll do

the words were like anchors and i didn't want others to drown with me

mood: beneath your beautiful- labyrinth ft. emeli sandé & the story- conan gray

Friday, October 26th 2:42 pm

"Louis?" he heard a voice call his name from where he was sat on a chair off stage left. He popped his head up and saw Liam approaching him with a smile. "Hey!" His smile was big, almost too big. It reminded him of Harry's stupid smile that would never leave his lips.

"Hi," Louis spoke softly, looking up from his sketchbook where he was working on his latest drawing. He watched Liam sit by the legs of his chair, keeping his distance of course.

"How was your day?"

Liam was a nice boy, no doubt, and he wasn't sore to the eyes that's for sure, but it felt weird talking to someone who wasn't Harry. "Was alright." The difference between Liam and Harry was that with Harry everything just flowed but with Liam he had to think to make conversation. That could just be something as simple as him not knowing Liam well, that's what he thought at least. "How was yours?"

"Just about the same. So, are you going to the Halloween party tonight? If you are, maybe we could go together."

Louis quirked a brow and gave Liam his full undivided and bewildered attention. They formally met yesterday and he was already inviting him places? Maybe he is a lot like Harry after all. "We just met yesterday?"

"Yeah, but parties are a great way to meet and make friends. It could be fun. I'd love to see you outside of class too."

Louis' face flushed a bright pink from Liam's comment. Was he trying to flirt with him or was Louis simply overanalysing things? "Oh, um, no. I, uh, I'm not going. Harry already asked me to go with him yesterday and I turned down his offer so I'll have to do the same with you." A smile was offered as if to apologise for turning him down.

"Hm, so is that what he texted you about?" Liam slid his foot towards him to hug his leg and lean his head against his knee.

"No he just- he wanted to talk." Louis couldn't decipher whether it was the conversation in general or if it was Liam who was irritating him. Both possibly.

"But he did ask you."

"Not really. He was over mine and insisted I go somewhere with him as a surprise but I said no. Then he told me where so-" Louis drifted off, tapping his pen against his notebook.

"So you're telling me that yesterday you said he wasn't much of a friend to you but he went over your place?"

"It's complicated." It was more like I'm complicated but Liam was nowhere ready for that conversation.

"I can tell," Liam laughed almost in a belittling way and Louis did not like it one bit.

"What is this? An interrogation?"

"No. No, not at all. I'm just- I'm trying to make a friend but I guess that wasn't the best approach."

"Right." The bell rang for last class to be released and with a halfhearted smile Louis slipped his sketchbook into his backpack and walked away.

"I'm sorry. I hope we didn't step off on the wrong foot." Liam stood from his position on the stage to follow Louis towards the exit of the theatre.

"It's fine. Have a good day Liam." Then it was as if he disappeared in thin air right before Liam's eyes and he couldn't help but feel guilty for pressing Louis because he knew he wasn't an open book. He was quite the opposite and he knew that he left a bad impression on the small boy and that didn't sit well with him.

Louis walked home immediately after class without Harry because he knew that he'd rather be with his friends so they could make plans about the party later that night, and was proven right when he never received a complaint text from him. He didn't mind though, why would he? He wasn't going to the party and he didn't own Harry. They weren't attached at the hip so they didn't need to spend every second of every day together. It didn't bother him though, having to walk alone and all. In fact, it almost felt liberating and refreshing to finally get some peace from his newly hectic life. But it did feel weird because Harry usually forced a hangout/homework session or whatever he decided to call it after school and having his own time to himself was surprisingly something he wasn't used to.