For Louis, Forever Ago || Larry a.u.

4

After a lot of tripping and pushing and leaping and stammering, Harry had made it through the school day. But his real day had only just begun. Harry stumbled down the nearly deserted hallways to get to the school auditorium, also known as the place where the drama club is hosted.

Quickly, Harry walked down the narrow corridor that led to the auditorium and struggled (as usual) push to open the doors.

“Hey, Harry!” Harry jumped when the familiar voice startled him. “Let me help you with that,” he felt a small hand on his lower back and saw Louis’ hand next to his as they pushed the doors open together. Harry felt his hands get clammy – his breath hitch in his throat.

“Well, after you, then?” Louis motioned impatiently for Harry to go through the door that he had been holding for a good 30 seconds.

Harry nodded and shuffled through the doorway and began tripping up the stairs to his usual seat at the very top of the theatre, working the lights and a small portion of the soundboard. 

The play the small drama club had been working on was called Crazytown, which was about the strangest town in America. All of the kids around there had the strangest fascination with America and American things. Harry couldn’t see what all of the hype was about – it’s not like they had Doctor Who or anything.

“Okay!” Louis clapped his hands loudly, making everyone in the room quickly settle down as Harry began to make his way up to the catwalk to control the lights just like he had everyday they met. “Wait, Harry,” Louis called, catching Harry off-guard. Harry stumbled up the steps, but regained his composure quickly. “This announcement applies to everyone…we begin to sell tickets for Crazytown in a month!”

Everyone cheered – even Harry. It was hard to rent out a theatre and predict how many people would even show up and still gain a profit after everything's said and done. Louis had been in charge of most of it, which  surprised Harry quite a bit. How did he have time to be an actor (a lead actor), play soccer, do this, and keep up with schoolwork?

They ran through the script a few times before going to try on their clothes for the upcoming show. Harry was testing out the colors of the lights and the sound when he noticed Louis’ microphone was off. Everyone’s needed to be on during sound check. 

Harry scanned the stage for any sign of Louis, but came up empty-handed. “Where could he be?” He thought as he picked himself up and jogged (carefully) down the stairs in search of Louis. 

He decided to check the dressing room first, thinking that Louis must’ve been struggling with a costume and accidentally shut off his equipment. Harry ducked under signs, jumped out of the way of flashing lights, and tripped over a few legs (and mumbled a few stammering apologies), but he eventually made it back to Louis’s dressing room. It had a big golden star on the back of it that Louis had crudely cut out himself (Harry could almost remember him saying, “I’m not an artist”) and taped to the back of the door and it’s ignored by almost everyone who uses that room for anything other than a dressing room, but it made him happy.

Harry smiled at the memory fondly before reaching his hand up to knock on the door. His fist came to a stop abruptly before making contact with the off-white wooden door because of the voices that were going off behind it.

Harry wasn’t sure, but he may have heard something like, “…or something, just please don’t take me out of this play – I just announced to everyone that the show is finally about to go on…” That was Louis – definitely – Harry was sure of it. 

“Mr. Tomlinson,” that sounded like Harry’s AP Physics teacher, Mr. Harris, “I know that you know that you have to pass this class in order to graduate – I’m just not sure if I can trust you to find a tutor in time.”

This answered Harry’s earlier question of how Louis juggles so many activities and still maintains an above C average – he doesn’t. 

“Hey is Louis in there?” Harry jumped as he heard someone from behind him ask. “I need to talk to him.” It was Angela Kim, the leader of the sound department.

“D-did you see h-his sound t-thing, too?” It was pretty easy for Harry to talk to Angela – a lot easier than it was with his other peers – but Angela always felt the need to giggle whenever he stammered or tumbled over his words.

“Yes, that’s why I’m here. I was just wondering why he turned the sound off, but it looks like you’re on top of it!” She turned and walked away without saying another word.

Harry’s lips pressed together in a straight line as he let out a shaky sigh. He looked down at the floor as Louis and Mr. Harris finished up their conversation about his less than passing grade. Harry couldn’t help but feel bad for Louis – he didn’t deserve something like this! Louis was one of the kindest people Harry knew, and he might not get to do what he loves just because he’s not that great at Physics?

Then it dawned on him.

At that moment, Harry became the dumbest smart person that he’d ever known of. Of course! Harry thought to himself, instantly filled with joy. I can tutor Louis!

A delicate smile began to creep its way onto Harry’s face as the dressing room door swung open and Louis locked eyes with Harry. At first, he seemed embarrassed – fearful that Harry had just overheard the awkward conversation with Louis’ teacher. But his embarrassment was replaced with gratitude when Harry tried to get the words “I’ll tutor you” out as he tried to apologize in 17 different ways for spying on their conversation. 

“No, I’m glad you heard us – it would’ve been really strange having to ask around for a tutor…” Louis said, looking around backstage, just in case someone was spying just like Harry had.

Harry’s eyebrows furrowed together, “Th-there’s nothing to be w-worried about, Lou-louis,” Harry smiled weakly, placing a timid hand on Louis’ small shoulder. “I-I just saw that your m-m-mic was off and I-I came to s-s-s-s-see the problem,” Harry’s cheeks turned red as he silently cursed himself. Taunts from earlier that morning flooded his memory and his palms started to sweat. He took his hand off of Louis’ shoulder, pretending to check his watch, and let out a shaky breath. 

“Is it close to 6 already?” Louis asked, stealing a glance at Harry’s watch. “I need to start heading home – wait, you’re in my direction aren’t you? Let me walk you home,” he said, grabbing his backpack from the floor and slinging it over his shoulder.

Harry thought about Louis’ comment for a moment before responding, “Y-you’d be going a b-b-bit out of your way, but y-yeah, I-I’m in your v-v-v-v-vicinity,” that was always a word Harry had trouble on, but that didn’t explain why he was stammering so much when he tried to talk to Louis. 

“Okay, let me walk with you to your vicinity, then,” Louis said, laughing before going to gather up the rest of his things. 

As Harry stumbled off to do the same, he couldn’t help but think he had finally found a friend.

~*~

i haven't updated this in a year i forgot srry but i'll be uploading other things too ok