I Want What You Have - l.s

Chapter 11 - Harry

Harry sinks down onto Zayn's colourful, paint-splattered duvet, "I haven't felt this full in ages." He says to no one in particular.

"Same here." Liam says, flopping down next to him.

Louis simply groans his agreement and falls into Zayn's spinning desk chair. Zayn laughs at them from where he stands at the foot of the bed.

"Please, that was nothing." Niall says as he walks over to inspect the latest creation on Zayn's paint wall.

Zayn's parents let him have full creative access on one of the walls in his room so it's always covered in some different kind of masterpiece that's constantly changing from week to week. The rest of his walls are black which you would think would make the room dark, but one wall is mostly covered with a huge window that overlooks a meadow so it kind of balances it out. Zayn has most of his furniture on the black-painted side of the room anyway so he can have full access to the rainbow-splattered paint wall that stands on the opposite side.

Harry allows his eyelids to flutter closed as he listens to the rest of the boys, a smile playing on his lips. Right now all he feels is content. For a moment his mind is free of the drama, the confusing feelings toward Louis, the black eye, just him with his best friends and a full stomach. Zayn's parents love to cook so whenever the boys all go over to his house, his Mum and Dad get all excited and end up making way too much food for even five teenage boys to consume (not that Niall doesn't try). Zayn's house just feels so comfortable and homey, Harry's spent so much time here over the years that it feels natural. The boys have sort of become part of the family.

"What should we do?" Niall asks.

"We could watch a film?" Zayn prompts.

"I say we go and play Fifa!" Liam declares into the duvet, from where he still lays face-down on the bed besides Harry.

"Ooh! I second that but lets do it inna minute because right now I feel way too stuffed to even get up."

Harry feels grateful Louis suggested that because he's pretty sure he'll throw up if he even attempts to get up right now.

Zayn chuckles, "Alright, how about we go down in like twenty minutes?"

"Sure." Niall chimes in, "Hey, did I tell you guys about what happened at golf practice today?"

Harry's still got his eyes closed but he assumes the rest of the boys shake their heads no because Niall continues on with the story. Harry lets his mind drift off as Niall's bubbling voice fills the room. His stories usually veer off-course immediately anyway he'll probably end up summing up the point with the last two sentences.

Harry's eye is still swollen black and blue, he can feel it throbbing a little as he lies still. He didn't think it would still hurt after over 24 hours, but it seems like the universe wants him to bask in the embarrassment of the whole situation for a little bit longer.

Harry stands in front of his mirror, inspecting his outfit once again, before preparing himself to come out to another loved one. Today he's got on blue jeans with a white graphic tee and a flannel over that, plus his favourite white Converse. It seems surreal that he only told his friends a few weeks back. Now, this is probably the last person close to him that he has to to disclose his true sexuality to. After this I'll finally be free, Harry thinks to himself.

The words 'I'll be in Manchester for the weekend and was hoping I could take you out to breakfast tomorrow' echo around in Harry's brain. His Dad, his actual biological freaking Dad that he hasn't seen in eight months, called him out of the blue Wednesday night expecting Harry to drop everything to come and see him. Not that that's unusual per se.