Dalliance

Traitor

Harry and Louis – ages 18 and 19

Louis had moved out of his parent's house after a big fight. Harry was hiding in Louis' room and heard everything. Elle had come over to surprise Louis and his mum didn't like how rude he was being to her when he was desperately trying to send her away. It's not that he didn't want her to be there, he just didn't want her to be there right now, Harry was here, hiding in his room. More like scrambling around trying to find his clothes in case someone came in. It wasn't an ideal situation for anyone involved.

Louis had gotten into a screaming match with his father after Elle had left. He demanded to know why he would treat the girl he'd been seeing for two years that way and Louis didn't have an answer. Lottie did though. She outed her brother to their parents. She didn't mean to, it just happened. Louis hasn't spoken to her since. His parents haven't spoken to him either.

They kicked him out that day. Harry climbed out the window and ran home when Louis came in frantic and scared that they would find him. Louis moved into a flat that Elle's uncle owned the next week. Louis' parents didn't tell anyone that Louis likes boys, they didn't believe it, refused to. Elle and her family helped Louis with no questions asked. Funny how things work out, isn't it?

Harry doesn't get to see Louis as much as he used to. Elle is over at his flat almost every day. It's like she's claimed him and this space because her family owns it. She doesn't know that her claim on Louis is unfair. Does she? Is there no part of her that questions him? Harry has no idea, no way of knowing because Louis avoids questions about her like it'd be the end of the world if he answered.

That's how they got here. Screaming over each other in Louis' flat trying to get their own words in over the other. It's useless and it happens far too often over the past year.

Harry's still waiting for one day to happen.

"Why won't you just tell her?" Harry screams.

"Because I live in a flat that her family owns that I pay scraps for!" Louis yells back.

"We could get a place together, Louis. My mum wouldn't bat an eye when I tell her about us. We can get a place, just tell her and end it!" Harry tries to lower his voice, but his rage won't allow it.

"I can't!"

"Why?"

"I Just can't Harry!" Louis shouts and slams the open closet door closed. The irony of that is not lost on Harry.

"You can't ever?" Harry asks.

"I don't know, Harry," Louis all but whines. "I love you, isn't that enough?"

Harry is so tired of that question. It feels like he's been living the same conversation over and over again. He's stuck in some sick purgatory, and he wants out. He needs out. "No. Not anymore,"

This shocks Louis. "Excuse me?"

"It's not enough. It's either her or me, Louis," Harry crosses his arms and waits. His stomach twists with anticipation.

"Are you giving me an ultimatum?" Louis asks.

"No," Harry says and then his nerves get the best of him. "Yes. Maybe. I'm telling you to pick. It's either her or me. You can't have both,"

"Harry, I can't – you can't do that, I –"

"Do you love her?"

Louis pulls his eyebrows together and chooses his words carefully. "We're friends, Harry. She's my friend,"

"And that's all?" Harry asks bitterly. "On your side, that's all?"

Louis sets his jaw. "Yes,"

Harry shakes his head. "I've loved you for three years. I know you so well, Louis, and I've never known you to flat out lie to me like you do about her,"