Love, Harry [l.s]

eight

Louis' POV:

"Mum, Dad, I'm home!" I kick off my shoes after a quick walk home from hanging out with Harry (and Margo, practically against my will) at the Huxley's house.

"Louis, honey, we're in the kitchen," My mum calls from across the house.

The first thing I notice is my mum and dad sitting down at the table, looking overly stressed and tense. The second thing is a plate of blueberry muffins placed in the middle of the table. It's my parent's signature and pretty much unspoken 'I'm sorry in advance for what's to come' message when they're bearing bad news.

They had these muffins out for me when they first brought up their financial troubles involving insurance. My mum baked them again when they broke the news that my grandpa died, and when my dad lost his job before he found a new one just last year.

And here they are again, right in front of me. I want nothing more than to avoid whatever conversation is to come but I force myself to sit down.

"What's going on?" I ask hesitantly, picking up a muffin and taking a bite. 

It tastes like pessimistic expectations.

"Louis," My dad clears his throat awkwardly and my mum's eyes dart around the room, looking everywhere but in my direction. I've never seen her so concentrated on our outdated floral wallpaper before this moment.

"I don't know how to say this, but..." My dad's words fail him and my mum steps in to help.

"We were looking over old paperwork and files today, and we discovered that we have almost two more months of insurance money and debt to pay off. And it'd be many more months if Oliver's company added on all the debt fees we're supposed to be paying. So we need you to hold on a little longer with Margo, please. Only a few months."

I choke on the muffin and stare at them with utter shock over the fact that they're asking me to do this again. They've asked me to 'hold on a little longer' so many times, and I always do because I want to help. But now it's different. Now I actually have feelings for someone else that makes me that much more eager to cut ties with Margo, and faking this relationship for an extended period of time feels like a slap in the face.

Of course, I want to help my parents in every way I can, but I've been doing that daily for more than two years straight now, and I was so close to ending things with her that I can't hold on any longer.

"No."

My parents look startled and gawk at me as if I sprouted three more heads. "No? What do you mean no?"

"I mean I'm not dating Margo for a few more months. You promised I could break up with her in one week from today no matter what, and now you're trying to change that?"

"Honey, I know it's hard but we need you to try," My mum says with a stern look on her face that makes me even more upset.

"No, I'm not doing it," I'm not sure why I feel like I'm going to cry, but my voice is getting increasingly higher-pitched and uneven as I speak. 

"Do you have any idea how much pressure you're putting on me to support this family? For this family's insurance and finances to be riding on my back, and on a relationship with a girl I've grown to literally despise?"

"Son, it's can't be that bad. It's just a high school relationship. You can fake it, but it helps us from a financial aspect tremendously," My dad explains.

"Have you forgotten I'm fucking gay, Dad?" I get up from my seat abruptly, throwing down my muffin. I never curse in front of my parents, but I'm so worked up that all of my pent-up anxieties and thoughts are coming to the surface and I feel like a volcano on the verge of abrupting.