Sweetheart Retreat

And Most Times, It's Not On Your Deadline, But That's Alright

They walked into the old, kind of smelly, gym and Louis looked at the table where they were handing out name tags.

"No time like the present," taking hold of Harry's hand he marched forward to meet Arianna. She didn't recognize them at first, that was clear by the way she looked them over in confusion and then her eyes bulged with realization.

"Louis! Louis Tomlinson, and Harry Styles! Wow! We sure didn't expect to see you two here together," she says it that way on purpose.

"Well, we are," Louis knows this isn't the best way to sell it but he's nervous all of a sudden and wants to move past this first step.

"Yeah, hi Arianna. How are you?" Harry takes his hand away from Louis' only to slip it around his shoulders. Louis can feel himself blush but, this is part of the prank. Yeah. It's part of the prank.

"Oh, I'm good!" Her high-pitched voice is something Louis lets wash over him as he observes their old high school gym. Nothing has changed, not really. It's worn, but it's still made of cheap lament flooring and the lingering smell of sweaty teenagers. What an interesting venue choice.

High school seems so long ago. It was everything. It was all-consuming and it ruined so many aspects of Louis' life. He almost didn't notice Harry tightening his arm around his shoulders, pulling him in closer.

"We'll talk to you a little later Ari, thanks. It was good catching up with you," Harry moves them along and lets out a heavy sigh.

"You okay, Haz?"

"I'm tired already."

"I know, we'll be alright though. You'll be alright."

"I know. Just hold on to me, okay?"

"Anything for you Hazza."

The next forty minutes was a blur of only faintly familiar faces, small talk that no one cared about, and the soft buzz of light alcohol. Harry was still gripping Louis' hand, his knuckles white every time he talks to someone new. Louis tries to lighten the mood, and sometimes he can feel Harry's hold on his hand loosen. But it never lasts long. And when Louis sees Stan, Oliver, and Eleanor walking their way he knows his hands are going to hurt all night long.

"Shit, Louis I can't."

"Yes, you can." Louis squeezes his hand back and looks Harry in the eye. "You can do anything. And anything you can't do, I'm here to help you with." Harry takes a shuddering breath and nods his head.

"Oh, my- Louis Tomlinson? How the hell are you?" Eleanor's voice is more shrill than Louis remembers it being.

"I'm alright, good to see ya El. How are you doing?"

"Wow, um, Harry Styles?" Harry only smiles, and Louis tries to ignore the way Stan is looking at their clasped hands.

"Oli, Stan, good to see you lads as well."

"Yeah, yeah, good to see you man," Stan takes his hand and slaps his back, forcing Louis to take his hand away from Harry's. It's numb as the blood comes rushing back to it.

"Didn't realize you two were together," Oliver says it so innocently that Louis can feel the hair on his neck standing up.

"Well, surprise, we are."

"That's unexpected, isn't it?" Louis doesn't know why Stan is being like this, but it's ridiculous.

"No, not really. I mean, we've always been friends."

"As I recall, you two weren't very close for most of high school," Louis looks away then, feeling guilty.

"Listen, the past is the past. Harry and I are together, is there a problem?" Louis didn't mean to make it out like he was trying to start a fight, but shit, they're so annoying.

"No, no problem." Oliver raises his hands defensively.

"Yeah, no problem, but you two do have a history of pulling pranks. I don't think you're actually together," Stan says it in a matter-of-fact tone and Louis wants to punch him. But Harry's got such s tight grip on his hand that all he can think about is how anxious Harry must be feeling.

"Listen, Stan, we've grown up. We don't pull pranks anymore. That's for kids. We're here, we're together," Louis lifts their hands to indicate their togetherness. "What more do you want? Honestly?"

"Prove it." This time is Eleanor. Shit. She was always a little manipulative. They all were.

"What?" Harry finally speaks. But only in surprise.

"I mean, I believe you. But Stan has his doubts. So what's the harm, prove it." One of the straps of her dress has slipped down her shoulder and Stan is staring at her. Ah. They're together. Louis never would have realized that. But, somehow it made sense.

"Yeah, okay," Louis doesn't know what drives him to it but he turns around, puts both of his hands on Harry's face, and kisses him.

It shouldn't matter. It doesn't matter. It's the smallest, simplest thing. But Louis doesn't want to stop, he doesn't want to let go. He does, smiles up at Harry who is smiling his big goofy grin at him. And suddenly nothing else matters. All these stupid kids from school, this prank, school, work, none of it matters except for the fond smile that Harry is giving him as he rubs his thumb along Louis' cheekbone.

"That good enough for all of you," Harry whispers it at their attackers, Oliver is smiling a little embarrassed, Stan is blushing and averting his eyes, but Eleanor is watching them with a mischievous, skeptical look still in her eyes.

"Well, if we had known that you two were together we would have invited you to the Highschool Sweethearts Retreat," Eleanor says this like they should know this thing exists.

"What?" Louis is still a little shaken from kissing his best friend for a prank, but he can see trouble in Eleanor's words.

"I mean, y'all are absolutely invited still. Why don't you give me an email and I'll send the information to you right now?" She's pulled out her phone and is tip-tapping away.

"Sorry, Eleanor, what retreat are you talking about?" Harry's voice, so soft, so slow, speaks out to her in such a kind way that Louis is baffled, once again, that his friend can be so quick to kindness.

"Oh! Of course, it's a week-long retreat that the alumni committee is holding for all of the high school sweethearts and you two absolutely qualify. You should come. All expenses paid. It's going to be fun. Off the coast, just couples doing fun couple things and hanging out with their high school besties!"

Nothing has ever sounded worse.

"What are the dates?"

"Oh it starts this weekend," Eleanor doesn't look up as she continues to tap away on her phone.

"We can make it," Louis turns in surprise.

"We can?" he whispers.

"Yeah, we can make it. We'll just reschedule some other things. This is an all-expenses-paid vacation, Lou. We can make it," Harry winks and mouths the word "prank" at Louis. Wow. That feels like a long way to go for a prank but also, a free vacation does sound nice.

"Yeah, uh, let me give you my email El", and just like that they're going on vacation with their high school friends. Harry hates them. Why are they doing this again?