Hands On Learning

24. deny, then satisfy

H&L

They sat there on the floor, cross legged and facing each other as Mr. Styles spoke thoughtfully. "Remember when you asked why I moved here and I said I had a relative nearby?" Louis nodded.

"Yes?" He recalled that conversation, the first time he had stayed over.

"Well, my cousin is Marcel Styles, and he's the Dean of students, and involved with admissions at Boston College." Louis nodded wide eyed, he didn't see this coming. "Anyways, he has a lot of power and influence. If you'd like I can contact him, ask if he'll arrange for you to be considered." Louis tried so hard not to laugh at the ridiculously unrealistic plan, because it would be incredibly inappropriate.

He failed and giggles erupted, the boy slapping a hand over his mouth to contain his rudeness. Mr. Styles was lost. "And what's funny about that Louis?" Louis uncovered his mouth, biting the inside of his lip hard to stop laughing.

"You seriously think that Boston College is going to accept my application, like several months late? Last time I checked, they're ranked almost top ten in the country for men's soccer! Who even knows for academics! According to this," he picked up a complementary timeline given, detailing deadlines and suggested actions, waving it somewhat dramatically, "I should have already applied in the winter if I was early, received notice if I'm in or not a few weeks ago, and be deciding which place I'll go! That's all everyone else is doing right now!" He took a breath because he was getting worked up and loud. Mr. Styles looked pretty calm, deciding to let him mostly get away with that; Louis needed to vent.

"First of all, that was rather sassy." Mr. Styles paused expectantly and Louis apologized right away, his 'sorry' accepted with a nod. "But I understand this is stressful, and you can talk to me about it."

"I'm sure I'm not good enough to get in, even if I had been on time." Mr. Styles frowned deeply at that.

"You should have more confidence in yourself Louis. I know my compliments to you are usually sexual in nature, but you have a lot going for you. You get excellent marks, you're a talented soccer player... and you're rather charming," he ended with a flirty tone and Louis blushed at all the praise. His daddy always knew just what to say to reassure him.

"Why not try?" Mr. Styles insisted. "You'll never know what you're capable of if you don't attempt it." Louis nearly pouted, the man leaning forward to run his fingers through the boy's soft fringe to the side, lightly scratching his nails across his scalp as he did so. Louis shivered slightly with the nice feeling.

"You're right daddy. But wait... that's almost two hours from where we are here in Durham." He knew that from a few school trips, and because Halsey lived in Boston, so of course he'd looked the city up before. Louis lived in the southern section of New Hampshire, the same area as where Zayn attended school. Massachusetts was directly below, Boston being located halfway down the state and all the way to the right, on the shore of Massachusetts Bay. And the state certainly wasn't small. "Why does he live so far away?"

Mr. Styles shrugged casually. "He's rather peculiar. Actually enjoys a horrific commute, something about 'being in the thick of it' and he doesn't have to be there all the time. I prefer convenience but to each their own." Louis hummed quietly in thought, not really knowing what to make of this. It would be an amazing experience. The question was, what did it mean for the two of them, if he were to leave?

He still had no idea what Mr. Styles was doing after this semester. He knew it wasn't healthy to rely on someone so much, but here he was, doing it anyways.

"Here's what we're going to do." The man kept control, seeing Louis' look of uncertainty. "You finish two common applications, one of them for the local university that you mentioned awhile ago right, as backup?" Louis nodded, it was a second choice, though it was decent. He was surprised Mr. Styles bothered to remember. "Write your essay, ask for help if you need it... I'll go over it with you tonight, give it an edit?"