Don't know yet

Chapter 35

"Remind me again why this is a good idea?" Harry asks Niall while looking in the mirror.

It's been a week since he moved out of his father's house and in with Niall in a small apartment. They've spent the whole week redecorating and trying to figure out where to put their stuff; well Harry figuring out where everything goes and Niall flirting with Laura who spends most of her time with Niall. Now, Harry's just standing in front of the mirror with his new work uniform and second guessing his decision to work at the club house. It seemed like a great idea when Liam offered him the job but, honestly now it feels like the worst idea he's ever had.

Between having to see his father and his so-called "friends" and having to work with Louis he doesn't know if he can take it. Alright, the Louis thing isn't that bad, especially since this is probably the only way to see him outside of school but he's still mad at Harry so it's not like he'd want to talk to him.

"You don't have your father's money anymore so you need the income. You don't have to do much, it pays well and you can carpool with Liam so you don't even have to pay for transport. It's all benefits kiddo." Niall pets his head before going into the kitchen to get some snacks.

Soon after Harry gets a text from Liam saying he's waiting for him downstairs so he takes one last deep breath before grabbing his things and walking out the door.

**

Louis is folding some towels when he here's his boss giving someone a tour of the place. He remembers briefly Liam mentioning there'd be new people coming in to work since people go to the club more often in the summer but he can't be bothered to go meet them and act nice around them, he has enough as is.

"You can start helping Louis out with the towels." The boss says and that's when Louis lifts his head to see who is the person he's talking to and finds a guilty looking Harry looking at him with an apologetic look on his face.

"Liam got me the job. I promise I'm not stalking you." Harry says as soon as the boss has left the room.

"What? Tired of your rich friends already?"

"They're not my friends." Harry says bitterly.

"You seemed pretty close when you were beating me up."

"You know I had to do that, I had to help my mum."

"Whatever. Let's just do our jobs." Harry sighs, defeated and grabs a towel.

A few hours into his shift, Lois starts to clean the changing rooms whilst counting down the minutes until he can go home. It's a bitter feeling, the one he gets when he sees the clock strike 8 o'clock and he can finally go home. It's a relief not having to be in this club any longer but he also knows that Harry's friends (or not friends, whatever) have learnt when he's supposed to get out of work so they always wait for him outside.

He finishes moping and gets his things from his locker before walking out and looking around to find them. Sure enough, as soon as he steps outside there's two figures blocking his way. It's too dark to make out any features but Louis knows exactly who they are. They take a step closer and Louis just sighs.

"Can we skip this part please. I'm really not in the mood right now."

They don't respond, instead one of them punches him in the stomach. The other lifts his hand to take a hit as well but all three of them are met with the headlights of a car pointing straight at them. The two boys run away without giving a second look at Louis who is left on the ground rubbing his stomach. Someone jumps out of the car and runs towards Louis but he can't tell who it is until they're right in front of him and he's met with a messy head full of curls.

"Are you ok, Louis?" Harry asks concerned and Louis just grunts. Harry tries to help him up but Louis flinches away and gets up on his own, albeit with difficulty. "At least let me take you home." There's a pause where neither of them move, Harry looking into Louis' eyes with a pleading look. "Please."

And Louis just nods before getting in the car with a confused frown on his face. "This is Liam's car."

"I rode with him here but he has to stay longer so he told me to take the car." Louis nods and after that there's silence. An awkward silence.

Louis can tell that Harry has something on his mind, bothering him but he doesn't want to ask, doesn't want to care. So he just sits there and looks out the window, watching the scenery go by until Harry' little cough breaks the silence.

"Can I ask you something?" Louis just shrugs so Harry continues. "Why don't you defend yourself? I mean, you can take them; you did take them that night after the party."

Louis briefly thinks of that night, of how he saw two guys beating up someone, of how worried he was when he found out it was Harry, of how pliant Harry was when he was taking care of him, of how the thought of kissing him crossed his mind... Louis shakes his head of thought before he answers. "That night was different, it was just two guys on the street. Now, it's two clients at the place I work. I throw one wrong glance their way and I could get fired. And I really need this job." Louis goes quiet for a second waiting for an answer. It never comes. "Are you really leaving with Niall?" He says after a few moments of more uncomfortable silence.

"Yeah, it's why I'm working. Have to help pay the bills and all that." Harry chuckles humorlessly in an attempt to break the tension. Louis just nods in response so Harry keeps talking, bubbling almost. Anything to not go back to the awkward silence they seem to keep falling back into. "Laura actually suggested we move in together. She helped me get out of my father's. Talked to Ni and Liam so they would help. She 's great. I can see why you guys are so close. She loves you a lot. Honestly, if it wasn't for Niall I would think she's in love with you." He chuckles again but Louis just keeps staring ahead at the road. " She and Niall are really cute... most of the time. I mean they're cute all the time but they can get a little much when they rub how happy they are all over your face. Not intentionally of course, that'd be mean. Not that they're mean, because they don't do it on purpose, but if they did they would be mean,which they aren't." Harry keeps rumbling until they get to Louis' street and the longer Louis stays silent the less sense Harry makes but he can't help it, he just doesn't like the awkward silence that seems to follow them. Although, if he's honest this awkward rumbling isn't much better.

When the car comes to a stop Louis unbuckles his seatbelt with a small "Thanks for the ride" and goes to open the door when Harry takes his wrist to stop him. Goosebumps runs across his skin at the touch but he ignores it, deciding on giving Harry a questioning look instead. "Are sure you're ok?" Harry asks, his eyes searching and concerned. Louis doesn't think he's ever seen the boy look more sincere so he offers him a small smile and a nod before jumping out. Harry waits until he's inside the house to release a breath he didn't realize he was holding and slumps against the seat, a small smile spreading on his face. At least he can stand being around me, Harry thinks as he pulls out of the street and starts to head home.