The Love Letters (Larry Stylinson)

Chapter 22

It's been three weeks since that Saturday. I spent a lot of time with Louis, and we grew closer and closer. I think Zayn is a little bit jealous of him because I meet Louis more often than him. At the same time, he's happy because "his ship is sailing". Him, Niall and a friend of them called Liam are very obsessed with this Harry-and-Louis-thing. I don't even know if Louis has told them that he isn't straight. I suppose Niall knows, since they're best mates, but I'm not sure so I won't say anything.

Today is a Friday, I've already read and replied to W's letter, and we're sitting for lunch in the cafeteria. When I say "we" I mean obviously Zayn, Roman, Nick, but now also Louis, Niall, a red-haired boy whose name is Oli, hot Luke (which obviously isn't his real name but his nickname), Liam and Stan. Our friend group really grew bigger. But I don't mind. I like being social.

Louis and I are sitting next to each other, as always, and he's right now showing me a family photo, trying to teach me the names of his siblings. I don't even try, I know I won't remember it. I bite my sandwich. It tastes awful.

"Lou, do you want my sandwich?"

"No. Are you listening? See, this is Phoebe, like Phoebe from Friends, and this is Daisy, like Donald Duck's girlfriend, and they're twins."

"Are you sure you don't want it? I don't like it but I don't want to give it back because I already ate a little. Would you mind switching the meals?"

"Yes, I would, because my meal is pretty good. But if you want to, we can share my meal. Lottie's the oldest one, apart from me, obviously. I'm like the older brother who carries everything. Mum gave birth to me when she was eighteen-"

"Thank you so much, Lou. I need to puke, I swear, it tastes like shit. What have you got?"

"A Burger, can't you see it? My biological father left us when I was born, so my mum married-"

"Is there real meat in it? Because I don't really like veggie Burgers."

"I don't know, take a bit of it, then you'll find out. Lottie is seven years younger than me. That's  a huge difference, isn't it?"

"Alright, thank you, Lou." I taste his meal. It's actually quite good. I think it's real meat.

"Oh my god, Lou, this is so good!"

"I know." He looks down at his little feet. "You can take the whole meal if you want to. My appetite is gone."

Fuck. Is he mad at me, now? Because I ignored him?

I put my hand on his thigh. "Are you sure, Lou?"

"Put your fucking hand away or I'll slap it to California."

Well, he seems to be a little mad.

"Are you mad at me?"

"Me? Mad? Never. C'mon, just take the whole meal. Since I'm that short and tiny I don't need much anyway. Else I'm going to be fat."

Okay. He's definitely mad.

"You're not fat, Louis. You're pretty."

"Shut the fuck up. Don't say things you don't mean." He turns away from me and starts talking to Niall.

And they say girls are hysterical.

"There are problems in the Paradise", Zayn states. I roll my eyes. "Zayn, first of all, we. Are. NOT. Dating. Second of all, he's only mad at me because I ignored him. It's normal."

"I would never be mad at you. Ever.", someone suddenly says. The voice comes from behind me. I turn around, confused. Then my heart skips a beat. It's Lucas.

"Wh... what?", I ask.

"I don't know why I just said this. I'm dumb. The reason I came here is actually because I wanted to ask you something."

I notice how Louis stops talking to Niall. He glances at us.

"Will you go on a date with me?", Lucas asks.

What.

What?

WHAT?!

"You're asking me?"

"Yeah, who else would I ask?"

"..."

"Exactly."

"Oh my god. Fuck, yes. I will."

"Yeah?! Oh god- thank you so much, Harry." His smile is gigantic. "Wow... I'll text you the details, yeah?"

"Yes..."

"Well, congrats, I guess", Zayn says later, while we're walking down the hallway.

"Thank you!", I say, trying to stay cool. At the next moment, I squeak, then I hug him. "Fuck, I'm going to a date with a person I kind of like, and he's handsome and nice and... oh my god!"

Zayn laughs. "I'm so happy for you. No, actually, I'm sad for our ship, but your luck is more important than my job as Cupid."

I kiss his cheek. "I can't believe this..."

"But I do. Do you know why? Because you're beautiful and kind and- sometimes- funny. But really not often. Some of your jokes are shit."

"They are not."

"They are. But it's okay, just don't tell him your shitty jokes."

"I'm sure he would laugh at them."

"I'm sure he would not laugh at them."

"I'm sure he would, because I'm funny and he likes me."

"I love you I don't think I've ever genuinely laughed at them."

"But he likes me in a different way."

"He does." He smiles at me. "Do you think it'll work out?"

"It's way too early to ask me about this. I haven't even been on the first date! Maybe it'll end as a disaster."

"Maybe, but it's also possible that you hook up with him."

"No it isn't. First of all, I still can't move too much because of my pelvis, second of all, I'm grossed out of sex right now. It's funny how I thought, a month ago, that I couldn't stand dating an asexual person. Just how fast the night changes, I guess."

"But do you think you're asexual, too, now?"

"Hell, no. I am not very experienced, but the things I've done felt amazing. Well, not the things the man who raped me did to me, but the other things."

Suddenly, my lock screen pops up. A new message.

Lucas

Hey Harry, what do you think about tomorrow at Pietro's at 7 p.m.? If you text me your address, I'll pick you up. :)

"What?", Zayn asks. I show him my phone. "Well, what are you thinking about it?"

"You want to know what I'm thinking about it?"

He nods. "Yeah."

"I thinking: 'Yes.'"