coffee stains ; larry stylinson

chapter eleven

"louis? louis!"

louis swiveled to see who was calling him. he saw zayn jogging up to catch up to him.

"hey, zack."

"we're so sorry for leaving you the other night. i swear i didn't notice and liam and i freaked out so bad when we couldn't find you and we thought something terrible happened to you and-" zayn stopped and took a deep breath. "i'm sorry."

louis cringed as he thought of the stink of alcohol and vomit. the taste of blood on his lips and a scream caught in his throat.

"no it's okay," louis assured him. zayn bit his lip. he didn't look convinced.

"seriously, it's okay. no damage was done. i was...taken care of."

zayn's eyes widened. they were very pretty, louis noticed. hazel framed with long, dark lashes. "by who?" he asked.

louis felt his cheeks heat up as he started walking again, zayn beside him. "don't worry about it."

the corner of zayn's mouth twitched into a smirk. "okay. i see how it is."

"it's not like that!" louis exclaimed but zayn shook his head knowingly.

"it was harry," said louis quietly.

"who?" asked zayn, his brow furrowing.

they rounded a corridor and made their way to the hallway where stood harry, taking books out of his locker.

speak of the devil.

"him," louis told zayn, jerking his chin towards harry just as harry turned to look at him. their gaze met --- harry's stare cold and betraying nothing. it was like the world had faded before louis' eyes and in this moment, it was just harry. harry and his blank face. those brown curls and emerald green irises. his stomach fluttered.

zayn noticed this exchange.

"you know what?" he said brightly. "i've got a class i need to be in. like right now. super important. can't miss. later, louis." and he scampered away to his alleged class.

louis slowly made his way towards harry, never breaking eye contact.

"hey, styles."

harry said nothing.

"you wanna grab coffee later on today?" louis asked casually, his tone light as he turned to his locker.

when harry spoke again, his voice was like ice. "just because i dropped you home after being harassed and made you coffee does not mean we're friends."

louis clenched his jaw as harry walked away. was louis really aiming to become friends with him? was it really disappointment that he felt right now?

no.

but he knew the sinking feeling in his stomach stated otherwise.

. . .

louis was sat alone in the corner of the coffee shop.