Skirts and flirts (COMPLETED)

XXIII

Louis Tomlinson opened his room's door after a straight 36-hour studying session with the study group in the university library. He did not even have time to return to his dorm to have a descent shower or eat a better meal than two shitty sandwiches and five glasses of coffee. Not cups; glasses.

So, naturally, he would spend 15-minutes in the shower, cursing his life and then he would collapse on his bed for the rest of the day...and the whole weekend.

However, devil works hard, but Louis' fucking karma works harder because nobody other than Harry Styles was sitting on his room's floor, back against the wall, his legs spread, staring at a kid's book, that Louis had in case his little sisters visited and needed something to be occupied with. He couldn't see his face, as his curls covered his face, that was focused on the book.

''Harry, what are you doing here?'' he asked, dropping his bag on the floor.

''When I was younger, my mum used to tell me that I drew the pictures in kid's books. And when I tried drawing the same thing and it turned completely different and I would go to her crying and she would make my sister admit that it looked the same to calm me and I would believe her.'' Harry replied, his fingers lingering on the drawn picture on the kid's book. Louis could sense that something was wrong. His stomach turned at the thought of something happening to Harry. He sat next to him, their shoulders touching and it was as if Harry was hit by lightning and he moved quickly opposite of Louis, wrapping his arms over his knees, his eyes tearing up, as his chewed on his bottom lip, until he could feel the taste of blood.

Oh, no.

Louis got it.

''Harry...'' he whispered, trying to get closer to the boy, who looked at him terrified, pressing himself against Louis' wardrobe. Louis took a few steps back immediately, realizing his action and his sat on his bed, staring at the boy.

''H-how long have you been here?'' he asked, his stutter evident in his voice.

''All night.'' Harry whispered.

''A-all night? Whoa. Did you sleep? Have you eaten?'' Louis asked. Harry did not reply and Louis took out his cellphone, dialing a number. Harry looked at him scared about who he would call.

Please not Niall.

Not Niall.

Anyone but Niall.

''Hello. I'd like two pizzas with everything on, except corn. Thank you...dorm number 28.'' Louis said, hanging up and continued staring at Harry.

''How did you get in?'' he asked.

''I know how to pick locks. I'm sorry. I-'' Harry said, bursting into crying not managing to hold back his tears anymore. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Louis did not want to talk about the reason he was here. He wanted to postpone it. Not for Harry, but for himself. He couldn't listen to whatever reason Harry was crying. He was too exhausted and sleep deprived, that he would like live in the fantasy of nothing bad happening to the boy. He just couldn't deal with it.

It.

He knew what was happening. At least he knew that something bad happened to Harry in a sexual way. He didn't know by whom or how the boy got attacked but still, until the confirmation came, Louis was gonna pretend everything was fine. A pretender. That's what Louis was. A pretender.

Someone who ran away from the truth. Someone who ignored the problem and tried to create a soothing and happy place in his mind, 'cause he was a coward to face the truth in its cold eyes. Because even when Harry, the person he was in love with, was sitting there with that desparate look on his face, almost silently screaming for help. He was screaming for Louis to help him. Maybe at the moment of whatever happened to Harry, the boy was screaming silently for Louis to help him too.

And Louis then felt so fucking disgusting.

So sick of himself. So fucking disgusted by his own mind and personality.

He pushed Harry away because he was just a prick, a selfish bastard, who only thought about himself. Only putting himself above how much Harry could have been hurt. Not even could have been. How much Harry was hurt. He knew that Harry had been severely hurt by his actions, but that's what pricks like Louis do, right?

Still, the most disgusting part of it all is not that he was not there when Harry needed him or that he pushed the boy away, but the fact that even now, when Harry's life was falling into pieces, Louis wanted Harry to think about him. He wanted Harry wanting Louis and only Louis to help him, while Harry, for God's shake, was living a torture.

And then Zayn burst into the room, looking between Harry and Louis confused.

''Hello, Harry.'' was all he said, before looking at Louis, his eyes widening, gesturing towards Harry, as if he was asking what was he doing here. Instead, the blue-eyed boy looked at the man terrified. He crawled into the corner, making himself look even smaller and both boys looked at him, head cocked to the side.

''What do you want?'' Louis asked Zayn, turning his attention back to Harry.

''Nothing. I did not see you worrying that I did not come home last night.'' he spat.

''First of all, I was not here either. Second of all, fuck off.'' Louis snapped back and Zayn rolled his eyes, banging Louis' door after he exited.

''If I knew you weren't here, I would have left. I also forgot my phone, so I could not call you.'' And I locked myself in your bedroom, because I was scared of Zayn finding me. That was something Harry should have added to the explanation he gave Louis.

''Why did you act like that around Zayn?'' Louis sighed. He would tip-toe around the truth.

''L-like what?'' Harry stuttered.

''As if you were scared of him. Did he do something?'' Louis asked.

''No, no.'' Harry whispered.

''Do you want me to call Niall?''

''No! Please, don't!'' he almost yelled, jumping on Louis, who was holding his phone in his hand.

''Did Niall do something to you?'' Louis couldn't help but ask and the green-eyed boy shook his head violently, as if he was not believing the words that came out of the older's mouth.

''What? No!'' Harry exclaimed.

''Then why not call him? I'm sure he can help you and-''

''No! Niall can never know I came here. You cannot tell him!'' Harry said, getting on his feet, as he looked down at Louis, who got up too.

*

A/N SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP. To anyone who has been in a same position or similar to Harry's or has anything to talk about, even if u think ur problems are small, my Instagram is alltheloveva and its a safe space for anyone who wants to talk :). I love you and you are valid.