Misadventure

3

Harry's POV

The months grew colder, and soon it was December. My first piano recital was quickly approaching, and I felt impossibly nervous. It wasn't the thought of performing that worried me. It was the task of trying to get Mum to attend.

It would mean the world to me to have her in the audience, but she was harder and harder to pin down these days.

She was rarely home as it was, and I'd started spending almost every weekend at Louis' house. I couldn't sleep there on school nights. His parents wouldn't allow it.

My friendship with Louis was a curious thing. Sometimes he looked at me and all I could think about was what it would be like to kiss him.

Other times I was just grateful to have him as a friend, warm and consistent. He was becoming my safe person at an alarming rate. Getting close to people was a dangerous thing, and the more attached I grew to Louis, the more power I was handing him to hurt me.

The people closest to me always drifted away. That was just a cold, hard truth. But Louis, he was worth it. He was worth everything to me.

It was Saturday evening. We were currently hanging out in his room. He was going to give me a piano lesson this evening, but I was having a hard time focusing. My mind was somewhere far away.

I missed what life was like in Manchester. It was stupid and pointless to dwell on. That was almost a decade ago. I couldn't blame my dad for leaving the family when Mum's substance abuse started. In a way, it was like she was the one who left him. Not physically, but mentally.

I always wondered why he never fought for custody. If the situation with Mum was bad enough that he didn't want to be around it, why was he okay with leaving us there?

I felt guilty for even having these thoughts. Given the choice to live with either of them, I would still choose Mum. Despite her illness, I knew she loved me. She wanted me. She'd been distant lately, but I knew she was trying her best.

"Harry?" Louis' soft voice pulled me from my thoughts. "We don't have to practice piano right now if you're not feeling up to it. No pressure, okay? We could watch a movie. Go for a walk. Take a nap." Louis' eyes were full of concerned.

He was so sweet and caring. I smiled shyly. "A movie sounds nice."

He poked my cheek. "There they are. I missed your cute lil dimples."

I hid my face in my arm, embarrassed.

We curled up on the bed, but Louis kept a distance between us. I didn't like it. I wanted to rest my head on him like he was my human pillow and nuzzle my face in the crook of his neck. But every time I made a move to get closer to him, he scooted further away.

His twin sisters' room was across the hall, and they were playing rather loudly. I stood up to close the door so we could hear the movie better.

"What are you doing?" Louis asked me.

"Closing the door."

"Don't." He sounded almost panicked. "Leave it open."

He was acting weird tonight. Normally he cuddled me in bed, but tonight he slept on the floor. I laid awake staring at the ceiling, wondering what I had done wrong.

****

I'd never been to church before. It was all very confusing, and it smelled like old lady's perfume.

Everyone had a Bible except for me. I felt my palms begin to sweat and immediately wiped them on my too big, borrowed dress pants from Louis' closet.

I couldn't understand most of what the pastor was talking about, but I sat there and pretended to listen. I stood when the others stood. I sat when the others sat. I closed my eyes and bowed my head while everyone around me prayed.

About fifteen minutes into the service I felt Louis stand up and tug on my sleeve, signaling me to join him. Oh no. What was he doing?

His mother pursed her lips. I gulped. The rest of the congregation was distracted by passing around a bowl of money, and Louis led me out of the room and down to the basement.

"What are we doing? Are we going to get in trouble?" I fretted.

"Relax. I do this all the time."

There was a piano in the corner. Louis sat down and started playing. His fingers moved swiftly, flawlessly pounding out an intricate melody I did not recognize. I stood behind him, jaw slacked.

He stopped in the middle of the song. "What do you think? I haven't memorized the ending yet."

"Unreal! How is that even possible to play like that?" The song was so complex, so fast.

"I could teach you."

"Yeah right."

He patted the bench beside him. "It's easier than you think. Once you know where to place your hands, it's all muscle memory."

I sat down. I doubted he could teach me, but I was just happy to be close to him again. Whatever was bothering him last night didn't seem to be bothering him anymore.

He put his hands on top of mine, separating my fingers and placing them on the right keys to start the song. I got goosebumps. He got up and stood right behind me, leaning over my shoulder.

Very slowly, he guided me through the beginning of the song, his hands never leaving mine. He was standing so close that I could feel him breathing, warm against the back of my neck.

We stopped playing. Neither of us moved.

Until he kissed me.

At first I froze. I'd never kissed anyone before. But then he started to pull away, and I panicked that he would think I didn't want to kiss him. So I pushed my lips against his, moving them a bit clumsily.

We sat down on the cement floor. His lips stayed pressed to mine, soft and warm. I leaned back as he leaned in closer, until I was lying down and he was lying over me. He paused, breaking away from the kiss. "Is this okay?" he asked.

"Mhm." I felt myself begin blush, but I didn't have time to fully feel embarrassed because he was kissing me again, and it was like everything else in the world just melted away.

How fitting that we were making out in church, because I felt positively worshiped as Louis worked his lips against mine.

We kissed and we kissed until there was no space between our bodies. I felt his tongue slip into my mouth, and I sighed into his without even meaning to. Kissing Louis was like breathing. It felt like instinct.

Church bells loudly rang out. There was a commotion of footsteps echoing overhead, moving all at once like a herd of elephants. Louis pulled away from my lips. Sunday Service was over.

He stood up first, then leaned down and took my hand in his to help me up. What a gentleman!

"That was..." I trailed off, catching my breath and trying to remember how to form coherent sentences.

Louis smiled, his eyes shining. "Yeah. It was."

****

The car ride was quiet. Louis' mum drove to drop me off back at my family's apartment. I don't think she liked me much. She frowned at us every so often in the rearview mirror, and it made my stomach churn.

My own mum was home for once. She was in bed. Spaced out, but awake. I was elated. I finally got the chance to invite her to the recital!

"I'll be there," she said.

I smiled like an idiot. "Really! Promise?"

"Promise." I started to walk out of her room. "Hey, Harry."

I paused, turning back around to face her. "Yeah?"

"I'm so proud of you," she told me.