Notice Me (Larry Stylinson)

Chapter 10-Harry

(Oh HAI! When did you get here?  Okay, I think I'm done with the cliche audience greeting, since I can't see you.  But I want to thank all of you who voted some of my earlier chapters, it's been a big confidence boost, and a special thanks to whynot_meandyou for following me! Thanks oodles!  Alright, less talky, more story. CHARGE!)

Harry stared blankly at his locker, gathering books like a robot set on "autopilot", while Louis' confession played over and over in his head.

He has what I want.

He has what I want.

He has what I WANT.

Harry could barely comprehend that, because it didn't make sense. To Harry, there was no logic, because Louis Tomlinson, of all people, who could have whoever he wanted, wanted Harry, of all people.

Two fingers reached over and pushed his open mouth closed. "Careful there mate, you'll catch flies."

Harry blinked, the voice throwing him off. He recognized Kadyn's hand as the one pushing his mouth closed; from the familiar touch and the two fingered ring covered in white flowers decking out the middle and ring finger. But it wasn't her voice. He turned to see a boy with wavy brown hair and pretty hazel eyes smiling gently at him, Harry blinked. Aside from maybe passing the boy in the halls before, Harry was positive he had never seen him before. So why was he grinning at Harry like they were best pals?

He extended his hand to Harry. "Ashton Irwin. I'm friends with this one's boy toy," he rested his other hand on Kadyn's head until she batted it away, a pout forming on her face.

Harry shook his outstretched hand. "Harry Styles, friends with this one," he tapped Kadyn on the shoulder once to avoid her smacking his hand. The ring looked painful.

"He's not my boy toy, Ash, Michael is just a friend," Kadyn said, the corners of her lips turning down a bit at the word "friend", but she carried on without missing a beat. "Anyway, Ash, meet me at the coffeehouse in ten, and take him with you, I have a thing," she said vaguely, and before Harry could blink, she was gone.

"Well, now that the Firecracker is gone, let's scat, because she'll tan our hides and braid our hair if we're not already present when she gets there," Ashton said, walking out, with Harry following. He was quiet, letting Ashton chatter on about how he knew Kadyn-apparently Michael had introduced her to himself and his two other friends Calum and Luke-and that he had spoken to both Kadyn and Louis and knew about the whole situation.

"We all want to help, but God knows we're so unorganized we'd never get anywhere, we kind of rely on her bossing us around. And Michael relies on her overall, he's so enamored with her I think he'd just sit and stare if she wasn't around." Ashton gave a wry half grin as he and Harry walked into the coffee shop. Harry just nodded listlessly.

He had always thought that if by some heaven-sent miracle Louis had feelings for Harry he'd be jumping for joy, but Louis had flown the coop after the confession and Harry just felt sadder than ever. Plus, Niall, the uncontrolled variable, had entered the picture. If life was simple, Harry would choose Louis without question, but life wasn't simple.  He had already committed himself to Niall in a sense, and with all this new information Harry felt a need to dig a hole in the nearest patch of sand and bury his head in it until kingdom come.  

He pulled up a chair at the table where three other familiar boys sat.  There was a tall one with quiffed blonde hair and a lip ring, a darker-complexioned guy with dark hair partially hiding his eyes, and a baby-faced guy with a shock of pink hair.  The pink-haired boy was wearing an apron and a name tag that said "Michael", and every few minutes he'd make a round, fetching things for customers or getting them the bill.