Back To December

2.

"He's weird Tomlinson!" I hear the boy yell and he pushes Lou.

The 12 year old boy pushes him back. "He. Is. NOT!" He yells.

"Lou." I whisper looking at him.

"Haz." He walks over to me after picking his backpack up.

We were in two different schools now. I was in 5th grade and he was in 7th grade. We have been inseparable since we met. To me though he'll always be that hyper 7yr old that helped me learn to tie my shoes. He waits for me at the bleachers on the football pitch behind the middle school. It's a few minute walk but I make it everyday so we can walk home together.

"He was talking about me." I sigh pulling my backpack higher on my back. "I'm weird."

I look at my skinny jeans and tight t-shirt with my blue slip on shoes. My backpack had swirly designs drawn on it, Lou helped me with picking the bright colors. I didn't really like sports like the other boys did. I played football with Lou and Li but I wasn't good so I didn't play with anyone else. I didn't have a lot of friends, just Niall that moved in down the street last year. His mum was a teacher at the school so he didn't walk home with us.

Lou was popular. He played football and he was very good. He also played basketball. He wore baggy pants with over sized hoodies and converse. He had a ton of friends but he told me I was his bestest friend and most favorite. He also told me a few days ago a girl in his grade had a crush on him...it made him blush. He said he didn't have a crush on her though.

"You're not weird Haz." He turns around and walks backwards. "You're special. My most favorite." He touches my nose and turns to walk next to me again.

He makes my stomach feel funny. I smile and blush at his words. "You're my most favorite too."

"You're birthday is in two days. The big 11!"

"I know. Then just 1 number between us until December. Then you're a teenager."

He shrugs. "I'm more excited for you. Are you coming over today?"

"Yeah. Mum won't be home until dinner."

He smiles. "You can help me make my email account. I'll show you how to set it up then we can set one up for you."

"I don't have a computer."

He smiles big. "Not yet." He sings. I roll my eyes. He cannot keep a secret. At least now I know what my birthday present is.

We drop our backpacks on his couch and take our shoes off at the door before heading to his computer. It's in the family room because it's actually for his mum and dad to use too. They told Louis he could have an email so he could chat with his friends. He sits in the comfortable chair and I grab one from the kitchen. He connects to the internet and opens the AOL. We think about what it should be and finally just use his nickname with his birthday.

Tommo2491.

He pulled out a piece of paper with a lot of names on it. Stan. Liam. Ollie. Valerie. Danielle. Madison.

Maddie1991: Looooouis!!
Tommo2491: Hey Madison.

"She likes you." I say as I finish my last cookie.

He shrugs. "So."

Maddie1991: Maybe we can hang out after school Friday. We can go to the mall.
Tommo2491: I can't. I'm busy.

"Doing what?" I ask. He doesn't do anything but watch movies at my house on Fridays.

"It's movie night." He says like it's obvious.

He chats with Stan and Liam for a bit. Madison tries to get him to come out with her but he keeps saying no. She asks him if it's because she kissed him. His reply is a no. She asks him if he liked it. He didn't answer.

She kissed him. I stand up and walk quickly grabbing my backpack and shoes.

"Haz?"

She kissed him. Girlfriends do that. Is she his girlfriend?

"Haz!" He grabs my hand. "What happened? It's not 5 yet." He looks sad.

"I have to go. I forgot she's coming home early today."

He let his hand drop and I walked across his yard and unlocked my front door. I've never lied to him before. I don't like it. I walk to the back of the house to my room and fall face forward onto my bed. Did he kiss her back? Does he like her too? Will she be his most favorite now? I fall asleep I guess because mum is shaking me asking if I'm okay. Apparently Louis has been calling all afternoon. I tell her my stomach hurts and my throat too.

The next morning she wakes me up before she leaves for work but I tell her I don't feel good still so she calls the school and tells them I'm sick. After she leaves I hear tapping on my window. It's Louis but he's supposed to be at school already.

"Lou. Why aren't you at school?" I ask after cracking my window.

"Haz. Are you okay?" He has that same look he had the day he couldn't find me on the bus my first day of kindergarten.

"Just sick. You're late. Go. Go."

"Only if you're okay." I nod laying back down. "See you later Haz."

"Later Lou."

I close the window after I hear him run across the yard. I close my eyes and hold my pillow to my stomach and chest as I fall back asleep. I'm woken up by tapping so I open the window again. The sun is in a different spot so I assume school is already over.

"Haz. Shove over. Let me in." He's taken the screen off and set it up against the wall.

I scoot over and he throw his shoes off before putting his socked feet on my bed. "Hey Lou."

He lays down. "Feeling better?" He turns on his left side to look at me.

I turn onto my right side. I shake my head. "Not really. Just...funny."

"I missed the ball today." He says. "In gym. We played footie and I missed the ball. I was worried about you."

"I made you miss the ball?" I whisper.

He nods and places his hand on my forehead. "No fever." He smiles. "Tomorrow is the day."

"11."

"11." He repeats.

He lays with me telling me more about his day until he notices the time on my clock. He has to go home and do his homework and dishes before his parents get home. He hops out of my window and puts the screen back.

My mum comes to check on me and brings me tea and a grilled cheese sandwich for dinner. Louis calls before we go to sleep just to say goodnight. I hand my mum the phone back and she's smiling. She always smiles when she sees me and Louis together.

I'm woken up with tapping on my window. I groan and look at my clock.

11:58pm

I open the window quietly and Louis smiles at me. "Hey." He whispers.

"It's the middle of the night Lou."

He nods. He looks around me and I follow his eyes to the clock.

11:59pm

"I know." He smiles.

"Are you okay?" I look at him from head to toe. He's wearing a white t-shirt with camouflage pajama pants with no shoes or socks.

He nods. "Close your eyes."

Weird. But okay. I close my eyes.

12:00pm

"Happy birthday Haz!" He whispers.

Is that...did he...he kissed me!!

I open them quickly and he's smiling at me as he walks backwards. "See you tomorrow. My most favorite."

Louis kissed me.

I touch my lips and smile as I see him do the same. I close the window and lay back down on my bed.

I smile.

I'm still his most favorite.