Yours Truly

IV

The worst feeling in the world? Regret. Which is the exact feeling Harry is feeling now. Even if Niall was repeatedly telling him that he was being stupid and overreacting, Harry refused to listen. He had committed the biggest error of his life. Now Harry had to sit there and drown in this massive ocean of regret.

"You are literally hopeless," Niall said while rolling his eyes. "And insane. Just ask Louis for his number at Wednesday's practice. Or, oh, I don't know, lunch tomorrow!"

Harry and Louis had easily bonded over musicals after their fourth lunch with Liam and Niall at Jo's Diner. They even began talking outside of the field more often. It was safe to say they were friends now. But they still only hung out when Niall and Liam were around. Besides that one time, Liam forgot his phone and Niall drove him to go get it, there had yet to be another "Only Harry and Louis" moment.

Then finally it happened early today. Niall and Liam were busy talking about how excited they were to go back home the upcoming weekend. Louis then suggested him and Harry could go out and see a film together while their two friends were away. Harry had happily and eagerly agreed. Louis had responded with a: "Great! I'll text you when and where." The small lad had then run off in a hurry to his next class having not realized that he couldn't text Harry anything because he didn't have his number.

"Seriously, Harry. If this is bothering you that much and you feel like you're dying, I can just ask Liam to send me Lou's number."

Harry rejected the offer.

"No, no, you're right. We're seeing him tomorrow. It's fine."

Tomorrow came a lot slower than Harry wanted but soon he was leaving his and Niall's dorm to meet up with Liam and Louis at Jo's.

When they got to Jo's, they were pleased to see that Liam and Louis had already arrived and were waiting at their usual table. The guys all greeted each other casually and were quick to order.

"Do you always get the same thing, Liam? Honestly, don't know how you don't get tired of it," Niall said, once the waitress had left.

"And I, honestly don't know how you don't get tired of eating at all," Liam retorted.

Louis laughed loudly and it didn't falter even when Niall scoffed and threw a balled up napkin in his direction.

"Keep laughing Grease fanatic," Niall teased, finally making Louis fall silent.

The Doncaster lad's jaw dropped in shock before turning to Harry in disbelief.

"I told you that with confidence!" Louis exclaimed.

Before Harry could explain himself, Liam cut in.

"The saying is actually in confidence, Grease fanatic," Liam smirked, playing along on Niall's side. "Nice try though."

"Oh shut up, Wordsworth."

"Wordsworth?" Niall and Harry questioned while laughing.

"We all have our little secrets. Liam's is his obsession with William Wordsworth," Louis explained, with a devious smile.

Liam frowned but then chose to brush it off. He wasn't going to let Louis get to him.

"Yeah, yeah," he admitted. "I'm not the one who's taking a poetry course though."

"Listen, I needed a literature course and poetry is the best there is!" Louis defended himself.

"So many secrets," Niall noted. "Harry's got a bit of an obsession with Susan Boyles, don'tcha mate?"

Harry turned a deep shade of red but shook his head furiously in denial. Liam and Niall began laughing but Louis only chuckled lightly before reaching over and patting Harry's hand that rested on the table.

"It's alright Hazza. We've all got our secrets."

And as if Harry's breath hadn't already faltered with the physical contact, Louis had winked at him bringing his breath to a complete halt.

How could someone make such a simple act look like a work of art? But by God, if Louis was a work of art, he was more than a simple art piece. Louis was a masterpiece. Each part thought out carefully, made with gentle strokes and vibrant colors. If Harry could, he'd frame him. He considered putting him in his wallet so he could take him every - wait, did Louis just call him Hazza?

"Hazza?" Harry asked, voicing his thoughts out loud.

"Yeah," Louis smiled warmly. "It's my nickname for you."

"What am I suppose to call you then?"

Harry hadn't intended it but with the smile he gave off, his tone, and the way he leaned towards Louis slightly - he was being flirty.

"You'll come up with something."

Oh my God! Louis was flirting back and Harry was, one again, struggling to breathe properly. Maybe the air that was suppose to be in his lungs had shot up to his brain and screwed up the part of his brain that filters the things that come out of his mouth. That's the only logical explanation Harry had for what had slipped past his lips.

"I'll get back to you when I do then, love."

Fortunately, either Louis didn't noticed or he didn't mind. He only smiled, the left side of his lips upturning slightly as he looked down at the table shyly.

Every part of Harry's body: his heart, his brain, even his soul which technically wasn't really a part of his body. It was all screaming just how smitten he was for this man in front of him.

Louis and Harry had shamelessly flirted back and forth for the rest of the dinner. Joking around and throwing chips at each other then eating from the others' plate. Harry truly believed Louis was into him and with the revelation that Louis knew about poetry - he couldn't stop himself from thinking that Louis was actually his secret admirer. Which is great because Harry didn't want anyone else.