Back to You

Larry - In My Veins

It started with a song. Slow and sweet, then faster and more dance-like. We danced in separate groups. Him bobbing his head, me fingering the notes of the music with my friends. Our eyes met as the music got faster. I was laughing and he grinned at me. His green eyes flashed. Dark curls flopped on his forehead as he nodded along to the beat. I smiled at him and told my friends I'd be back. They didn't hear me, so I glided across the floor to him. I was the violin and he was the percussion.

"I'm Louis." I shouted over the music. The bobbing of his head made him look like he was nodding. "Harry. You a musician?" I laughed. I nodded and kept playing the air. "Yea. I play the violin. I'm supposed to be practicing right now, actually. Mum would murder me if she knew I was here." He grinned at me again. Another laugh escaped my lips and a sense of amazement filled me from head to toe. "I want to hear you play," Harry whispered in my ear. "Would you let me?" His breath on my neck made me shiver. "Let's get out of here."

He led me by the hand through the throng of hot, sweaty bodies. Cool air rushed over me and I sucked in a sharp breath. "Bloody hell, that's cold." A smirk grew on Harry's face. "My car's just over there. Your place or mine?" At my quizzical look, he explained further. "My sister, Gemma, plays the violin. Or she used to, before she went to uni. Now her violin just sits on a stand in the hallway." He waited for an answer and I realized he was still holding my hand.

"Yours. I don't particularly fancy dying tonight." He chuckled and nodded. Harry's palm fit against mine like a glove. Disappointment swept over me when he dropped it to unlock the car. "Here, it'll be warmer in there. Should've brought a jacket, you know." A smirk was elevant in Harry's voice as he started the car. As the radio began to play, I tried to think of a clever response. "If I had a jacket, there would be no point to taking me home. Now would there?" His singing faltered and he glanced at me. "Someone's confident. Is your playing like that? 'Cause that'd be hot." My cheeks flushed. Harry chuckled and took my hand again.

We pulled up to his house and he sighed. "Mum's home, so we'll have to be quiet. Is that okay?" I nodded, smiling at him. I unbuckled my seatbelt and went to open my door. Harry pulled me back inside the car and kissed me on the cheek. "Oh!" I giggled and my cheeks flushed again. "That was really . . . er . . . that was . . . that made me like you so much more, Louis. My God, that was amazing. Okay. Let's go inside now." He released my hand and and a wave of discontent crashed over me. Pushing it aside, I opened the door and started walking up the drive. Harry waited for me at the door and let me in first. "My mum's name is Anne, by the way." I nodded, slowly revolving on the spot.

The hallway was a wall of books of every kind. Harry Potter, Odd Thomas, A Shine of Rainbows, 50 Shades of Grey, any kind of book you could think of, they had. True to his word, a violin sat on a stand beside a table. I carressed the neck of the violin. The bow rested beside the instrument and lifted it. It felt like home. I tucked the violin under my chin and began to play. A soft, sweet melody resonated through the quiet hallway. Harry stood by the door, watching me play. The melody sounded like the beginning of the song at the club. My fingers imitated the movements they had made while goofing off with my friends. Footsteps cam from what I thought was the living room. My eyes closed and a meadow appeared in my mind. A safe place to go when I needed to get away. But this time, Harry was there. And it felt right. The final note ended and I heard clapping. I opened my eyes. Harry had moved to stand beside an older woman with dark brown hair like his. It must've been his mother, Anne, because he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Tears cascaded down her cheeks and she wiped at them. "That was beautiful, dear. What's your name?" I thanked her for the compliment but my mind completely blanked on my name.

"Mum, this is Louis. Louis, this is my mum." She smiled at me and I shook her hand after setting the bow and violin in their respective stands. "Nice to meet you, ma'am." Anne scoffed and shook her head. "Please, call me Anne, dear. Ma'am makes me feel old." After I agreed, she continued. "Are you going to be staying the night?" My cheeks grew warm and I looked to Harry for help. "Yeah, he'll stay in my room with me. Right, Lou?" I knew my face was bright red. I nodded.