He Noticed || Larry au

.4

Sophomore Year

"I don't get it, why does it matter which one I pour in first?" Louis asks Harry and Harry smiles softly.

"Because one formula has more solutes so it's 'heavier' you could say. If you poured in the liquid with less solutes then the other they would mix together;" Harry explains and points to the blue liquid in Louis' hand.

"Pour that one, then the red." He tells him and Louis does so, his eyes lighting up when he sees the result.

"But if you pour that one first, they won't mix." Harry says and Louis grins dopily.

"Sick." Louis says and Harry stared at him for a second too long before averting his eyes to the table.

They begin to clean up and Louis decides to make some casual chatter.

"I didn't know you and Liam were friends." Louis says and Harry hums.

"He's my best friend." Harry says, mostly trying to convince himself because he and Liam haven't had a proper conversation in months. Just a few Hello's when passing in the hallway or while taking out the trash at home.

Louis quirks an eyebrow at Harry, who is too busy cleaning up to notice the odd look.

Liam says they've already drifted apart.

Harry says they're the best of friends.

"Oh really? Well Liam says you guys have drifted apart." Louis says and Harry makes brief eye contact with him before looking back down to the test tube he was rinsing.

"I mean I guess we kind of did. We made friends that we um, connect better with I guess but I still consider him my best friend." Harry bluffs just a bit.

Liam made new friends, he didn't. Liam connected better with others, Harry just seemed to disconnect with everyone around him.

Sure, he has people he talks to in every class but overall he has no best friend anymore, barely a friend.

But it's okay, Harry's okay.

Harry is not okay.