A one shot where Louis Tomlinson is the town's disgrace
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"I heard that boy spat on his teacher's shoes."
"Did ya hear about the Tomlinson boy killing all his family's chickens?"
"A faggot in our town, what a fucking disgrace to his family's name. They were good folks before him."
Harry Styles didn't know why everyone hated Louis Tomlinson. Harry had lived there his whole life and went to school with Louis and he seemed normal. Harry would even go as far to say that he was nice.
Louis and him used to be friends when they were younger. They were next door neighbors and always hung out together before middle school started. They drifted had drifted apart when they started middle school, but Harry knew it wasn't Louis' fault. Their lives just got busier and they found new friends. Harry had tried inviting Louis over since, but his parents don't like Louis, so they don't let Harry do so.
Harry finds himself digging deeper into his thoughts and promptly runs into something. He falls on his bottom. Looking up, Harry found himself gazing into the eyes of his old friend. He notices everyone surrounding them had paused and seemed to be holding in a breath, waiting for something to happen. Louis frowns down at Harry and offers him a hand. Harry takes it and Louis helps him out.
The two stand, facing each other, too scared to face the crowd of people. They stand silently for a moment before everyone seems to exhale and go about their daily lives. As soon as the commotion starts Louis runs a hand through his hair and sighs deeply.
"I'm sorry," Louis mutters. He turns, about to run off, but before he can Harry grabs his arm. Louis turns around, shocked and slightly terrified. Harry was struck with an overwhelming sense of sadness as he realized that the fear Louis was feeling was because of midnight beatings and constant ridicule. In Louis' eyes Harry was probably going to punch him or perhaps start an ugly rumor about him.
"I've been trying to find you. I wanted to hang out more. We stopped talking when middle school started and now that we're sophomores I thought we should start talking again," Harry explains. He had wanted to befriend the boy and was also curious as to why everyone hated him so much. Harry assumed he could accomplish both these goals by being nice to him.
"I don't think we should do that. For your sake. If you turn around and walk away you still have time to make it look like you hate me," Louis replies. He goes to leave again, but Harry tightens his grip on Louis' arm.
"I don't care what people think. I want to be your friend. You haven't done anything wrong and they are ugly for thinking you have, you're just a boy," Harry responds. Harry could tell Louis was torn, you could see it in his eyes.
"Look, Harry, you seem like a great kid, but there's a reason everyone hates me and I don't want you being labeled with me. You're really amazing and have made my day for trying to be my friend, but it's not worth it," Louis sighs. Harry pauses, trying to find a way to get Louis to stay.
"Meet me by the river, tomorrow after school. I want to talk...in private," Harry calls. He tries to run after Louis, but he's gone before Harry had time to do much else.
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Harry paces back and forth in front of the river. The pair used to come here a lot in elementary school, but stopped the summer before sixth grade. Harry was praying that Louis understood what he meant by the river.
Harry was relieved when he spotted a familiar mob of caramel hair pop out from among the trees. Louis stood, arms crossed, in front of Harry.
"What did you want to talk about?" Harry had no clue where to start. He could ask Louis how he's been doing and explain that he didn't care what everyone else said and that he wanted to be Louis' friend. He could ask Louis why everyone hated him and then say that no matter what it didn't change anything.
"Why does everyone hate you?" Harry blurts. He's taken aback by his own bluntness, but he silently thanks himself because he had no clue what to say.
"Probably because I'm gay, could be because I'm an atheist, or maybe because I want to leave, who knows at this point. They could hate me just because I wore a green shirt today. Any reason is a viable reason at this point," Louis sighs. So it was true. He was gay. Harry pauses, knowing that being gay was wrong. He had been told that too many times to count, but for some reason the idea intrigued him. He wanted to know more about this...thing.
"What is it like...being gay?" Harry questions. He sees Louis try to hold back a laugh. Louis bites his lip afterwards and looks down at the ground, smirking.
"Kind of shit so far. Before I came out it was fun, I guess. In terms of being in a relationship it's the same as a straight one, except theirs two guys. I haven't been in a relationship because everyone in this town is a dickhead, so I can't tell you what it's actually like," Louis explains. Harry nods.
"I'm offended," Harry teases, placing a hand to his chest in mock hurt. Louis laughs and punches his arm.
"You know what I mean. You're the only one here that bothers to hear my side of the story. Everyone just assumes shit about me, without even bothering to ask. I guess they're too scared of catching the gay disease." Harry finds himself stepping towards Louis and placing his hands on the boy's shoulders.
"Can I kiss you?" Louis' eyes widen with shock. Harry didn't mean to say that. He was just supposed to be thinking it, but it was too late to take it back now.
"Yea...I mean if you want," Louis replies. Harry nods, leaning in and pressing his lips to Louis, quickly. He pulls back nearly as soon as their lips connected. Harry didn't really feel a difference in kissing a guy or a girl. It felt...the same.
"This was a mistake. You're probably just going to go tell everyone that I came on to you. Why the fuck did I come here to begin with?" Louis' eyebrows furrow and he turns, about to storm off, but Harry catches him.
"No! I like you Louis, I really do. Will you go out with me?" Harry calls. Louis stops and turns around. Harry could see Louis assessing the situation. He prays that Louis would understand and know that Harry wasn't joking.
"Uh...yea. I guess. I'm sorry. I'm just not used to trusting people. I swear if you go behind my back I'll..uh...punch you in the face," Louis threatens. Harry tries not to laugh at Louis' pathetic threat.
"Okay, Mr. Tough-Guy. I'll see you around, yea?" Harry smiles as Louis slowly disappears. The people's words washed over Harry as he remembered what they had said about Louis. How he was a disgrace to his family name. Harry smiles because now, that disgrace was his boyfriend.
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Hey guys! You're lucky, because I managed to figure something out before it was too late. I hope you guys like this very last minute, thrown together, one shot! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed! ~B
