Against One's Wishes

Chapter 12

The next day, Harry is getting ready in Louis' apartment; Louis has been out all day with Alice and Harry's meant to meet them for dinner... he'll finally see her face to face.

He's dreading the moment honestly. He puts on the jacket of his suit and looks himself over in the mirror slowly; he's elected to wear his beige slacks with a black, long sleeved shirt, his curls lying freely.

"Do I really look ok?" Harry turns and asks his friend Zayn who is at the apartment with him.

Zayn glances up from Louis' bed as he's hitting a joint, "if you're trying to look very presentable to his parents and also turn him on at the same time, you've nailed it darling," Zayn smirks and gives him a thumbs up.

"Stop smoking all my stash," Harry chuckles and sighs again while he's staring at his face in the mirror.

"I'll bring mine to replace it," Zayn tells him, "I'd love to meet this Louis, you know."

"You will soon enough," Harry turns and smiles at him, "I already told him I wanted you to meet him."

"Did you?" Zayn asks surprised, "wow, glad you mentioned me, I guess."

"You're like my best friend from home," Harry grins, "of course I'd mention you."

"I thought your best friend was Ben now?" Zayn asks and hits the joint again as he's staring at Harry.

"He's... he's not," Harry mumbles and turns back around, "he's far from it right now."

"Harry, you and him go a ways back," Zayn speaks up softly, "are you going to tell Louis? The actual truth?"

"What actual truth?" Harry tries to laugh as he's fixing his shirt. Zayn starts to talk, but Harry is quick to talk over him, "he doesn't need to know everything about me. This... it's just going to end badly for us, too, Zayn. He's going to get married and.... and I'll only be around when he can see me."

Zayn nods and wants to say who that reminds him of, but he keeps his mouth shut. Harry doesn't need to hear what he wants to say right now.

Zayn finally stands and walks over to Harry, "you'll be fine, tonight, alright?"

"Would... would you go?" Harry decides to ask suddenly.

"What?" Zayn chuckles, "do you really think his parents want me there? They wanted you to bring a date, not a man."

"I just meant... as a friend," Harry sighs, "I guess you're right. I'll ask them tonight about getting together."

"You need to get going," Zayn tells Harry and looks at the clock, "want me to drive you? I assume Louis is bringing you back."

"Uh, I'm... I'm not sure if he is," Harry purses his lips before he's sighing, "I told him I just wanted to act like friends... even though I'm still living here. It's fucking hard... I want to move out, but... a big part of me says no."

"You can't just be friends," Zayn grabs Harry's shoulders and whispers to him, staring straight into his emerald eyes, "you're not friends. You'll be in love till it kills you both."

Harry stays silent, knowing Zayn is probably right after all. He fixes his hair one last time and Zayn follows him to the door.

"I've rented a car," Harry's telling Zayn as he's locking the apartment. "Figured I'd use my name to some advantage for tonight."

"Smart move," Zayn gives him his approval while they're climbing in the elevator. "You might as well show up in style, Styles."

Harry smirks at him before he's greeting Tom once more and they're chatting amongst themselves.