Look After You

Chapter 8

   The curly headed boy clung tightly to Louis as the older boy shoved through the crowd, glancing back every so often to make sure Harry was still with him. Louis threw a smile over his shoulder as they broke through the dense crowd and made their way back to where Zayn and Liam were standing, holding half empty glasses. Before Louis and Harry had time to say hello to the two boys, Eleanor ran up from where she was talking to Danielle, and stood in front of Louis. Her bottom lip stuck out as her face morphed into a pouting expression. "Babe, where'd you go? You left me all alone!"

   Harry was trapped since Louis' arm was wrapped tightly around his shoulders. "I went to check on Harry, El, and you weren't alone--" Louis was cut off by Eleanor grabbing his hand and tugging him forward, releasing Harry from his grasp.

   "Harry's a grown man, he can take care of himself." Eleanor reattached herself to Louis' side, glancing over at Harry who had now positioned himself between Zayn and Niall, letting his head hang in anger. He wanted to scream and shout at the brunette and make sarcastic comments right back, but decided to save that for when he talked with Liam back home. As if reading his mind, Niall spoke up.

   "And you're a grown woman. Take care of yourself." Niall didn't enjoy Eleanor either, but he had no reason to hide it.

   Niall nudged Harry, who looked up at the Irish boy that greeted him with a sideways smile. Harry whispered, "nice one" under his breath with a sly smile on his lips. The blonde shot Harry a thumbs up and sipped his drink. Louis made a weird choking noise, trying to hide his laughter, but he played it off as a scowl and cleared his throat.

   "Niall!" Louis shouted, a disappointed expression forced upon his face,  as Eleanor buried her face into his neck. 

   Niall shrugged a shoulder before tilting his head back to finish off the liquor in his hand. Harry watched with jealous eyes, a feeling he was growing quite familiar with, as Louis rubbed the girl's back while she complained. As Louis tried to console Eleanor, he glanced up at Harry. The curly headed boy's eyes were dark with anger as he leaned against a wall, arms folded across his chest. Is it wrong to say he looks goddamn beautiful when he's mad at me? Louis thought as Eleanor went on about how mean his friends were to her. It's wrong to think he looks beautiful ever, Lou! You have a very attractive girl hanging on you, stop thinking of Harry for one second! But Louis couldn't pull his eyes away from the brooding porcelain face. 

   Wherever Louis went for the rest of the night, Eleanor clung and followed, like they had become one person. The man pretended not to mind the constant company and warmth as he, and Eleanor, stood with Liam and Danielle. Danielle was a very pretty girl, her eyes were dark brown and doe-like, like Liam's, and her dark skin was perfect. She completed Liam and whenever Louis saw the two together, he smiled. Except tonight. As Louis stood there, a frown more or less, consumed him.

   "Niall's comment get to ya, mate?" Liam asked, cocking his head.

   "What?" Louis' voice was almost inaudible over the loud commotion that was going on around them.

   "Niall's comment? Did it get to you?" Liam repeated, holding Danielle's small hand in his.

   "Uhm...yeah. He shouldn't have said that." Louis hesitated, correcting himself from almost saying 'she' instead.

   "Eh, don't mind him. He's been hitting the pints rather hard tonight." Liam shrugged and chuckled slightly.

   Louis nodded at the boy and felt the weight of Eleanor's head on his shoulder. He was so exhausted and coulnd't help himself from placing his head on top of her's. He had to keep her around, had to look in love with her in public, he had to keep hiding it. Louis felt bad for using Eleanor, he never intended to take advantage of the girl. He really did like her in the beginning. He had liked her plenty before the way Eleanor made him feel, started to change to the way Harry made him feel, the way only girls had made him feel. Before Harry.

   Eleanor was his wall to hide behind. Harry couldn't feel the same about me. He told himself this at least three times a day, but he hoped one day, that would change. However, in the meantime, Eleanor would be his mask. Louis thought it was helping, but he was really pushing the boy he secretly loved further away from him. A slight nudge on his shoulder snapped Louis out of his daze to find Zayn standing in front of him.

   "We're going home, Lou. The boys are in the car with El and Dani. Could you find Harry?" Zayn asked, scanning the still awfully large crowd.

   "Yeah, see you in the car." Louis yawned, walking off into the chaos.

     Louis asked about five people if they've seen harry, and they all pointed to the same area. Walking up to the table where Harry sat, his back facing Louis, he heard a girl giggle. Louis poked his head around the curls to spot a small blonde laughing at something Harry had said. His heart sank into his shoes as his own fire slowly began to burn, a cold heat filled his body. He growled and turned on his heels, walking back into the crowd. Fuck. 

   He stood in the door frame, arms crossed, as people passed him to exit the ballroom. He had texted Harry telling him to meet him at the exit and that they had to leave, but there was no reply. Louis rolled his eyes and grunted and began back towards the table, hoping the blonde would be gone by now. The jealousy still burned viciously within Louis' small frame as he cleared the crowd and reached the tables once more. He scowled, noticing the girl still sitting next to the curly haired boy, and the sight of her hand on top of Harry's caused his eyes to narrow in anger. He had no choice but interrupt them, and interrupt them he did.

   "Harold." Louis' voice made Harry stop mid-sentence to look up at the lean man, crossing his arms and glaring at him.

   Harry had seen Louis mad before, but never towards him. He openly admitted to himself that Louis looked amazingly attractive, even when he was pissed off. The boy removed his hand from underneath the blonde's and cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Louis? What's up?" The blonde gasped at the mention of Louis' name and sent a cheeky smile and a wink towards Harry, which he responded with a sharp look.

   "We need to leave. Now." Louis' voice was final as Harry said goodbye to the girl and stood up from the table.

   Harry tried to keep up with Louis as he zig-zagged through the crowd once again, but Louis' legs proved to be too long. Luckily, Louis stopped at the exit to let Harry catch up. Harry was just about to say something when Louis' venom-like tone stopped him. "Why don't you ever check your phone? The others have been waiting in the car for your ass, for almost an hour, but you were too busy trying to get into some girl's pants." Louis spat the last part of the sentence at the boy, who stood there quietly, looking at the floor.

   "Lou, it wasn't like that." Harry looked at the boy and winced at the anger present on his face.

   "Then what was it like?" Harry said nothing and looked back at his shoes. "That's what I thought," Harry heard his voice crack with hurt. "The boys are waiting." That's all Louis said before walking out the door, leaving Harry alone in the doorway, still looking at the floor.

   Before slowly walking off into the direction Louis had disappeared, Harry whispered softly to himself. "I told her I was gay."