This Feels A Lot Like Love

9. But My Love, He Doesn't Love Me

Being friends with Louis Tomlinson was not easy. In fact, it was unfair. It was cruel. It was fucking torture.

Harry had to endure Louis unabashedly flirting with everything that walked on two legs. Once, he even had to bite back a scowl while Louis flirted with Zayn, fluttering his eyelashes and stroking Zayn's arm. Zayn had rolled his eyes and muttered out, "Wanker," while pushing him off, but Harry didn't miss how Zayn's pupils dilated and leaned in closer to Louis' touch. Harry couldn't blame Zayn. Louis was charming. Simple as that.

Harry was sitting at one of the library's tables with a book to cover his frown. Jade was sitting beside Harry, quietly chatting away about her day. Harry stared intently as Louis leaned over the counter, resting his chin on his palm and flirting with the pretty student librarian. Harry had to admit she was pretty with auburn red hair and pink painted lips and freckles dotting her face under light green eyes. But fuck her. And fuck Louis too.

Harry's eyes narrowed that much more as Louis' mouth moved and the pretty librarian giggled into her fist. She wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it over to Louis who mouthed, "Wow," and winked at her, walking away smugly. Harry's skin flushed with anger and jealousy.

"Harry. Harry."

Jade's voice repeated into Harry's ear. Harry blinked rapidly and looked to her.

"What?" Harry asked sharply, if a bit annoyed.

Jade looked at Harry like it hadn't been the second time she said his name. She crossed her arms on the table, her plucked eyebrow arching ever so slightly.

"Did you hear anything I said?"

"Yes." Harry pursed his lips and puffed air into his cheeks. He blew hot air out of his mouth, thinking quickly on his feet. "You were talking about Perrie."

"What about Perrie?"

"Um." Harry closed one eye, replaying Jade's endless babbling. He recalled something about purple hair. "She has cool purple hair now."

Jade looked flabbergasted.

"Um. Well. You got away with this one, but I swear you weren't listening!"

A swell of pride flushed across Harry's chest.

"Yeah, yeah," Harry brushed Jade off, picking up a pair of binoculars from his unzipped backpack.

Harry pressed the binoculars to his eyes and adjusted the lenses until a clear picture of Louis and Liam came into view.

"Okay, now you're just being ridiculous."

Jade placed a hand on the binoculars and pushed them down. Harry frowned at Jade. He picked them back up and adjusted the view, his lower lip jutting out in a focused pout.

"No, I'm not," Harry argued weakly.

"Honey, you look like a psychopath," Jade said delicately.

Jade pushed the binoculars down again. Harry stared at her angrily with a picture perfect of 'What?'

"Maybe if you weren't so focused on Louis you would notice that that poor boy over there has been staring at you for over half an hour!"

Jade pointed at a boy with brown chocolate hair styled in a cinnamon swirl. Harry frowned, looking across the library to where Jade's finger was pointing nonetheless. He waved at the boy, the boy ducking behind a book and his cheeks flushing red. Cute. But not quite Harry's type. He liked boys that were cute and hot at the same time. Like Louis...

"See? You're not even paying attention. You're looking at Louis again."

Harry huffed out an annoyed breath. Jade was right, he was staring intently at Louis. More specifically, the clothes on Louis' back. Louis was wearing a plain blue open shirt over a white shirt paired with black Adidas sweatpants with a stripe running down the sides. He wore black Vans to top off the whole look. More importantly, he looked like a fucking dream. A beautiful, wet dream.