21 TIMES - LARRY STYLINSON FANFICTION

Chapter 9 - Feelings

The next day, Louis goes to his lectures as always. After their little argument (or whatever it was), Louis feels stupid. He keeps an eye out for Harry inconspicuously but he's nowhere to be seen. After his third lecture, Louis sits down in the cafeteria with a friend. Just as he's about to grab his donut he spots Henrietta walking towards him. She hugs him from behind and gives him a kiss onto his cheek. "Hey," she chirps, pulling a chair out to have a seat, "how are you?"

Louis gives Henrietta a smile and introduces her to his friend first before he starts talking to her. "I'm okay but it's too early for me. I don't understand how you can be so happy in the morning."

"In the morning? It's nearly lunch time!" Henrietta laughs. "Plus, I'm always happy to see you." She rubs Louis' back gently and lets her hand rest on his back. The girl presses her cheek onto Louis' shoulder. After that, the three of them have a light conversation about this and that until Louis' friends leaves.

"So . . . what are we supposed to do now?" the girl asks, crossing her legs. "I don't want to go to the next lecture, it's so boring. What about skipping today?" Henrietta's brown eyes sparkle as she looks at Louis.

The boy shakes his head and lets out a small laugh. "And I thought you were the perfect student: always in time, hard-working, never missing a lecture."

"I usually am but . . . I also want to spend more time with you."

The boy frowns. "Why?"

"Because I like you?" She suddenly presses a kiss onto Louis' cheek. "See?"

Louis chuckles. "Okay, okay, I see. Let's do it. Where do you-," he starts saying but suddenly, he can spot Harry leaning on the wall opposite him. He's typing something into his phone, holding a coffee to go in his hand. He looks incredibly handsome in his dark blue trench coat, as if he has just stepped off a fashion show runway. Louis' heartbeat increases as their eyes meet for a second and a shiver runs down his spine. He can feel himself getting nervous.

"Louis?" Henrietta asks him softly, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Is everything okay?"

"What? I . . . I . . . um . . . I don't know," Louis stutters, adrenalin still rushing through his body. What the fuck? That's his reaction on seeing his best friend? Really? Oh god. When he looks at the wall again, Harry is gone. Was he really there? "I thought I saw someone but . . . whatever." Louis sighs as he takes a sip of his coffee, resting his arm on the table. Maybe he's starting to hallucinating things.

Henrietta lets out a small chuckle. "Oh Louis . . . you're probably just stressed."

Louis nods. He takes a bite of his donut and looks down on his plate, collecting the crumbs with his fingers. "You know what? I will take you home and give you a massage, what do you think?"

"Maybe . . . yeah, I think I could need that." He gives half of his donut to Henrietta and gulps down his coffee. "I might fall asleep," he warns the girl before they walk out of the cafeteria.

"That would be a compliment." She links arms with Louis. "Let's go."

When they're on their way to leave the building, Louis nearly freezes as he spots Harry and Isabella standing in a corner. The nervousness takes over again, mixed with that dull feeling of jealousy. As they walk toward the door, Louis tries not to stare at Harry the whole time but he literally can't look away and suddenly, he thinks that Harry glanced over to him but he can't quite tell. Louis tries to listen to what Henrietta is telling him but it's impossible for the boy to focus with Harry around.

As they're approaching, Louis bows his head. For a second, he looks into Harry's direction again and sees how Harry cups Isabella's cheeks with his hands and gives her a kiss that's so intense that he has to look away immediately. He can't stand seeing Harry and Isabella together. The way Harry holds her and the way Harry kisses her hurts Louis deep inside. It reminds him of the last time they were together which seems ages away. All Louis wants it to leave. Suddenly, the picture in front of him becomes blurry and his stomach clenches in an unpleasant way.