university (an l.s. fic)

chapter three

It was seven when Louis and I met back at the same place on the grounds where we had split. As I walked up, I was surprised to see him already standing there, finishing a cigarette against the side of the school. He had lost the aura of exhaustion, this was the most lively I had ever seen him.

"Hello!" He called out to me. He shone even brighter than usual.

I was beaming, "Hi!"

"Where to, Sir?" He linked his arm with mine, making me jump.

"Um, t-the pub. Liam and Niall are down at the one about a mile away," We began walking.

The walk to the pub didn't take long. We made awkward small talk with an electricity hanging in the air. Louis was much more animated than usual. His eyes lit up whenever we would talk about something he was interested in and his quips were slicker and more pronounced. We also discovered during our short chat that we shared an English class. 

Niall and Liam were sitting along the bar drinking pints when we got there. Louis dropped his grip on my arm as we got closer to them. Something inside my chest fizzled.

"Lads, lads, lads!" Niall roared, he was already a bit tipsy. "How are you doing?"

"Great, thanks! How long have you been here?" Louis peeled off his jacket, laying it on his stool before he sat. I sat next to him on the old peeling leather.

"Just an hour," He chortled. "I've only had two beers." Niall pointed to the two very large and very empty glasses.

"I think that counts as more than two," I said under my breath, making Louis snort.

"A round for my pals here, bartender!" Liam called, waving his hand in our direction. Although he seemed to be taking his alcohol better than Niall, the influence was clear. The bartender looked unamused, his patience dissipating before my very eyes. He set down drinks in front of Louis and I, I mouthed a "thank you" as we made eye contact.

The pub wasn't exactly "hopping" with energy, it was considerably calm. A few female students from our university sat packed into a booth, fruity drinks draining from their glasses one sip at a time.

"Hey, Li," Niall leaned closer to his drunk friends. "Look at those ladies in the corner."

"Sorry, bud," Liam pulled out his phone, nearly dropping it, and showed him his lockscreen. "I'm taken!"

"Well, these two aren't." Niall slurred, jabbing fingers in Louis and I's direction.

Liam just started chuckling.

"What?"

The laughing continued, I couldn't help up join in.

"C'mon, you guys, spit it out!"

"Good luck trying to set up Harry with any girl," He sputtered.

"What? Why? Is he taken too?"

The corner of Louis' mouth turned up at Niall's confusion. At this point, Liam was howling.

"What am I missing?" Niall asked.

"Harry's gay!" Louis finally said.

"Really?"

"Yes, really," I interjected.

For the first time, Niall was quiet. "Well, those are some pretty girls, and I am going to go and try to flirt with them." He stood up shakily, "Louis? Are you going to come?"

"Sorry," Louis replied, holding up a hand. "I'm gay, too."

The slightly intoxicated Niall sighed, then muttered under his breath, "Everyone's gay." He sauntered off in the direction of the girls as we observed from the bar. The girls gave him an odd look as he approached. It was eventually seemed after a few minutes, though, that he was having some kind of success. Liam got bored watching Niall do well and struck up conversation with us once again.