Frame of Hearts - l.s.

Chapter Eighteen

A week passes by and he's sitting by himself in the treehouse, looking out the window and leaning on the sill. He doesn't understand, he's confused. It's been a whole week, and Harry's still baffled on the entire subject of why Louis just let him go like a rotten fish.

He doesn't understand why Louis keeps doing this. He doesn't know why Louis changes from one thing to another; Harry's noticed it. Louis seems happy one day, but then at night he turns into a moody bastard who doesn't want to talk to Harry until he falls asleep. It's been a week, and Harry's starting to notice that Louis is changing.

He doesn't know why, and Harry's sure he doesn't want to know why. It can't be puberty, it can't be his friends... or maybe it is his friends. It didn't seem right, Louis always made his own decisions - he'd get upset otherwise. Why did Louis let him go?

The knocking on the door takes Harry away from the window. Louis walks into the treehouse and smiles to Harry. He's happy today, with him he brings a smile and a small giggle. Harry wants to grin, but he can't. He knows this will be all gone within a matter of hours.

"Hey," Louis says, poking at his dimple spot and laughing softly. Harry feigns a grin, but it's not wide and merry. Louis does notice. "Bad day at school?"

Harry nods to take them away from the subject. Louis aww's but doesn't do anything to try and comfort him - a hug, a hand hold. There's nothing and Harry's left cold.

Louis leaves a couple of minutes later with no excuse. Harry didn't care. Louis walks away from Harry and runs back home. Harry sighs. He's starting to lose his best friend.

Louis remains at home for the few hours after that, listening to his mum once again come into his room and tell him she's heading out. Louis doesn't care anymore. She walks away with a fifty on the bench for dinner. Louis lays in bed instead. He's hungry, but he doesn't care. He's annoyed, but he doesn't care. He's not perfect for his mum, or Harry, and that's what he cares about most of all.

Months pass by and miraculously everything remains the same. There's still sleepovers, there's still the meet ups here and there but it's mainly studying over seeing each other. Harry's focus on Louis deteriorates over the next few months, but it's not too dramatic. Their friendship still dares to grow as fast as the spring flowers are shooting up in Louis' backyard, even though Harry finds himself in his room more often studying rather than going to Louis' house to spend some time with him.

Louis finishes his artwork called Blue, and Harry thinks it's absolutely magnificent. He enters it in a competition with the local library and only a few weeks later, Louis receives a call to say he's won the 400 dollar prize in his category. He informs Harry immediately and Harry comes over to shake Louis' hand a well done. Louis wants to hug him, the handshake just made Louis feel miserable.

Louis doesn't take it to heart. Harry's his friend and friends shake hands all the time. Louis has to live with it; he did shut off Harry after all.

They spend their winnings on XBOX games. Harry sleeps over on a Saturday night after his football game with Liam. They're laughing, they're smiling. Louis is so happy with Harry by his side again. They spend hours in the living rooms having a marathon of gameplay. They both have dinner, some casserole Louis' mum had prepared earlier. Louis' mum appears in a dress of burgundy and Louis rolls his eyes.

"I'm--"

"I know," Louis says bluntly. "Just go."

She trots out of the house in her glam wear, and Harry's doesn't seem to be fazed by his rude behaviour. Louis sits at the dining table, picking at his food with a fork. Harry joins him on the other side of the table, chewing on a piece of carrot from the meal. Louis keeps his stare on his food and sighs. Harry might as well try and get it out of him.