The Most Wonderful Time

one

Louis is getting aggravated with Liam's behaviour. For some reason the kid thought it would be okay to sit next to Louis during lunch. Every day. For the past three weeks. He's tried striking several conversations to no avail. Louis isn't the small talk type. Nor is he a people person. Really, why cant Liam just....not? He doesn't know what the younger boy is planning but he's sick of it.

It's Friday afternoon and the final bell has released the students. They barrel into the hallway like a herd of wild animals.

Christmas break has begun but as usual he waits in a corner until the herd has come and gone before going to his locker. As he stuff his backpack with textbooks, it rips dropping what feels like five tons of school work. Just his fucking luck. He can't afford another backpack.

"Fuck!" His shout is masked by the slamming locker door. Sighing he turns to gather his belongings only to find none other than Liam on the ground with an armfull of his papers.

"You're taking two math classes? I can barely pass one. You must be a genius"

Ignoring the statement, Louis grabs what's left on the ground and briskly walks towards the exit. It's not any of Liam's business how many math courses he's taking. He can hear Liam scrambling to catch up. "Why are you doing this?" He huffs.

"Um because your a bag is literally in two pieces and suprisingly you have a LOT of shit. Thought I'd help you carry it out to your car."

Louis decides Liam talks too much. "No, you idiot. I mean why are you treating me like.. like a person?"

Louis can see Liam forrow his brows and frown from the corner of his eye as they approach the car. It's not the cutest face Louis has ever seen. Really, it's not.

"Well, you are a person arent you?" Now his eyes widen with wonder, "Oh my god, are you an A.I. from the future?"

He might have cracked a smile but he can't give liam the satisfaction. "Look," he starts as they reach his car, "I appreciate the help. But stay away from me Liam. I'm nothing but trouble."

"Yeah that's what every one says but I don't think it's true. Maybe I'm naive. Whatever. Just... give me a call if you ever need a friend. And Happy Christmas!"

Louis grunts in response and speeds off.

That night as he readies for bed, his mind wanders back to Liam. To his bright shining eyes and smile, his incessant need to speak, the way he always manages to spill a bit of water on himself at lunch and something inside him shifts. It only takes five minutes for someone to get bored of his silence or crude remarks. Not Liam. He came back everyday at 12:15pm with a new anecdote, happy to have a one sided conversation and get told to fuck off.

Liam's friends often gave him funny looks whenever he by passed them to sit next to Louis. On one instance, Niall very loudly gave his disapproval. Don't waste your time on him, Li. Just give it up. But he never listened.

It didn't make any sense.

A soft knock on his door interrupts his train of thought and then soft voice follows, "Louis?"

He's been a foster kid since he was seven years old, but he was disruptive and loud then. Nobody wanted a hyperactive child. Eventually he learned to control his behaviour, to keep quiet but by then he was too old for any potential new parents to want him anyway. So he bounced between a few foster houses until he landed here when he was 13.