Best Friend's Brother

Chapter Nine

The next few days were pure torture for Harry. Watching Eleanor and Louis stroll around the school and people surrounding them like they were royalty or something, it hurt. Luckily Liam was always there for him, so that helped. What didn’t help, however, were the constant questions that he showered him with. Liam could obviously tell something was up. Harry wasn’t the kind to just spontaneously burst into tears, lounge around the house in sweats, and listen to sad music regularly. It looked like he was going through all the stages of a breakup, which he was, but he didn’t want Liam to know.        

“Harry, I’m your best mate, why the hell are you not speaking to me about this? You’ve been dumped, haven’t you?”

Harry frowned. “What does it matter if I did?”

Liam raised an eyebrow and Harry automatically knew he’d said the wrong thing. They were at Liam’s house, because he’d insisted that Harry ‘needed to get his depressing self out of his own home and do something eventful’. Apparently eventful was sitting on the couch and watching Looney Toons reruns while eating popcorn.

“I’m just trying to help, Haz.”

Harry’s eyes widened at the nickname. He clutched at his bowl of popcorn until his fists were white and he felt like he couldn’t breathe.

“What’d you just call me?” He asked Liam, who seemed rather surprised by Harry’s reaction. That’s because he thought it was just a nickname. It was, sort of, and Harry was only overreacting, surely. But he wasn’t because LOUIS and oh no, here come the tears again. He was pathetic, really.

“Harry, are you crying? I’d heard Louis call you it be-” Liam cut off, his own eyes growing wide. He shook his head, a small, an unbelieving smile growing on his lips. “You have a crush on Louis, don’t you? And you’re upset because he’s back with Eleanor? Am I right?”

With a roll of his eyes, Harry answered “No, you’re terribly wrong. You really think I’d be so messed up over a stupid crush? I’m not that desperate, Liam.”

Liam seemed to ponder this information. He looked at Harry with questioning eyes, and Harry wondered if he might be trying to read his mind or something. ‘You’re crazy,’ he told himself.

“You didn’t deny the Louis part, Harry. Were you and my brother doing things that I wasn’t aware of? Oh my gosh, you didn’t date, did you?”     

Harry was going to deny it. He opened his mouth to say ‘no of course not’, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t lie to his friend anymore. Liam deserved to know the truth, and he was about to get it. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. Louis didn’t want to.” Harry mumbled under his breath, staring at his almost empty bowl of popcorn.

Liam stared at him, gaping. “You’re joking, right? You didn’t actually date him?” 

“This isn’t a joke, Liam. Don’t tell anyone, okay? Not even Louis. He didn’t want me to tell you and that’s partially the reason we broke up. That and because Eleanor is a conniving bitch.”