Dare To Love

31 - Tattoos and Roses

Walking into the cafeteria the following day, he grabbed an extremely overpriced fries and a bottle of water, flashing a smile to the cashier who simply hated his guts for his dare pulled at the begging of the year. Sometimes packing a lunch seemed as difficult as climbing a fucking mountain. And yes, it was a complete over exaggeration, but with Harry cuddling him and pouting in his sleep, Louis barely had the motivation to get up for class that morning. And he couldn't help the way his pulse spiked when Harry's eyes made contact with his while walking up to the table where their friends were already waiting for him.

"You will all be happy to know that I'm single," Zayn offered as Louis approached the table and took a seat beside Harry.

Louis frowned in confusion, narrowing his eyes at Zayn. "Weren't you dating Sophie?"

"Who?" Liam asked, furrowing his brows in confusion.

"We used to date," Zayn said, pointing his fork towards Louis. "She got too clingy, and we broke up last week. Now, I'm horrifyingly single."

"You're horrifying, alright," Liam snickered, dodging the banana peel Zayn threw at him.

"After all the effort I put into getting you with the girl of your dreams," Louis lamented, miming stabbing himself in the chest, reenacting Shakespeare. "You dare betray me!"

"It was, like, five whole minutes of effort," Zayn huffed, passing a hand through his dark hair before scowling. "Not having anyone interested in me is so boring!"

"Poor Zayn!" Niall exclaimed, flopping halfway onto the table. "What a tragedy! What a single and difficult life you have."

"I know, it's so unfair!" Zayn complained as Niall howled in laughter and Liam snickered. "Maybe my life wouldn't be difficult if I met someone worth dating!"

Harry cackled and with that as a reminder that Zayn was the only one not in a relationship, dark eyes tentatively turned toward Harry and Louis.

Louis rose a brow expectantly, waiting for Zayn to start speaking. "What?"

"Harry, did I ever tell you that you have better hair than mine?" Zayn chuckled, smiling brightly and wrapping an arm over his shoulder, ignoring the booing he received from the three other guys.

"No," Harry chuckled, shoulders and curls bouncing as he laughed.

"You do!" He exclaimed, wincing at his own lie. "Now, why don't you introduce me to all the gay guys you know?"

Louis frowned, hitting Zayn on the arm when he cackled and flushed in embarrassment. He didn't mind knowing Harry knew other gay guys, but he would appreciate not thinking about the prospects of Harry possibly hooking up with any of them in the past.

"No," Harry laughed, glad that they'd been able to gloss over what could have been an uncomfortable moment. "I don't even know that many."

"Wow, rude," Zayn huffed, taking his arm back from Harry's shoulder and turning to look at Louis. "Do you secretly know a bunch of girls from your class that would be intr—"

"As if I'd tell you," he joked, grinning as he dipped a fry into a sea of ketchup and popped it into his mouth.

"You're all terrible friends," Zayn announced to the snickering bunch. "From now on, this fork is my only friend."

"Good," Liam replied, sounding so unenthused that it had all of them cracking up. "Anyway, how was you Saturday, Lou?"

Louis nearly choked on his food before realizing that he was just asking because they hadn't seen each other since he'd come back from Doncaster. He hadn't magically seen into Louis' mind and found memories of Harry kissing and touching him.