Smoke || larry

16

Sunday comes far too fast for Harry and he's pulling his hair as Liam's voice rumbles through his phone speaker. He feels sick and he wants to drink to calm his nerves, but he also wants to be sober for Louis.

"Are you still breathing?" Liam's voice asks and Harry just sighs and rubs his face.

"Barely. I look terrible in everything," Harry whines as he throws more clothes on the floor.

"You do not. You are a very attractive young man," Liam reassures him and Harry snorts as he sinks to his floor and brings his knees to his chest.

"Thanks. This was easier with her. She used to just throw the perfect outfit at me..." Harry mumbles and he looks at his messy room and picks at the shirt under him.

"Not tonight, H. You're going to have fun. C'mon throw on your jeans and a shirt. Louis would still like you even if you wore a track suit," Liam tells him. Harry bites his lip and then let's out a long breath.

"Yeah, okay. Thanks, Liam. And if I ever wear a track suit kill me," Harry says as he stands up from the floor. Liam laughs and Harry loves hearing Liam laugh. It's something so light and just nice.

"I will, I will. Now get dressed!" Liam exclaims. Harry just reaches down and grabs his jeans from the floor. Liam continues to talk to him and Harry knows it's to keep him distracted.

Harry finally just buttons up his shirt and shrugs his shoulders in the mirror. He works on his hair, but it's hopeless. His hair cannot be tamed.

"Tara's birthday is coming up. She's having her party on Halloween," Liam informs him and Harry frowns. He likes Tara, but he doesn't want to to go a party with everyone from school. The thought terrifies him.

"That's cool," Harry says softly and he thinks maybe his voice didn't carry through the speaker.

"Yeah. She wants you to come. It's going to be small and you can bring Louis... It'd be nice to have you there," Liam admits and Harry caves because he can't say no to Liam.

Liam has been with Harry for everything. When Harry broke his arm in grade three; Liam carried him to the office. When Harry got too drunk at 15 and threw up everywhere; Liam held his hair and then cleaned up the mess. When Gemma died; Liam held his hand and wiped his tears and helped try to reassemble his broken pieces. Harry owes Liam his life and he wouldn't hesitate to take a bullet for him.

"I'll go. So it's this Friday?" Harry questions.

"Yeah! Yeah. It's at her house," Liam says and Harry smiles at the excitement in his voice. He sighs as he stares at his reflection and then moves to his phone and picks it up.

"I'm going to brush my teeth. I'll call you after," Harry tells him.

"You better! I need details," Liam says and Harry laughs as he hangs up. He walks down the hall and into the washroom where he scrubs his teeth and gargles mouthwash. His nerves are still bad and they won't get better until he actually sees Louis here. There's a knock on his door and he sprints from the small washroom.

"Who's knocking?" Anne shouts from her room and then she's also scampering down the stairs. Harry straightens his clothes and then pulls open the door, ignoring his mom.

"Harry," Louis smiles when he sees him and Harry smiles right back at him. Louis' dressed in a white button up with black on the collar, black jeans and his black vans. Harry thinks he looks perfect as per usual.

"Who's this?" Anne speaks up behind him and Harry jumps at the sound of her voice. Louis just smiles at her and sticks out his hand.

"I'm Louis. I'm bringing Harry out," Louis tells her. She takes his hand slowly and then looks between the two boys suspiciously.