The Drive-In | l.s.

chapter 3.

how strange to dream of you
even when
i'm wide awake.

۵

"So he's straight." Said Rue, Harry's coworker and closest friend. She was perched up on the counter, knees bent, as she listened to Harry's encounter with Louis from the night before. She was listening to Harry go on and on about their meet as she applied a shiny gloss to her lips.

"No."

She paused and looked away from the mirror, cocking her head towards Harry. She smiled the mirror now dangling from her hand. "But you just said-"

"Doesn't necessarily mean he's straight. Just cause girls interest him doesn't mean you can assume they're the only ones who do."

Rue laughed, "You're right, sorry kiddo. I won't ruin your crazy fantasies."

Harry rolled his eyes as he reached across her legs and grabbed a piece of licorice for himself. He nibbled on it as his friend rambled on about how the previous night went way better for her than it did for him.

Not that he didn't enjoy hearing about her hookups, really he did, he loved supporting his friend and being happy for her, but not at this moment. He would rather be telling her about his hookup. But of course he didn't have one. So instead he listened.

"Wait, wait, wait- why was he in a stall if all he did was take a piss?" Rue asked to which Harry only shrugged. He had been so focused on the fact that he was actually in there that he hadn't realized Louis didn't even use a urinal.

Thank god he didn't, poor Harry would have for sure taken a peek and then passed out right there.

"I could really go for a cigarette right now," Rue groaned as she leaned over and fixed her stockings, pulling each one up to her knee. "Grab me a pack, will ya?"

Harry hesitated, as he was about to protest and tell her to get it herself, but of course he could never say such a thing. Giving her a soft smile, he stood and went to fetch her cigarettes. By the time he returned, another voice had joined Rue's.

"Oh, Harry! This is my friend Luke, we were just talking about you." 

Harry furrowed his eyebrows as he walked up to the two. He immediately recognized Luke, the incredibly good looking blonde boy. Harry wondered if he'd ever seen a kangaroo up close and if so, did he have a photo of it to show Harry.

The boy was from Australia, Harry looked it up himself.

"Yes, friend. I'd be more if-"

"If you had a vagina." Rue finished for him.

Harry tuned out of their discussion as something else now had his attention. Louis was walking over towards them, cigarette hanging from his lip, hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket.

His usual messy mop of hair was gelled back slightly, giving him more of a cleaned up look - despite the slight stubble evident on his face. Only one single strand of hair escaped the gel and dangled across his forehead.

"Luke," Louis called out as he walked up to the three. "You ready to go?"

Rue shot a look at Harry.