A Twist of Fate - Larry Stylinson

Part V

Louis was literally hopping with excitement, or anticipation, the next day at school. He just couldn’t sit still, be it during a lesson or during break.

“What time is it?” He asked, nudging Zayn with his elbow. The other boy threw him a weird look. “What’s wrong with you?” He questioned. “You just asked me that like, ten minutes ago! It’s 10:37,” he replied in a hushed tone as the teacher glared at the both of them.

“Nothing.” Louis replied innocently. “I’m just…excited. I’ve got a dinner date tonight,” he admitted, making sure nobody – or more specifically, their teacher – could see or hear them talking.

Zayn leaned closer immediately, his curiosity evident in his body posture. “Do I know her?” He asked. “Some girl from the party?” He grinned, and Louis smacked him away.

“You wish. It’s not a girl,” Louis rolled his eyes at Zayn, who looked completely taken aback. “What? It’s just Harry.”

Zayn smirked, eyebrows lifting suggestively. “’Just Harry’ eh?”

“Excuse me? Mr. Tomlinson, Mr. Malik? Would one of you care to repeat what I just said?” A very less than amused looking Mr. Evans directed his cool gaze on the both of them, and Louis elbowed Zayn to do something.

“Uh, you said…something…” He tried, trailing off dumbly, and a ripple of quiet laughter passed through the students sitting in the room. Mr. Evans shook his head, and Louis wondered briefly why the corners of his mouth weren’t permanently fixed downwards yet.

“Would anyone like to repeat what I just said to your two friends over there?” Mr. Evans continued, ignoring them and leaving Louis to continue to fidget for the next few hours of the day.

~*~

“You know, I was actually going to ask you if you wanted to do something after school, but it appears you aren’t free, so I guess I won’t bother you,” Zayn said casually, as they left their last class for the day, Louis a little more enthusiastic than usual.

He was walking so fast that Zayn seemed to be having difficulty keeping up with him and talking at a normal speed. “How thoughtful of you,” Louis replied sarcastically. “But yes, you will not bother me.”

“Well, have fun with ‘just Harry’, then.” Zayn teased as they parted ways at the school entrance, but Louis barely heard him, already anxious to get home to start preparing everything for Harry.

~*~

“Mum, I’m having a friend over for dinner tonight!” Louis announced, walking into the house where his mother was busy cleaning the shelves of books against one of the walls. Dropping his bag on a chair, he plopped down on the couch and reached for the remote for the television.

“Which friend? Do I know him? Or her?” She asked absently, focusing more on her work than on the conversation itself. Louis shrugged. “Well, you might. You’ll see when he comes over later.” He hoped his mother would be surprised. Surely she wouldn’t be mad at him. He didn’t believe she didn’t miss their old life at all, didn’t miss the friendship she had with Harry’s family and the people in South Shields.