When The Smoke Is In Your Eyes (l.s.)

0.02

05.01.15

*

"But is he like, hot?" Jessica, Ollys girlfriend asked as they sat at lunch a week later. Jessica was the only exception when it came to Louis' not talking to people who weren't Stan, Jamie, Olly or his teachers.

"Jess." He whined, his face going pink as he let his head flop down into his folded arms that rested on the table.

"Does that mean he is?" She giggled.

"No, I never said that."

"Is he scary? Ugly? Does he smell? Is he beating you?"

"He's none of those things! He's really nice!"

"But is he hot?"

"He has 6 piercings and both his arms are full sleeved tattoos." He muttered, face going pink thinking about the boy.

"So he is hot."

"I guess." Louis mumbled, hiding his face.

"I knew it!"

"Aww, Louis has a crush." Jamie laughed, pinching Louis' cheek, the other three joining in.

"Why am I friends with you lot?" He mumbled.

"Because we're the only people who can bring you out of your little shell and get you talking at normal volume every now and then." Stan grinned.

"Shush." Louis said, fighting a smile because as much as he hated to admit it, it was true.

"Have you even spoke to him?" Olly asked.

"No. He makes me nervous." Louis admitted.

"Everyone makes you nervous."

"No but like, really nervous, worse than first day of year 7 nervous."

"Jesus, that was a bad time." Jamie said, his eyes glassing over as if he was remembering a traumatic experience.

"Exactly. The girls really like him and I think mum does, he's nice from what I saw last Monday but I'm too shy to talk to him or even be around him so I sort of just shut myself in my room."

"You're the worst Louis Tomlinson." Stan said, an arm round Louis' shoulder.

"I can't help it." He whined in repsonse.

-
When he got home from school he dumped his bag and shoes in their usual spot in front of the coat closet before walking through to the living room, the house unusually quiet. He got himself a drink and lent against the counter to drink it, nearly dropping the glass out of fright when Harry came into the kitchen.

"Oh hi Louis." He said with a smile, putting the washing basket he was holding onto the counter.

"Erm hi? Where is everyone?" Louis replied.

"Lottie is at Sophies again, Fiz is at Dannys, Phoebe has gone to her friend Lilys and Daisy is upstairs asleep with a fever. I don't know if your mum called but she had to go into work earlier, although it means she finishes earlier, and just as she was leaving the nursery called and said Daisy was ill so she got me to go pick her up."

"Yeah, okay." Louis said, looking down at his hands.

"Are you alright? I don't mean to come across as rude but your mum did say that you were shy and it would take a while for you to warm up to talking to me but you can ask or say anything. I know you're old enough to look after yourself and that but I am here if you need me."

"I know, it's fine." Louis answered with a nervous smile, turning and leaving the kitchen to go upstairs.

He checked on Daisy on the way to his bedroom, noting the little girl was still fast asleep. As it turned out, Louis had completed all the homework he'd gotten that week and had nothing else to do in his room. Which meant he could either sit in his room and stare at the wall or go downstairs. After he got changed out of his school uniform he took a deep breath and opened his bedroom door, before walking across the landing and down the stairs.