We're Okay

Chapter 5

Louis

So close to the holidays, Louis didn’t throw as many parties. Mainly because he threw one spectacular rager the Friday before his birthday, one that everyone who was anyone attended. His parents would leave him a big sum of money to blow on whatever he wanted, on top of the gift that he’d receive on his actual birthday, and leave him home for the rest of the weekend.

This year, Louis didn’t set anything else up before that weekend, mainly because all of his free time was spent on finishing his play. He slaved over the thing, to the point where Eleanor had even called him a bore, which was something Louis Tomlinson wasn’t very accustomed to being called.

He didn’t even mind, though, because, for once, he was doing something that really meant something to him. Sure, he played football, and that was important. And sure, he had a thriving social life. But this was different than that. This was something he wanted. Needed. And it had to be perfect.

Even his mum commented on his hermit-like behaviour in the last few weeks, and his dad questioned where Eleanor had been. But Louis ignored them and worked until it was as perfect as he could get it. Except he was nervous.

The thing was, Louis wasn’t used to trying hard. Things came easily to him. He had money, looks, friends, a girlfriend. He drove a nice car, wore the best clothes, got invited to the best parties. But this wasn’t something that he could just breeze through. It took work, and effort, and, to be honest, he was nervous about it.

Two days before the play was supposed to be submitted to his teacher, he finished it. Well, finished it as well as he could. He couldn’t go over every minor detail for the tenth time. There was nothing he could fix, nothing he could do to make it better.

He wanted someone else’s opinion before he handed it in, though. He considered handing it off to Eleanor, but he wasn’t sure he trusted her with it. Trusted her not to judge it, or laugh at it. And then he considered Zayn, but Zayn had been in such a foul mood lately that he didn’t think Zayn would be willing to take the effort.

He didn’t really know how the hell he ended up on Harry’s front doorstep. Or maybe he did, because, really, he was the only option.

They hadn’t really talked much since that night in the pool, but that was mostly Louis’ fault. He avoided Harry like the plague that he was. And yet, no matter how much he avoided him, it didn’t keep him from seeing bright green eyes when he closed his own every night. That? That drove him mad. Harry had no right to worm his way under Louis’ skin like that. In a way that, for some reason, Eleanor had never managed.

When Harry’s door opened, he stood there, curly hair an even bigger mess than usual, eyes droopy and red, like he’d been sleeping or napping. The first thing Louis did was throw his shoes at him.

“You didn’t come by the get them,” Louis explained as Harry struggled to grab them. “And they’re just crowding up the front hallway. It’s very inconsiderate of you.”

Harry blinked at him for a moment before smirking. “I thought you might want to keep them, since you’re such a fan of wearing them.”