In A Heartbeat - Larry Stylinson [complete]

Chapter 4

A.N.: It was supposed to be longer, but here it is anyway. A lot of dialogue, but yea, enjoy :). Oh, before I forget: THANK YOU THANK YOU SO MUCH IF YOU READ THIS AND ENJOY MY STORY! 

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Harry’s POV

The moment Harry walked into the lunchroom, he spotted Niall and Zayn right away. They were sitting at the same, brown old table that the three of them had claimed years ago on their first day of school. The table had been theirs for the last three years. But now where normally would be two empty chairs –as Harry was yet to come– two other guys had taken place, leaving no space for him.

Had his friends replaced him this soon? Harry bit his bottom lip, hesitating if he should just leave, or walk over to join them by standing awkwardly next to the table. He had just decided to walk away and to not bother his friends, when Niall spotted him.

The blond lad waved in Harry’s direction and shouted, "Oi, Harry, come on over!"

Harry figured that he should give it a shot and, after he’d gotten his food, he traversed the room, though in a rather timid way. The moment he was within earshot, Zayn smiled at him and beckoned him to take a chair and join them. Harry just wanted to make an effort to do what he was told, when one of the guys arose.

"Oh, no, actually you can sit here. Sean and I were going anyway!"

The other lad now too shoved his chair back, saluting the two boys who remained at the table. With a last ‘See you later, lads’ they strolled out of the canteen.

"So, those were?" Harry questioned, pointing at the two guy behind him, who were almost out of sight.

"Sean and Josh," Zayn stated, "our new room members."

"Oh," Harry stammered, "Wait, 'The Josh'? The Josh Niall has been crushing on for more than two years now?"

Zayn chuckled, while Niall turned a bright beet red. Looking back only three minutes ago, Harry couldn’t believe he hadn’t recognized the guy.

Niall had been admiring Josh from afar from the moment that the brown haired lad had put a foot in his English class two years ago. This meant that he’d showed his friends many times how crazy he was about the boy. Sharing his thoughts about Josh’s beautiful features, complaining that he didn’t seem the notice Niall, worshipping his eyes, wondering what Josh’s thought’s about him were, the list goes on and on. 

Harry and Zayn had heard it all many times. Naill’s obsession had almost driven them crazy to the point that they’d almost punch him, when he brought the topic of Josh up more than ten times in one conversation.

 "So, you finally talked to him, or do you tend to avoid your roommate all year?" Harry insisted.

Niall’s cheeks turned an even brighter shade of scarlet and Zayn sighed.

"He doesn’t even dare to look him in the eyes, let alone talk to’em."

Though Niall clearly fancied Josh, chattering about him to his friends was all he’d done. He hadn’t even said more to the lad than ‘Can I borrow a pen’, too afraid that he might not like him as much as Niall liked him. The disappointment would kill him, he was just trying to protect himself for the hurt, that would probably follow. Well, that was what he made believe himself. The Irish lad was actually too much of a coward to take the first step.

Niall was an adventurous lad, always up for a dare or bet. He did everything if you gave him a valuable award –what mostly consisted of food. Everyone said he was one of the most courageous guy they had ever met. Well, It was true, he was like that all the time, except for when he liked someone. And boy, did he like Josh.

"Oh, Niall, you special snowflake," Harry smiled at Niall, "So how’s the other lad, Sean right? Do you ignore him as well?"

Niall rolled his eyes while Zayn answered him, "He’s a great guy actually, really funny and Josh’s best friend. He has a girlfriend back home, Kayla I think her name was."

"And he plays soccer too,’ Niall added gladly, "a Manchester United fan unfortunately, but I have the feeling I could get him warmed up for Derby."

"Nothing wrong with Man U," Harry muttered. He felt a stung in his chest, the place where’s heart’s supposed to be, and gave his friends a weak, smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

"Guess, you don’t need me anymore, huh?" He added. 

"Oh Haz, don’ say such shit," Niall retorted immediately, "You’re our best friend, we’ll never be able to replace you. That’s impossible."

"Yeah, Harry. We’ve promised that we’d never leave each other, we’re even blood brothers. Have you forgotten that?"

The three of them had closed the pact at the end of the first school year. Forced to spend their summer apart, the young lads thought the best way to seal their fresh friendship was in a way they’d seen in a movie. After breaking the skin of their left thumb, they had pushed their fingers together, hoping to create a bond. It had hurt like hell and because of their young and foolish minds, they’d forget to disinfect the wounds, leaving the three friends with a now white scar on their thumb.

"Thanks guys, I feel the same way," beaming his characteristic smile, Harry’s mood immediately lifted.

He finally took a first bite of his pepperoni pizza and munched happily. Pizza was almost the only dish that even his school couldn’t ruin.

"So," Niall questioned after a while, "What about your new roommates? Are they nice?"

"Yeah," Zayn jumped in, "Tell us about them! ‘re they all right?"

Harry bit his bottom lip. How was he going to explain this? The odd, but still gorgeous appearance of Louis. Liam’s hostile behaviour. Both’s mysterious, yet endearing vibe they gave off.

"Uhm," he begun, "they’re nice I guess. A bit different, I don’t really know them yet, so I can’t judge already. I didn’t recognize them, never saw 'em before," Harry shrugged, letting his friends know that was all he’s going to say about them.

"What’re their names?" Niall asked curious, "maybe we know them?"

"Louis and Liam, I guess. 'm not quite sure 'bout the second one," Harry mumbled, thinking back of the encounter.

"No, never heard about them", Niall muttered at the same time as Zayn spoke up, "One with blue eyes, the other one brown? The first one a tad shorter and with a bit lighter hair?"

Harry gave him a questioning look, "Yeah, why? Do you know them?"

"Not really," Zayn replied, taking another bite of his now almost cold pizza. "They were in my advanced Latin and Greek class last year. I didn’t talk to them that much to be honest." 

After a while he added, "I actually thought they were a bit weird. There was something odd about the way they seemed to read old Greek and Latin like it was just ordinary English. They could translate a text word by word without help, though they never paid attention in class. Also not the most social people, but it's not like I'm one to talk."

When he saw Harry’s concerned, Zayn patted his knee to reassure him, "But, like I said, I didn’t really know them. They’re probably nice lads."

"Yeah," Niall mentioned, "you should introduce them sometime."

Harry suddenly felt the urge to do just the opposite of what Niall had asked. Secretely wanting to keep the lads as his secret for a bit longer, but he nevertheless told his friends.

"Sure, why not"