Your Addictive Heart || l.s

At the End of the Day

He loved him. Did he hear that right? Louis loved him?

Fifteen seconds ago Harry was ready to risk everything to give this crazy thing they had one more go around, but now everything just felt too heavy.

He was so in love with Louis he was sure it was causing actual chest pains, but he wasn't ready for this. He wasn't sure he'd ever be.

Love. That was beyond serious. That was plunging-through-the-sky-without-a-parachute next level stuff.

Harry couldn't go back to serious with Louis. Not after what happened. Not yet...maybe not ever. He didn't know how to feel.

Before Harry had time to even think of what he wanted to say to that, he felt Louis buzzing. "Why are you calling me?" Louis asked.

"Oh, it must be Anna. I left my phone with her so she could talk to Liv." Harry lifted his head from off of Louis' chest so he could face him.

"Am I interrupting something?" Harry listened into the call as Anna mocked Louis in a sing-song manner.

"Yes, actually. What do you need?" Harry could tell Louis was on edge after his confession.

"I just got off the phone with Liv. She's not doing so well. I think we should all go over there. Give her our support." She suggested.

"What makes you think she wants to see any of us?" Louis had his reservations.

"She thinks the whole school hates her because of what Jana and Hayley are tweeting about her. She needs to see that we have her back." Anna pleaded.

"She's right." Harry agreed. "We should go. All of us. It'll make her happy." He nodded his head affirmatively.

"Okay, walk over to Niall's and tell him we're on our way. I'll get Liam and Zayn and pick you guys up." Louis organized the trip.

"Okay. Just make sure you get Liam first." Anna gave him a heads up.

"Way ahead of you." Louis agreed.

***

The car ride was silent. Deafeningly silent. Harry couldn't say a word. He couldn't think of a word to say because he didn't know how he felt about it.

Louis must have picked up on his affliction because he reached over the gear shift and grabbed his hand. It was just what he needed. He ran his fingers over Harry's and suddenly oxygen felt just a bit more abundant. The skin to skin contact was both comforting and intimate. Harry couldn't quite express how he felt but this was close enough, and it was as if Louis knew this was as much as he could give him.

They pulled into Liam's driveway and Louis pulled out his phone. "Leeyum." Louis used an endearing voice.

"Yes, Louis?" Liam answered with none of the same comedic approach. He was entirely too skeptical of Louis by now and for good reason.

"Can you come out for a minute?" Louis tried not to giggle and Harry found it unreasonably beautiful.

"Louis, you realize we have a very important exam tomorrow?" Harry appreciated that Liam took things a little too seriously most of the time. It made watching him loosen up all the more fun.

"Yes, that is why I will be sitting next to you in class tomorrow. I'm sure you're more than well-read on the subject. Come outside or I'll be forced peel you off of your reading materials myself." He honked his horn.

"Louis! My mum's gone to bed!" He raised his voice at him.

"I'm doing it again in five. Four. Three." He started to count.