next to you ❀ l.s.

four - harry

The little coffee shop beside the bookstore was just as warm and welcoming, and Louis mentally thanked Liam for choosing a cozy spot like this for their afternoon studying that Wednesday. The beginning of his second week had already been stressful and overwhelming, and he needed a bit of warmth and comfort in his life. As soon as he walked in, the bell rattling cheerily to announce his arrival, Louis spotted Liam in a booth toward the back, already sitting with their drink orders and one of his textbooks laying open on the table.

As soon as he slid into the booth, Louis demanded bluntly, "Tell me about Harry."

Liam raised his eyebrows, suspicion flashing across his face. "Well, hello to you, too. I had a great day, actually, thanks so much for asking." He pushed one of the mugs toward Louis, then sighed, rolling his eyes to further express his irritation. "What do you want to know about him?"

Louis shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant despite the thousands and thousands of unanswered questions floating through his mind. He wrapped his fingers around his coffee cup, grateful for the warmth that spread across his skin. "If I'm honest? Everything."

Despite his best attempts to act annoyed, Liam grinned victoriously. "I knew you'd like him."

"I don't like him!" Louis exclaimed defensively.

"I didn't even mean like him like him, but I think you just proved that you do," Liam laughed, a smug smile playing at his lips. He leaned forward slightly, and Louis got a sudden wave of nostalgia for their days of high school gossip. "I mean, you must at least think he's fit."

Louis flushed red, the heat on his cheeks matching the steam still floating upwards from his coffee. "Of course I think he's fit. But I just want to know him . . . and understand him better."

Liam smiled knowingly. "Well, if it makes you feel better, he wants to know you better, too. He's barely stopped asking about you since I introduced you two weeks ago."

As hard as he tried to contain his happiness, Louis's blue eyes widened with excitement. "Are you serious?" He paused, then admitted, "I kind of thought he hated me."

"Of course not! He's just shy, Lou. I mean, honestly, not everyone can be as loud and intrusive as you. Don't harass the poor kid."

"Fine, fine. You're right," Louis replied, his head still spinning with the stunning revelation that Harry might be just as embarrassingly interested in him. "Then tell me about him."

"Okay, okay. In short? Harry is, um, odd?" Liam pursed his lips, clearly fishing to find the right words to describe the curly-haired lad. "But he's sweet. Kind. Not too many friends, very close with his mum. Always has his head in a book, ever since I've known him."

Louis hummed curiously, taking a sip of his warm drink (although he was pretty sure that the warmth that spread through him came about as a result of thinking about Harry, not the hot coffee in his cup). "How did you meet him?"

"During my first year of uni, I needed a book for a literature class. Harry found it for me, and then proceeded to give me about ten other ones that he said would help me understand it. He was still in high school back then."

Louis just laughed, rolling his eyes fondly. That sounded just like Harry -- always eager to help, especially if it meant talking about the captivating stories he always seemed so invested in.

Liam grinned in return, continuing, "Then I needed help with my paper, so I went back on a hunch that he could help me. Harry sat with me all night explaining symbols and metaphors and a bunch of stuff I had completely missed. I got an A on that paper, just so you know."