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“Liam, Wake up!” Louis nudged his older brother. “Get up get up get up!” He chanted, laughing and he punched Liam in the side in an attempt too get the teenager -and definitely not a morning person- up. Liam groaned and rolled over.
“Harry’s gonna be here in ten minutes too drive us too school, get up!” Louis said, then grabbed his bag and went downstairs for breakfast. Liam wondered how his younger brother was always was uppity and happy in the morning. Somehow Louis was never grumpy in the morning, even the thought of going too school -that horrible place- didn’t get him down. Liam got up, got dressed, and trudged down the stairs.
“Mom hurry up and give Liam his pancakes, Harry bound too be here soon.” Louis grumbled, as he shoved his own pancakes down his throat. Liam almost chuckled, Louis was so foolish. He had the biggest, most obvious crush on Liam’s best friend, Harry, and thought he was hiding it. Liam sat down and ate his pancakes slowly, on purpose just to annoy Louis as he pushed and shoved his shoulders to “Hurry up, Harry’s gonna be here in two minutes!” When Harry did arrive, Louis practically dragged Liam out the door, before smoothing himself off and trying to be chill in front of Harry. Louis was banished to the back seat of the range rover as always, not that he minded.
“Hey guys, you ready?” Harry asked. Liam looked at him oddly.
“No, we’re not, hold on let me run back inside I have to do more stuff.” He said sarcastically. Louis laughed, but Harry just glared at Liam with a chuckle.
* * * *
“Hey Fag, have fun in math!” A random kid called to Louis. Louis looked at him confused.
“Umm, I will, thanks!” He called back, not letting the hurtful words get to him. Niall laughed at Louis.
“You’re crazy.” Niall insisted.
“And why’s that?” Louis countered.
“That kid just called you a fag, and you told him that you’d have fun in math.” Niall chuckled. “I don’t get it.”
Louis shrugged, and Liam walked over.
“Who was that kid?” Liam asked as he took a defensive spot next to Louis.
“I don’t know.” Louis shrugged, annoyed at his older brother’s protectiveness.
“Well tell him I said too fuck off.” Liam said, then they arrived at Louis’ math class. Niall waved goodbye and kept going on towards the gym. “This your class?”
“Yes.” Louis pouted.
“You gonna be okay?”
“Yes.” Louis rolled his eyes. The constant bullying he endured didn’t bother him, and never really had. But it bothered Liam, something Louis didn’t really understand. Liam walked away with a wave, and just as Louis was turning to go to math, Harry walked up him.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Harry said.
“Not much, just about to go to math, dealing with over protective brothers, the usual.” Louis chuckled. Harry smiled at him.
“Eeeeh, don’t mind Liam, just cares about you is all.” Harry said, wrapping his arms around Louis’ shoulders.
“True.” Louis said, heart pounding with his crush’s arm resting on his shoulders, and time seemed to stop, but just as fast the weight was gone.
“Be careful mate! Don’t piss off any teachers!” Harry joked with a wink as he walked away, beginning to jog when the bell rang. Louis smiled after him, then turned and walked into his class.
“Louis you’re late.” Mr. Rogers scolded.
“Sorry.” Louis said, then made his way too his seat.
“Probably giving a blowjob in the bathroom,” He heard someone whisper as he passed their desk, but he ignored it and moved on. He sat down next to his friend Perrie, and she looked at him with a roll of her eyes. He guessed she had heard the comment too. Louis shrugged his shoulders and got out his things for math.
After a very boring and long math class, the bell rang and Louis bolted. Third hour was Chorus for him, which was his favorite class of the day. That may or may not have had to do with the fact that Harry was in his class. Chorus had such low popularity in the school that all grades were mixed in the two classes that existed. Liam was waiting outside of Louis’ class already, somehow getting there within the time Louis had ran to the door.
“Where’s Harry?” Louis asked automatically. Usually Liam allowed Harry to walk him to chorus, as they were in that class together, and because Liam thought Louis needed a protective escort wherever he went.
“Said he had too use the loo, so I thought I’d walk you today.”
“Is that necessary?” Louis asked, although he already knew the answer.
“I want those jerks to know I’m your brother and they can’t do shit to you or I’ll beat them.” Liam answered. Louis had to admit, it was true. Liam was a senior, but also happened to be the star of the football team, and the basketball team, and the baseball team, and track, and, well you get the point. Most of the school was afraid of him. Although they had no reason, he was a nice guy who would never hurt a fly. Unless, of course, that fly hurt his little brother.
Louis rolled his eyes but continued walking with Liam, as Zayn ran up and basically pushed them over when he jumped on Liam’s shoulders. “The fuck mate?” Liam asked as Zayn fell into step next to them.
“Felt like scarin’ you. Sorry.” Zayn explained with a sarcastic apology. Louis smiled at Zayn.
“Thanks, he needs to get scared a bit.” Louis laughed, and Liam rolled his eyes.
“This is your class. Stick by Harry.” Liam said when they stopped outside of the chorus room.
“He would anyway.” Zayn chuckled as Louis walked in the classroom. Liam shot him a look like, okay-yes-it’s-true-but-was-that-necessary.
“Hi! Hey, What’s up?” Louis greated everyone in the class with a smile and a greeting, even though quite a few of them scoffed at him and rolled their eyes. Louis slipped into his seat in the middle of the classroom, with an empty seat next to him, and he suddenly felt vulnerable. Harry was supposed to be there, Harry was always there during Chorus. Louis took out his things and tried to shake away the thoughts about the eyes on him. Luckily, Harry came fast, and slid in next to Louis with a smile at him.
“Math good?” He asked. Louis smiled and nodded.
“We’re reviewing linear equations for the umpteenth time.” Louis rolled his eyes with a chuckle, and Harry laughed at the exasperation of the boy. Harry thought about how in a few years he’d be wishing he was doing linear equations, and thought it was absolutely adorable how the boy was oblivious.
“Stand up for vocal warm-ups.” Mr. Smee said, and the class stood up, doing lip drills over a 9-note scale, and singing silly words to practice annunciation. “Wonderful, simply wonderful!” Mr. Smee exclaimed. “Now, as you all know, the spring concert is coming up, and we are going to be learning a new song today. I have selected two of you to have duet in it. The song is Chasing Cars, I’m sure most of you know it, yes?” Mr. Smee elaborated. All that Louis was thinking about now though, was who was going to sing the duet. He wanted to do it, yet again he didn’t. He loved to sing but was a bit insecure about his voice. Mr. Smee handed out the sheet music to the class.
“So who’s getting the solo?” A kid, Travis, Louis thought, spoke up, the first to mention it.
“Ah, yes. The duet,” Mr. Smee corrected Travis, “I’ve chosen two of our star singers, and whose voices blend together perfectly!”
“Just tell us who it is!” Jade burst out.
“Yes, yes, sorry. Harry and Louis! Congratulations!” The rest of the class groaned, but Louis and Harry smiled at each other, slightly in shock. “C’mon down to the front of the class, so I can give you your cues and such. One day this week I’d like you to stay after so we can work on harmonies and such.” Harry and Louis made their way to the front of the classroom, and sat at the stools set up by the piano at the front of the class. There were multiple glares shot in their direction, but Harry was the biggest kid in class, and nobody would mess with him. Although, like Liam, he would never hurt a fly.
“Just listen to the song through once.” Louis hummed along, because of course he knew this song. Mr. Smee pointed to them during the bridge, signalling that that would be when they were singing together. Louis smiled at Harry, who smiled widely back, realising they were chosen as the best singers in their class, and Louis might’ve been smiling about the fact that his voice blends well with Harry’s. But then again, maybe Harry was smiling about that too.
* * * *
After school, Harry drove Liam and Louis home.
“Liam, guess what?” Louis asked from the backseat.
“What?”
“Me and Harry got the duet part for the spring concert!”Louis exclaimed.
“That we did.” Harry smiled at Louis. “I’m excited.”
“Why didn’t you tell me before?” Liam asked Harry.
“Figured Lou would want to tell you.” Harry shrugged, but grinned at Louis in the mirror. Louis blushed a little at the nickname, that basically no one calls him. He was also very pleased by the idea that Harry had been thinking about him, not just the other way around. “Speaking of, why don’t you come back to my place so we can practice a bit? Maybe surprise Mr. Smee with a bit of our own harmonies.” Harry suggested.
“Yeah, sounds cool, that cool with you Liam?” Louis responded, containing his excitement. Sure, he had been to Harry’s house plenty of times, but it was always with Liam, or because Liam had to watch him, and he always felt like a bit of an intruder.
“Nah I’ve got to study, can you drop Louis back off later?” Liam said, and Harry abruptly pulled into the driveway. And shit, Louis’ heart was going faster and faster by the minute. He was going to be at Harry’s house, hanging out with Harry, alone. He couldn’t even register the words exchanged between Liam and Harry before Liam was getting out of the car and going inside.
“Well get in front.” Harry said with a chuckle, and Louis scrambled to get into the passenger seat, not really thinking straight and actually climbing over from the back set into the front seat. it didn’t work as well as he planned, and he ended up falling so his legs were sticking up and his face was in the seat. He started laughing at himself, and Harry was chuckling too, because that was just to cute. Louis felt his face flush from embarrassment, but straightened himself out and buckled himself in.
“Not my smartest idea.” He commented about himself.
“Not the smartest, no.” Harry said, before backing out of the driveway.
An hour later, they were chilling in Harry’s room, music blaring and not really doing what they had planned on doing. They were kind of working on Louis’ english, but not really. He was in advanced Theater Arts, so Harry didn’t really get it.
When Louis went to go to the bathroom, he came back to find Harry sitting with his back facing him on the bed. He was completely vulnerable to a tackle, so Louis took the chance. He jumped on Harry’s back and sent them both face first onto the bed. It quickly turned into a wrestling match, which Harry won easily. In the end, Harry was straddling Louis and had both of his hands pinned up behind his head. They were both panting and tired, and quickly realised how wrong the scene looked (although they both wanted it to go there). Harry let go of Louis and climbed off of him quickly, and Louis sat up and crossed his legs awkwardly.
“So, uhm, how’s school?” Harry asked.
“Same old, same old.”
“How you dealing with the backlash?”
“The what?” Louis wasn’t sure what Harry meant.
“You know, you came out last year, how’re you dealing with the backlash? That’s the only reason people have anything against you, isn’t it?” Louis fidgeted with his fingers in his lap. He wasn’t really into talking about it. Sure, since he had come out as gay (the only freshman with the balls to do it), the bullying had just gotten worse but it didn’t really ever bother him. There was something he had waiting for him at school that overpowered the harsh words...
“Well, I mean, sure it’s been a harder year for me than the past few, but not much. It’s just that now, people think they have a legitimate to hate me now. I couldn’t care less. Why, was it hard for you?” Louis asked, now sitting directly next to Harry on the bed. The close proximity and personal-ness about the conversation made Louis feel... Well actually, he wasn’t sure. He was really happy to be getting closer to his crush, but the deepness of it all was not something he liked. Especially since it could possibly get back to his brother.
“Yeah, pretty difficult, but then again I had Liam on my side, oh wait, so do you!” Harry said, with a fake astonished look on his face. Louis blushed a bit and giggled, although he wasn’t quite sure why.
“Eh, Liam’s nothing. I’ve just got a bit of motivation to go to school and brace through it all.” Louis slipped, not meaning to have revealed so much. He hoped Harry wouldn’t ask to many questions about his ‘motivation.’
“Motivation? What do you mean?” Harry had already asked to many questions.
“No, nevermind, forget it.” Louis brushed it off, getting off the bed and going to the iPod that was set up on the dock to pick a song.
“Oh c’mon, tell me. I swear I won’t tell. Is it a guy?” Harry asked, cautiously. He wanted an answer, but then again didn’t because if it was a guy, who could it be? Who would deserve Louis, treat him the right way after years of not being treated correctly? All Harry wanted to do was protect him and allow him to make friends, and be happy, the way he is - but then again doesn’t really seem like it at the same time.
Louis nodded his head, but didn’t face Harry.
“Who is it?” Harry asked. Louis didn’t respond. “Is he hot? C’mon at least tell me if he’s good-looking.” Louis chuckled and turned around to face Harry, finally.
“Yeah, quite good-looking.” Louis was getting confidence from somewhere he didn’t even know.
“Tell me who it is.”
“You know him to well.” Louis chuckled at his own joke.
“I swear on everything I own that I won’t tell him.” Harry swore, holding his hand up.
“But that would be impossible.”
“What?” Harry was extremely confused, as his brain forced him to rule out the only logical answer.
“Do you really want me to tell you?” Louis asked, taking a step forward towards Harry.
“Yes.” Harry said firmly.
“You know what, nope, nevermind.” Loui smirked and turned around. Harry was getting so frustrated about who the hell Louis thought deserved him. Was it Niall? It probably was... but that kid was straight as a pole!
“Who is it?” Harry asked again, just frustrated now and almost going kill Louis if he didn’t tell him. Of course, he’d never kill Louis, just maybe, kiss him a bit.
“I told you already, I can’t tell you!” Louis laughed, turning around with a grin, shocked to find Harry standing right in front of him. He tilted his head up a bit to meet Harry’s eyes.
“Oh, h-hi.” Louis was flustered at the closeness, and when Harry leaned down and whispered in his ear he nearly collapsed.
“Who do you think can protect you better than I can?” Louis looked up at Harry surprised.
“N-Nobody.” Louis answered, still trying to catch his breath from the fact that Harry was practically breathing down his neck.
“Good.” Harry gently pressed his lips to Louis’, and they both melted. Louis more than Harry, because the whole concept that he was kissing Harry oh my gosh he was kissing Harry holy shit wasn’t really registering. But when they pulled apart and looked at each other, Louis just hugged Harry tight.
“You’re my motivation, by the way.” Louis made sure Harry knew, as Harry hugged him tightly back.
“You’re adorable.” Harry chuckled, and kissed Louis’ forehead.
* * * * * *
“Forget what we're told
Before we get too old,” Harry sang, deep voice booming in the auditorium.
“Show me a garden
That's bursting into life,” Louis sang, looking into Harry’s eyes as they filled with pride.
“All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes
They're all I can see,” They sang together, harmonizing perfectly and blending together just like Mr. Smee had observed. As they sat on the two stools in front of the rest of the chorus, their hands found each other and their fingers intertwined. The relationship between the two had shocked the student body, but was quickly accepted with Liam behind it, and also half of the star couple was a good five inches on the rest of the grade.
It was safe to say they were happy.