NERD- Larry Stylinson

0-0 Chapter Eight 0-0

Seventh period, the only period Louis doesn't actually have a class. He sits outside of Harry's classroom, waiting for the bell to ring. He hasn't seen Harry all day and he figures now is the perfect opportunity to do so. He's been thinking about Harry a lot more recently, his thoughts ranging to what Harry is doing to how it would feel to have Harry's lips on his. He just doesn't understand. Why is it that all of a sudden he has these feelings? He hasn't though about anyone like this in a long time the last time being in grade school when he thought he had a crush on this girl named Lindy. Turns out, he really just liked her because she always gave him candy.

But with Harry it's different. He gets this strange rush of affection when he sees the lad in the halls. Everything about Harry is so endearing and he finds almost everything Harry does to be super-duper cute. He could be reading a book for all he cares, but the facial expression he makes has Louis laughing softly. He can't help but have these stirring emotions.

His thoughts are interrupted when the loud bell rings through the hall. Louis quickly jumps up to wait for Harry. After the door is flung open, he steps up, holding the door open as he continues waiting. He can see Harry putting away his folder. He's taking his sweet time, not even realizing that Louis is waiting for him.

When he's finished grabbing all his belongings, he's the only one left in the classroom. Louis saunters his way over, smiling mischievously as he approaches the lad. Just before Harry has a chance to turn around, he's shouting, "Ello love!" Harry jumps, dropping his pencil pouch. Louis can't help but laugh. He bends down to retrieve the pouch and places it back in Harry's grasp.

"Sorry if I scared you Harry, but you were taking soooo long." He emphasizes. "I was feeling mischievous." He grabs Harry's books and brings them to his own chest as they begin to walk down the hall. "So how was your day?" Harry gives him a curious look, but doesn't comment on the fact that Louis just threw himself into Harry's routine. He's here invading Harry's space by asking about his day and holding his books. Hopefully, Louis isn't being a bother.

"Um it was alright."

"Just alright, seems like you had a very blah day." Louis teases. Harry chuckles.

"I mean not much happened I had a test in Calc and I still need to finish my lab for Bio."

"Really so do I, I just haven't found time to work out the data."

"Maybe we could work on it together. Help each other out." Harry stops in his tracks, turning to fully face Louis. "I don't-uh-mean it as a date-uh- it's strictly work-" Louis stops the bumbling boy.

"That'd be great Harry." Harry's dimples come out as he smiles from ear to ear.

"Great yeah great. Tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow." Louis confirms.

xxx

The library is empty as Louis waits for Harry. School was just let out, but Louis headed straight for the library so he can work with Harry on the lab. He's actually pretty nervous about this. This will be the first time he'll be alone with him for more than just a few minutes. There will be actual communication and work to be done. Louis' is actually a bit scared.

He doesn't want Harry to think he's some low life who could care less about school, because that isn't true. He's invested in school, just not in the same manner as Harry. He can't focus all his attention on just school work. His mind is distracted, but if he sets his mind to it, he can accomplish a lot. He wants Harry to believe he's worth a shot. He needs to prove that he's not like the other guys, but rather the guy who wants to get on his side. He wants to be Harry's friend.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Harry whispers as he sits next to Louis.

"It's fine." He opens his notes and opens a new word document on his computer. "Let's get started."

Louis is able to concentrate on the work for a half hour, a personal achievement. Still, his interest is lost sometime when they started working out the outliers for the data.

"Harry I'm bored." Louis whines." Harry glances up from his data table; he's almost done with his graphs.

"Well I mean we are working on school work and that does get pretty boring." Harry points out.

"Can't we do something else?"

"Such as?"

"I don't know something fun."

"Fun?"

"Yeah fun, are you telling me you've never had fun?"

"Well I-uh- I mean-it depends on what you mean by fun."

"Fun like played mindless video games or apps on your phones, or even old school games like 20 questions and truth or dare."

"Well I mean-uh-" Harry hesitates a moment longer before he finally provides a definite answer. "No not really. I'm more of a puzzles kind of guy or reading, that's fun."

"Reading is not fun."

"It is. Reading can take you to another world, like movies. Movies are fun."

"That I can agree with. But come on you're telling me you've never used an app before." Harry doesn't say anything. "Oh my God you're not lying." Louis is quick to pull his phone out of his pocket. He taps on the screen until he reaches the app he wants. He lets it load as he explains how the game works to Harry. "We're going to play heads up. It's like charades but digital and more interesting." Once the app loads, he reads through the categories until he decides to go with animals. "Let's start with something easy." He holds it up to his head and waits for timer to go off. "So whatever it says on the screen, you have to act it out." Harry nods, and the game begins.

The first word is on the screen. Harry studies the screen for a long minute before he's raising his arm in front of him. He swooshes it around, resembling an elephant. "Elephant." Harry nods and Louis' off to the next word. Harry puts his hands by his chest and meows. "Cat." Yes. Harry scratches his head and armpit. "Monkey." No. "Chimpanzee." That's right. It goes on like this for allotted time and then the round is ending with six points for Louis.

"You're turn." He passes the phone to Harry who picks the same category as before. He holds it up to his head and the timer starts. Louis flaps his arms wildly for the first word. "Bird." A nod. Next, he barks and pushes his head on Harry's chest. "Dog." He guesses, blushing. Louis nods, moving on to the next word. They're down to the last few seconds, giggling like crazy. Louis crosses his eyes and blows up his cheeks, hands on either side of his face as flaps them around. Harry breaks out into laughter. "Uh I don't know... A blowfish."

"Right again Harry." The final score ends in eight to six, Harry being the winner. "Not too bad for a beginner." Harry absolutely beams, flushing at the praise. Louis gives him a huge grin back.

"Thanks." Harry continues to smile wide as they go back to work and Louis has an even harder time focusing. Harry is just too much all at once. Louis finds himself liking Harry even more.