Unexpected crush (l.s.)

37.

To say Louis was scared was an understatement. He was absolutely petrified. The short brunet had never felt the need to share his past with anyone ever since he moved and it was like the whole situation forced itself to arrive. Nick switching schools was like a personal nightmare come to life for Louis because he knew that Nick would bring up the past and Louis knew that that meant he had to actually face the music instead of running away. At least he was going to face it with people that accepted him and stood behind him... he only had to explain the whole situation and hope they believed he wasn't like Nick or the others.

"Do you need another?" Ed asked when he made his way back to where Louis sat, "You look like you need a whole bottle."

The shorter one grimaced, "I have to stay sober for this unfortunately, but I might just consider that bottle if it goes wrong." Louis shook his head, trying to get rid of the negative thoughts, "Whatever. Let's get over with it."

Louis was sitting on one of the chairs at the table in the back near the back of the bar. His head jerked up when he heard the door of the bar open and a tiny smile made its way to his lips when he saw his boyfriend looking for him. Harry rushed towards Louis when he saw him and wrapped his arms around the shorted lad.

"Hazza?"

"Don't just leave me when we have an argument. I'm always standing beside you, even when no one else is behind you. We're a team now."

"Sorry, babe. I'll talk to you first before jumping to conclusions." Louis wiggled out of Harry's hug and kissed his cheek. At least he didn't scare his boy away.

Zayn, Niall and Liam arrived a bit later and Louis and Zayn started explaining their relationship with Nick after they all ordered a drink -Louis claimed he needed more alcohol if they were going to do this-. They told the others about how powerful they felt when they were around Nick and the others because Nick had filled their head with the thought that if they were popular, everyone should do what they say... And they believed him. Louis began with their first day and built up, every misstep after the other. Every little detail he was ashamed of came out of his mouth and he didn't try to hide behind the fact that there were others doing the same or that it was just something stupid all young boys did, because it wasn't like that. Louis went with it and turned peoples school life into a hell until he couldn't go back anymore. Throughout the story, Harry held Louis hand and squeezed when they came closer to the end.

[Flashback]

Louis was outside with Eleanor. She had bruises all over her arms and he knew that there were more under her cloths. Even a few he inflicted on her. He sat her down on one of the stairs and kept apologising while he wiped the dirt and a bit of blood away with his handkerchief.

"Why did you do that?" Eleanor asked, her head tilted a bit in curiosity, "You started this. You asked them to do this, they told me you did. Why would you feel guilty when you're the reason my best friend Fenna quit school because she was scared she'd end up with broken bones. Lisa quit cheerleading and started wearing long-sleeved shirts to hide her scars. Did you know she started cutting because of your mental abuse? It's not only the ones you hurt physically, Louis. You push people to their limits until they break or give in. Did you ever stop to think about the ones on the receiving end? You break everyone down if they don't do what you ask, if they don't worship you for some unknown reason. You sit at the 'popular' table because they fear you and they don't want to be next, but if you take that away, what do you have? You're the same as us, Louis. An insecure, fragile, naïve teenager who doesn't know what to do and runs with the crowd because, at the end of the day, you don't want to be alone."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"No, you- wait, did you just admit I was right?" Eleanor looked at him as if he had gone crazy and Louis laughed.