When Two Different Worlds Collide (Larry Stylinson AU)

Six // And So The Project & A New Friendship Begins

{Harry's POV}

It's been over an hour, it's 2am, and I'm nowhere near tired. I tossed and turned constantly because I just couldn't get comfortable. I resorted to playing some soothing music off my phone to help me fall asleep. I let the song that started playing flood my brain as gently closed my eyes. I noticed myself drift off into unconsciousness after awhile, and in my head my thoughts cried, Yes! Finally! but apparently I spoke too soon and I felt a sudden pain in my stomach, like someone stabbed me right in the gut. I held onto my stomach for dear life, and groaned in agonizing pain. I carefully pushed my covers off me, got out of bed, and ran into the bathroom. I rested my head on the rim of the toilet bowl. I heard my stomach begin to gurgle, and I felt a burning sensation deep in my throat. Oh no.. I thought to myself, and that's when everything started to rise up from my belly. I hunched over the opening of the toilet and tightly grabbed the edge of the bowl like I was gonna fall off a cliff. Soon enough, what I had for dinner that night decided came right back up. Looks like this guy is definitely not going to school today.

~ ~

{Louis' POV}

Harry didn't show up for class and we were supposed to start our research today together, but I ended up doing it alone. Throughout the entire class period, I'd see people pass by the open door, in hopes to see Harry walk right in, but never did I see him, not even for the rest of the day. After class ended, Zayn came up to me and had noticed right away that my mood had shifted from anxious and excited, to just down right disappointed as I quietly got up from my seat as I followed him out the room. 

The next day, which was Friday, I counted on Harry to show up this time, but I got my hopes up too soon. Yet again, he didn't come at all, and I had another lonely day to work on more research by myself. I can tell Zayn and Marissa were getting along together well as they worked on their project, since I overheard them laughing and I saw them smiling in the computer row in front of me in the school's library. I've got to admit, I was so jealous of them in that moment. 

I kept on thinking, What if Harry isn't just sick? What if he genuinely does not want to do the project, especially with me as his partner? What if he simply doesn't like me and is too nice to show he doesn't? I hate overthinking things like this, but I really couldn't get this off my mind.

~ ~

During lunch time, I tried my best to brush it off, reminding myself there will be plenty more days that we'll spend to get the project going. And more time to be together. That particular fact cheered me up the slightest bit. 

I distracted myself by talking and joking around with Zayn and Terrance like usual. One thing that Terrance mentioned made me sneeze a little bit of milk out my nose. Terrance felt bad so he offered to get a napkin for me, but I saw him get distracted by other friends of his he saw in the lunch line so I gave up on waiting for him.

From a distance I thought my eyes were playing with me, but they certainly were not as I saw Harry walking down the narrow aisle where the rows of tables separated. When I thought he was about to pass by our table, and I froze once he stopped at the end of our table, right in front of us.

"Hey Louis." He looked at me with that gorgeous smile of his, and sat in the empty seat next to me. "Hey Zayn." 

"Sup." Zayn replied calmly, while looking at me across the table with a small smile, amused at Harry and I sitting next to each other.

"H- Harry," I quickly wipe my nose with the back of my hand, worried I still had some drops of milk on me. "You're back!"

"I'm so sorry I wasn't in 3rd period this morning, or yesterday." He explained with a sad tone. "I haven't had the best sleep lately, then I got ill in the middle of the night, but this morning I decided I was feeling better enough to come to school for at least the second half of the day."