In Front of Them (L.S.)

Chapter 29

The next month flew by in a blur. Harry wanted to hold on to every moment, counting down until the trial. But each moment was filled with Louis holding a subtle but ever so present grudge against him for not holding out hope. Each interview turned to them, expecting updates on the happy couple. Except, they weren't very happy right now.

"Can't you just be a bit more optimistic?" was the opening line to the fight that they had now been having for over an hour. At last night's show, Harry had apparently not done very well at hiding his emotions, and Louis was not the only one to pick up on it.

"The whole audience could tell something was wrong Harry!"

"Well, I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry my life might be over and I can't just put on the happy face I've always worn. I'm tired, Louis."

It was true, he needed a break from all the pretending. He'd tried to explain this to his boyfriend before, that they immediately jumped from pretending they weren't together to pretending everything was perfect all the time, but it was to no use.

They'd had this argument before but usually in the confidence of their own company, not surrounded by their bandmates while getting dressed for a new bar opening in London that the band was scheduled to make an appearance at.

Well, Louis was getting dressed. Harry stood with his arms crossed. Liam and Zayn sat on a couch on their phones, and Niall was busy sweeping up the broken glass from the plate Louis had thrown across the room.

"I get that Harry! Don't you get by now that it's hurting me too? But this isn't all on me. I can't take all the blame, you're the one who wanted to come out so damn bad."

Harry felt Louis' words like a slap to the face.

He'd worried for a long time that if they had ever told the world about their relationship Louis would resent him for it. It was a fear six years in the making and it was coming true right before his eyes.

"Alright," Zayn stood, finally taking a chance to split up the two. "Maybe we should just take a step back. We've all said some things we wish we could take back."

"You're right." The pain was clear in Harry's voice, thick and broken. "You're right, I shouldn't have pushed you."

"Harry I didn't mean—"

"No. You're right. Except for one thing, I didn't blame you at all."

With that, Harry grabbed up his suit bag for tonight and exited the room. They were in a studio to be prepped for the appearance but Harry couldn't be bothered, so he rushed outside, not even sparing a glance toward their paid drivers before hailing a black taxi cab. He dipped inside quickly, before the men outside with cameras could catch him, and told the driver the address of the first place he could think of.

With the midday traffic, it was nearly 40 minutes before he pulled up outside his and Louis' flat. They had only been in London a few hours and immediately had rushed to the studio, without even the chance of going home, so when he stepped into the familiar building, and into his own living room, he nearly cried.

Thinking back to the last time they were home, he remembered sitting on the bed, crying in Louis' arms. The room smelled like him. It was faint, but as he laid on the couch where he had slept with his boyfriend, Louis' fragrance lingered in the air. Louis had always smelled the same since the day they met. Harry laughed to himself, surprised as a tear streamed down his cheek, thinking about that night.

He was 15 years old. Everyone had thought they'd met on the x-factor but that really wasn't the case. It was the battle of the bands in 2009. Harry was the lead singer in his little garage band called White Eskimo. Louis was in The Rouge.

Harry's stomach had been in knots all day as he prepared himself to perform. He'd only ever sang in front of some friends and his family before. He was embarrassed to find himself crying in the restroom hiding from his bandmates, they were on in 20. The young lad had finally gotten his emotions together but nearly burst into tears again as he opened the stall door and accidentally hit someone. He was nestled into the corner and the second Harry had seen him, he did his very best to hide the cigarette he had just pulled out.

Harry looked to him and was faced with the most striking blue eyes he'd ever seen. Caught off guard he actually tripped over his own feet and fell into the boy.

"Oops," he had muttered as the older boy said "Hi."

Harry touched his Hi tattoo as he thought back.

"Have you been crying?" His voice was high, and the thick Doncaster accent that laced his words was rather attractive if Harry did say so himself.

"Uh, um, yeah. Just— just a bit. I... uh I was nervous."

The older boy smiled at how flustered Harry was. "You're performing then? 'M Louis, by the way."

"Harry." He stuck out his hand with far too much excitement. "Yeah I'm on soon, but I'm not sure I'm very good. My friends and family say I'm decent but they kind of have to, you know? It's not like their gonna tell me I suck or—" He wanted to smack himself for not shutting up. "Are— are you in the show?"

Louis laughed, and grabbed Harry's hand, causing the younger boy's heart to race. "Yeah, I'm in The Rouge. We were on about an hour ago. I was actually about to leave, but something's telling me to stick around. Here," Louis lifted Harry's hand and pulled out a sharpie. "This is my number. When you're done, look for me in the crowd and if you can't find me, give me a ring. But I promise I'll be there. And I don't think you have anything to worry about." He paused as if debating something within himself.

"If you sound," hesitation cracked his confident facade. But only for a moment. "If you sound half as good as you look, you'll win this thing for sure. Find me, I'll be the one cheering the loudest."

Harry didn't learn until much later that was the first time Louis had ever flirted with a boy.

He found him that night, leaned against a wall in the back of the room, and that was the first night they spent together, running around the small town, wreaking havoc until sunrise, when Louis had to return to Doncaster.

They stayed in touch for months; texting and calling nearly every day. Louis even convinced Harry to audition for the X-Factor, to which he replied, "Only if you do it too."

Harry wiped the final tear from his cheek as a sudden idea hit him, he knew how to make this better, and God, he hoped it worked.

Wasting no time, he pulled out his phone and dialed up the bar's number.