Young & Beautiful

“I think we’re probably just going to stay in tonight. Louis?”
Louis nodded, stomach doing gymnastic leaps and bruising his insides.
“Uh-huh.”
“But thank you for the offer, Niall. You’re a gracious host.” Harry grinned cheekily, hip jutted
where he stood at the counter, delicate pale hands still settled atop the teapot.
“I do what I can!” Niall said, tipping his invisible hat, and then he was gone and Louis’ heart fell
on the floor because Harry looked at him with those soft green eyes.
“So,” he said, voice so low and so liquidy. “You ready to try this tea, then?”
Louis would have probably nodded just as vigorously if Harry had suggested Arsenic.
And so this has become Louis’ life.
Feeling just as much pain as he does pleasure. Excelling academically and maintaining an
excellent group of friends and being in love with the one person in the world who is incapable of
falling in love.
Life is really, really hard.
**
It’s been a good, solid week of Niall driving Louis batshit crazy.
“It’s going to be the best fuckin’ day ever,” he exclaims for the 7,023 rd time, bumbling around the
flat and gathering his practice clothes. “We’re gonna win that fucking race“—the big rowing
match thing between the rival schools was less than a week away—“and then as soon as we wipe
the victorious sweat from our brows, we’re gonna be fuckin’ living it up at the Brit Awards,
winning every fuckin’ category we’re nominated for, and then partying until we piss blood for a
week!”
Louis’ eyebrows flash upwards as he reads a text from Harry—he’s on his way over and he’s got
chocolate pasta and almond wine with an outfit to match, apparently—and mumbles out a, “That
honestly couldn’t sound less appealing.”
“You better be prepared, Tommo. Rest up now because it’s going to be the best fucking day of
your life.”
“I feel like that’s not true.” He taps out a reply.
“Just wait,” he grins, throwing a towel over his head and walking towards the door to leave,
practice bag in tow, just as a knock comes from the door. Louis smiles immediately, knowing it’s
Harry. “Just you wait.”
**
The day that Niall has dubbed “The Most Fucking Brilliant Goddamn Day In Existence” begins
well enough.
Everyone’s a bit tired still, having gone to Zayn’s rooms the night before and emptied a few
bottles of champagne over too many toasts wishing Liam and Niall good luck on their highly
anticipated match.