Tease [Larry]

Eight

Harry knows his mental health has began deteriorating again when he starts falling asleep in class.

It's a mindless cycle, resting the curve of his cheek into the palm of his hand while Mr. Q drones on and on about the importance of the Pythagorean Theorem. He thinks, I'll just rest my eyes for a quick moment, before succumbing to the comfort of his jumper, bundled warmly around his body, slack with comatose—

And then he's startled awake nearly an entire hour later, harboring a rather spotless page of notes and a stark, red handprint along his jaw. His mouth is dry and his head is in clambers as he hurries to pack his belongings before scurrying to fifth period. It's vicious. Harry's been reliving the same day for the past week.

Spring break hits him like a truck; cue the plethora of pool parties he's never invited to, planned vacations to the America's (that never actually end up happening), bathing suits that chafe at his thighs and bring an unnecessary amount of attention to the extra chub along the waistline of his swimming trunks, and sunscreen. Or rather, lack thereof.

It's his second least favorite season. (In other words, he isn't exactly looking forward to spending the next two weeks of his life cooped up in his bedroom, religiously masturbating to playboy).

Though, there is somewhat of a silver lining.

Harry's Birthday always falls on a random day of spring, sometime after the sun shows it's face and the flowers start to blossom, and for the first time in a long time, he's actually been thinking of celebrating. He's never been one to attend house parties, so he's not certain as to what it takes to throw a good one, but he's a hundred percent on board if it lands him a solid distraction.

Because he'd done some grocery shopping for Edna on Monday, and has played enough video games to turn his brain to mush. He's been making up his own workouts at a futile attempt to get 'in shape' for spring, and has started riding his bike to and from school. He listens in on a couple of podcasts, and makes a cool playlist that he never gets around to burning on an actual disc. He even thinks about returning one of the thousands of missed phone calls he's been getting from Niall.

In the end, none of it matters when he walks through his front door everyday after school and is instantly met with Louis and his ridiculously blue eyes. And none of it matters when Harry's been trapped upstairs in his room all day, but he can still hear Louis' loud mouth from across the hall, cracking jokes with Aaron and Gemma.

In reality, Louis remains in Harry's life like a phantom. He's inescapable; lurking in the corridors of the school, taking up his favorite table at the library, chilling at his house with his feet kicked up and his leather jacket idly swaying off the coat rack. It's exhausting having to tip toe around his own home, dodging Louis left and right. But it's all Harry can think to do after the events of last Friday.

Needless to say, he's been doing a fair job at avoiding Tomlinson.

Until Saturday.

He's just gotten off the phone with Niall, who refuses to make up over the phone and begs Harry to come over until he feels like his head's going to explode.

(Harry only ends up agreeing to meet up after Niall's promised to bring pizza).

(It's definitely bribery).

Nevertheless, while he waits for Niall's arrival, he manages to finish his English homework, watch an entire episode of Magic Knight Rayearth and even starts the book he's been re-renting for the past three months. When he hears a rather aggressive knock at his front door, he bolts down to the foyer like his life depends on it, bearing mix matched socks and a pearl necklace from the thrift shop.