Ghost Boy [L.S.]

Chapter 5

It's been another week and Louis would lie if he didn't say it was incredible. He actually has a friend. A real friend! Harry is so likeable...

He's excited for Harry to come home any minute now. It's Friday and he had to work late, which is honestly unbelievably dickish from his boss, as Harry said, (and Louis giggles every time he thinks about how harry muttered it with a silly face the night before).

He's made dinner, well, just cooked some rice, baked the chicken filet and heated the curry sauce like Harry taught him a week earlier, but he succeeded and is very proud of himself. So now he's even more excited to show harry the food prepared, kitchen cleaned, and then they also get to spend the whole weekend together!

Louis gasps as he hears the keys being turned in the front door. He's confused though, when he doesn't immediately hear Harry call out for him. He does hear voices, more than one. He frowns and his heart rate picks up. Harry brought someone here? Would they be able to hear him too? Would they freak out?

When Harry enters the kitchen, he holds the door open for a blonde guy a bit smaller than himself, but about twice as loud as Harry when he talks. He also talks twice as much, Louis decides when said boy keeps rambling about an upcoming football game. He waits for Harry to introduce him as they take off their shoes, but Harry, probably not knowing Louis' in the same room, just proceeds to the living room with his friend right behind him.

The blonde sits down on the sofa, the one him and Harry always share, and puts his feet on the coffee table in front of him. Louis frowns. Harry doesn't like it when people do that. He told him once. He doesn't say anything, though, and watches as Harry activates the PS4 and hands the other man a controller.

While Harry takes a seat next to his friend, Louis reluctantly sits in the one-seated chair that's left. He used to drink his tea while sitting there, but it's been weeks now. He wants to sit on the sofa with Harry. The boys start playing and laughing. Louis learns the blonde is called Niall, and they seem very comfortable with each other... maybe more than Harry is with Louis?

When Niall breaks out laughing at one of Harry's joke, touching his arm and half hugging him, Louis has had enough and stomps off into the kitchen, where the food he cooked and forgot is now cold.

"What was that?" He hears Niall ask, probably having heard his stomps. He's silent, then, waiting for Harry's answer. But when he hears the man quickly answer, "Uh, nothing. Probably the wind messing with the doors upstairs." He reluctantly sits at a kitchen chair, frowning as he hears them having fun. More fun than he's had with Harry, it seems.

👻

He almost fell asleep at the kitchen table when Harry comes walking into the room with a smile on his face. He goes straight for the fridge and searches for some beers in the lower departments.

"Hi Haz." Louis speaks lowly, making sure Niall won't hear.

Harry heard though, as he yelps a little and hits his head on the side of the fridge.

"Everything okay?" Niall shouts from the living room, but it sounds like he's already started another game.

"Uh, yeah. Almost dropped the beers." Harry shouts back, but he puts said beers down on the counter and looks around suspiciously.

"Louis?" He whispers, "are you here?"

"Yeah." Louis chirps, happy to finally have gotten his attention again.

"God, you scared me," Harry mumbles, letting out a sigh, "where are you?"

"Standing on your left, now." he smiles, but Harry cannot see it.

Harry frowns instead, but it seems like he tries to cover it. "Will you keep your voice down a little, please?"

"Uh, okay," Louis mumbles, confused again, but then looks over his shoulder, remembering Niall. "You brought someone?"

"Yeah, uh," Harry whispers, rubbing his neck, almost as if he's frustrated, "Niall's a friend from work."

"Okay," Louis answers, still not understanding why Harry is being this way. He's being weird. "So, can I join you guys?"

Harry fish mouths for a minute, thinking it seems,

"You can like, quickly explain him that I'm here. I'm sure he won't freak out. We could play some more games? Or he could watch our show with us? Maybe-"

"Yeah, I don't know..." Harry mumbles, looking scared to speak further, "I don't, I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Okay..." Louis says slowly when Harry doesn't explain further, "Maybe we can eat together? I cooked the curry you taught me and it's kinda cold by now, but we could heat it up. I'm sure there's enough for the three of us so-"

"Louis, I don't think Niall should know about you." Harry spits out quickly, relieved to have gotten it out of his system.

"What? Why?" Louis asks, but Harry's already picking up the pints and heading for the living room.

"What if..." Harry whispers lastly, "what if you're just in my head? I'd look crazy, you know? I't just, it's not a good idea. Sorry."

Louis watches him walk on and hears him laughing with his friend. He hears them order pizza a few minutes later and realises what a fool he is. Harry is so likeable, but here he is, completely ignoring him. Louis goes to sit on the kitchen floor between the counter and the stove, trying to blink away his tears.

Maybe Louis isn't so likeable?

👻

Late at night, when Niall finally says his goodbyes and leaves, Harry calls out to him. He calls multiple times, when guilt starts to sink in.

There's no answer.