Chapter Text
“As you all know, the spring Sports Awards will be held in the auditorium,” the Headmistress drones on the morning announcements. “And I’d like to thank Louis Tomlinson for taking on the role of supervisor. It looks like a great program and I hope to see all of you students there!”
Louis squirms in his seat awkwardly. The reason he organizes these events is because he’s “behind the scenes.” He detests being put on the spot.
But leave it to the Headmistress to do just that.
Louis feels the heat crawl up his neck and to his cheeks. He keeps his head down and his eyes focused on the papers in front of him, avoiding the stares of his classmates that he can feel boring into his back.
“Alright class,” Mr. Adams begins in his monotonous voice. “Turn to chapter 13 in your textbooks. Today we will be discussing—“
The door suddenly opens, and in walks a harried Harry Styles. Louis’ heart leaps.
“Sorry I’m late Sir, mum got stuck in traffic and it’s a shame I had to miss the beginning of your class because it is my favorite and—“
“That’s enough Mr. Styles,” the teacher says without an ounce of emotion. “Please take your seat and turn to chapter 13.”
The rest of the students in the class (except for Louis, naturally), snicker. Harry throws them a smirk and a wink and mumbles a, “Yes sir,” before walking towards his seat.
Which is located right in front of Louis (naturally).
Louis focuses his vision solely on the textbook in front of him. He concentrates so hard on the words that he feels as though his eyes are going to fall out of their sockets because of the strain he’s putting on them. He only dares to look up when he hears the sound of Harry sitting down in the seat in front of him. His nose is met with a whiff of cologne and his eyes with the chiseled back muscles that could only belong to one boy.
“Mr. Tomlinson, will you begin reading from the top of page 445 for us please,” the teacher says unenthusiastically.
Louis snaps his head up from where he was admiring Harry’s back muscles, to look at Mr. Adams. “Yes sir,” he says quietly.
And then he begins to read out loud. It is quite difficult to focus on getting the words out because his heart is still beating rapidly in his chest. But then again, when is it not when Harry Styles is in the room?
He finishes the paragraph and stops reading. The teacher continues with the lesson. And through the remainder of the class the one thing Louis hopes for never happens, because Harry Styles doesn’t notice him. Not once.
His cheeks grow warm at the thought. His crush is so embarrassing.
***
At the end of the day, Louis rushes to the school auditorium. Since he is in charge of the awards ceremony, he has to be there the earliest to make sure everything is ready, proper, and in place. And being the perfectionist that he is, Louis checks everything, from the cleanliness of the stage to the correctness of the seating arrangements. Twice.
As more and more people started filing in, Louis steps out of the auditorium and runs to his locker to get a change of clothes. He hates his school’s uniform. Why spend extra time in it?
He walks over to the toilet and changes into tight navy pants and a black and white striped shirt with a black cardigan. He adjusts his glasses where they are perched on his nose, fixes his fringe, and makes his way back into the auditorium.
Back stage, the Headmistress is impatiently tapping her foot against the wooden floor. When she spots Louis, relief passes over her face.
“There you are!” she hisses. “I’ve gone mental looking everywhere for you!”
“Sorry, I just went to change my cloth—“
“No time for explanations!” she cries. Louis cringes at her volume. He’s sure the crowd can hear her hissy fit.
“Now look, Louis. Shelby, here, will be the…” she pauses to look around the small room. “SHELBY!?” she yells.
The door suddenly opens and in runs a petite brunette. She is holding about 10 books in one hand and an athletic bag in the other. “Sorry!” she squeaks, as she sets her things down by her feet. “Cheer practice went late and I had to get my books from—“
The Headmistress puts up a hand, causing the very out of breath girl to stop mid sentence. She takes in a deep breath and hands a couple of papers to the cheerleader.
“Louis, as I was saying. Shelby here is going to be the emcee for the awards. Your job is to make sure that the curtains get drawn, the lighting is fine, and that everything else is in order. If you do this correctly, I will write you the most pristine University recommendation. Got it?”
Louis nods. “Yes ma’am.”
“Good. Well I’ll see you both after the ceremony then.” And with that, the Headmistress scurries away.
Shelby collapses to the floor and lets out a groan. “I am so sorry I’m late Louis,” she sighs and starts placing her books inside her bag. “I knew I should’ve never signed up for this. I’m so nervous that I’ll mess up!”
Louis smiles and kneels down next to her, helping her pick up the remainder of her books and papers off of the ground. “You’ll be fine,” he says sweetly. “And besides, I bet all of the athletes out there love you anyway. You cheer right? Isn’t that supposed to make you loved by everyone at the school by default?” He questions sarcastically.
Hearing his tone, Shelby snorts. “I wish it were like that! I’m still invisible to the one person who I actually want noticing me.” She shakes her head and sighs.
“Story of my life,” Louis mumbles.
“Hmm?”
“I said, who do you mean?”
Shelby pauses for a moment and then stands up. Louis follows suit. She bites her lip and looks around the room. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I feel like I can trust you, if that even makes sense since we don’t really know each other too well? But you need to promise you won’t tell anyone.”
“Yeah, of course. I promise,” Louis says sincerely.
Shelby hesitates and sighs. “It’s Niall Horan.”
Louis laughs. “I can totally picture you guys together!”
Shelby looks shell shocked. “Are you serious!?”
“Yeah! He needs someone nice and sweet like you anyway. All his football mates have stuck up girlfriends and he’s such a good lad. I think he deserves you.” He winks.
Shelby’s eyebrows rise. “That is seriously the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. My friends don’t give me too much love. They all just compete with me. So thank you, Louis.”
Louis beams. “You’re welcome. I’m only saying the truth though.”
Shelby laughs and looks at the clock. “Wow okay. Two minutes to go.” She takes deep breaths in and out. “Wish me luck?”
“Good luck!” Louis exclaims. They both walk closer to the stage, Louis stopping near the string of the curtains and Shelby pausing with him.
“Okay,” she says, more to herself than to Louis. She suddenly turns to him with her arms outstretched. Louis smiles and returns the hug, kind of shocked at how friendly the girl is. “Go get ‘em,” he chuckles and Shelby laughs with him.
Louis lets her go and moves to draw the curtains. The audience begins to applaud and Shelby walks out on to the stage.
She steps to the podium and begins the script Louis has written. Louis smiles. She’s a natural.
***
After the presentation of the awards for each individual player, Shelby announces the MVP of the year. And surprise, surprise: it’s Harry Styles. Louis blushes as Shelby begins to read what he has written about the other boy. It sounds sort of sappy and really gay, evento Louis’ own ears and he thinks he cringes throughout the whole introduction. As soon as she finishes, he sighs a breath of relief, but his heart starts stuttering again when she says, “Give it up for Harry Styles!”
The audience goes mad with applause, and although Louis can’t see them, he knows Harry is being given a standing ovation. And as soon as he thinks of the other boy, Harry is taking long strides up the stairs of the stage on the opposite side of where Louis is standing.
Harry’s all smiles. He has the decency to look embarrassed, which is depicted by how his face is sort of flushed. Nevertheless, he looks breathtaking, Louis thinks. His dimples are in full effect and his curls looks perfectly tousled. He’s wearing black skinny jeans and a white button down shirt with a black tie.
Louis thinks he may actually be swooning. But he regains his composure after Shelby comes to stand next to him. Harry takes to the podium and begins his little speech, thanking all of his fellow footballers and classmates for their support this season. He sounds so earnest and sweet and Louis sure all hell hopes that Shelby can’t hear the beat of his heart over Harry’s voice.
Harry begins concluding his speech, but then, “Oh!” he says. “I almost forgot! I wanted to thank the person who organized the whole event. He’s an absolutely wonderful person who does so much for our school and I don’t think he gets enough credit.” Harry hesitates and looks over to where Louis is standing.
Louis’ mouth is hanging open because he is shocked and has probably never been so shocked in his entire life. Did Harry Styles just acknowledge his existence?! Moreover, in front of hundreds of people!?
“Louis,” Harry says softly. “Could you come here for a moment?”
“N-no, I’m fine,” Louis replies, barely loud enough to hear. Shelby rolls her eyes and grabs Louis’ arm, dragging him onto the stage.
“Louis Tomlinson, everybody!” Harry says into the microphone. His dimples are showing again and Louis feels the blush rush to his cheeks. He turns to face the audience, who are now applauding—for him, he realizes—and waves meekly. Harry leaves the podium to stand next to Louis, and as Shelby thanks the audience and directs them to the refreshments in the cafeteria, Harry puts his arm lightly around Louis’ shoulder.
Startled, Louis tries to control his heartbeat and his expression. He looks up at Harry who’s grinning at him—with teeth, oh my—and he smiles back at him.
Finally, after reaching the end of the program, the three walk back behind the stage.
As Louis struggles to find his voice, he hears Harry say something to him that he misses over because he is so dazed. “Sorry?” he asks, bewildered that he’s still being spoken to.
“Oh, I was just saying, I’m throwing a party tomorrow in celebration of the end of the season,” Harry says slowly. “You two should come!”
Shelby looks to Louis and raises her eyebrows. “I’ll come if Louis does.”
Louis shoots her a puzzled look, remembering that they were hardly even friends before the awards show.
“C’mon Louis! You’ll have fun!” Harry exclaims, smiling brightly down at Louis.
“Erm,” Louis says as he deliberates. “I guess I can swing by?”
“Great!” Harry says and he looks genuinely happy. “Give me your number and I’ll text you my address.” Harry all but shoves the phone in Louis’ hands.
Louis feels like his heart is in his throat, but nonetheless, he programs his number into Harry’s phone.
As he hands him back the phone, Harry looks around, noticing the lack of conversation from the inside of the auditorium. “Alright, I should probably get going. Don’t want to keep my parents waiting. See you tomorrow Louis. Oh, and you too Shelby.” And with a smile, he’s gone.
Louis glances over at Shelby who’s still looking at him with her eyebrows raised. “You like him.” She states.
“SHHHH!” Louis exclaims. He glances around the room, and then, “What makes you say that?”
Shelby laughs, “Oh c’mon Lou, it’s not a bad thing! It’s quite cute! I can totally tell though. The way you look at him is probably worse than how I look at Niall.”
“I don’t like him though!” Louis blushes furiously, knowing that his pleas are useless.
“Pfft, okay sure you don’t,” she rolls her eyes. “I’m going to pick you up tomorrow and we’re going to go to that party. I’ll be your Harry wingwoman if you be Niall wingman?” She asks, sounding hopeful.
Louis sighs. “Alright. But I’m only going to set you up with Niall.”
“Yay!” Shelby claps, and Louis laughs. “Now give me your number, and I’ll text you for your address tomorrow!” She chirps.
Louis smiles fondly and tells her his number as she adds him to her contacts. He awkwardly thinks that he’s never given his number to anyone in the school much less two people in one day.
He shakes his head and Shelby gives him another hug after picking up her bags. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she says over her shoulder.
And with that Louis is, once again, alone.
He looks around the room once, glad that he doesn’t have to clean up, and heads over to his locker, grabbing his school bag. Exiting the school, he puts in his iPod headphones and walks over to the bus stop. Two Door Cinema Club starts playing and he smiles to himself, mulling over the odd day he’s had.
As the bus approaches, Louis realizes that the next day will most probably be much odder.