"I swear I've never done anything to him! He hates me for no reason." Harry complained, staring at the ceiling while Louis covered his neck in hickeys.

"I've never done anything bad or wrong to anyone at that school. I tried to apologize, I was being sincere. Maybe he thought I was faking." Harry thought aloud.

"You never fake with me do you?" Louis smirked, biting his ear.

Harry ignored him, too busy thinking.

"What can I do to get him to like me? We're going to be in this play together, I can't be his boyfriend in the play when he hates me in real life." Harry continued.

"Wait, what?" Louis asked, stopping and leaning back to look down at him.

"He plays Cameron. My boyfriend. And he hates me in real life. Haven't you been listening at all?" Harry snapped, pushing Louis away and sitting up off his bed.

"Of course I have," Louis lied. "But...I mean do you guys have any kissing scenes or anything?"

"No, Louis! That isn't the point here." Harry snapped again.

"Sorry, sorry. Um, just...try being nice? Go out of your way to be nice somehow." Louis said.

"But how?" Harry asked, looking at him. "I'm always nice."

"No clue. Do you have any classes with him?" Louis asked.

"We have math together. That's it, I think. He got a 2 on his last test. Maybe if I give him answers he'll like me." Harry said.

"As long as answers is all you give him." Louis said.

Harry looked at him again. "I was thinking of giving him head too." He said sarcastically.

"Mhmm. This pretty mouth belongs to me." Louis smiled before he kissed him.

Harry let him, but he didn't kiss back.

"Can you make us some dinner?" He asked softly, giving him the eyes he knew Louis wouldn't say no to.

"Fine." Louis smiled, getting up.

Harry smiled back, the smile vanishing as soon as Louis left.

Of course, a lot of things changed when Harry was alone.

But nobody ever needed to know about that.

×

×

×

The next day when Harry decided to come to school, he was surprised to learn that Zayn was in his English class.

Harry knew it wouldn't be a problem, so he walked past his assigned seat and sat in the one next to Zayn.

"What're you doing?" Zayn asked coldly.

"Just wanted a change of scenery. I didn't know you were in this class too." Harry smiled.

Zayn stared at him.

"Oh, you draw? That's really good. I'm terrible at drawing." Harry said, looking at Zayn's open notebook.

"Just like you're terrible at math? Or biology?" Zayn asked sarcastically.

"We have biology together too?" Harry frowned, ignoring his sarcasm.

"We do. Can't tell you how many times I've thought about jumping out the window." Zayn said.

"Why? Biology isn't a bad class." Harry shrugged.

"Yeah, not when you're passing it with an A." Zayn scoffed.

"Are you failing biology too?" Harry winced.

"Too? The fuck you mean too?" Zayn frowned.

"W-Well I know you're failing math and I just assumed-"

"Well don't assume. Mind your own fucking business." Zayn said sharply, but quietly.

"Sorry, I wasn't trying to make you angry I just-"

"Why are you even over here? You're in my space and you need to get the fuck out real quick." Zayn said, feeling shaky.

"Just calm down, okay? I wanted to talk." Harry said.

"About what? How bad you are at everything? How much anxiety you have?" Zayn spat some more sarcasm out.

"Well I know it's not as much as you have." Harry said, noticing the way his hands were shaking.

Zayn hid his hands, glaring at Harry.

"Go the fuck away."

"What did I do to you? Like why do you hate me?" Harry asked.

Zayn rolled his eyes. "Fine, I don't hate you. Will you leave me alone now?"

"I don't believe you." Harry said quietly, staring at him with big green eyes.

Zayn had never noticed that Harry's eyes were green.

Not that it fucking mattered or ever would.

"What do you want me to do? Write it down? Give you a pat on the back?" Zayn asked.

"Well...I don't know. I just don't get it. I want us to get along. We're dating in the play, you know." Harry said.

"Don't remind me." Zayn said, feeling sick now.

"Look, it's cool. Okay? We're cool. Just go away." Zayn insisted.

Harry was always the center of attention, which was one of the many reasons Zayn didn't want to be near him.

"Well...if we're cool why do I need to go away? Can't we chat?" Harry shrugged.

"I'd rather we didn't."

"Why-"

"Just leave me alone!" Zayn snapped without meaning to, causing people to turn and stare.

Harry slowly got up, going back over to his seat.

Zayn sighed, slouching and scribbling in his notebook to distract himself.

×

×

×

"That sounds like hell." Niall said after Zayn finally got around to telling him about the play.

"Bascially." Zayn muttered, pushing his lunch around with his fork rather than eating it.

"Do you two have to kiss?" Niall asked.

Zayn looked at him. "Me and Harry?"

Niall nodded.

"I don't think so. If we did you'd do the honor of putting a bullet through my head, right?" Zayn asked.

"Of course, what else are friends for?" Niall smiled.

"So when's the first rehearsal?"

"Um, this Friday I think." Zayn replied.

"So tomorrow." Niall said, staring at him.

Zayn frowned. "It's Thursday?"

"Yeah." Niall chuckled, even though he wasn't that sure himself.

"Great." Zayn griped.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" Niall asked.

"Why?" Zayn asked.

Niall blushed. "I-I don't know. Just...for company, I guess."

"Well you'll have to ride home with me and my teacher's weird nephew." Zayn complained.

Leeroy made him uncomfortable.

Always calling him honey or winking at him.

"Actually I um, was thinking I could drive us home." Niall smiled, sliding something across the table.

Zayn picked it up, seeing that it was a driver's license.

"Shit, you got it? Or is this fake?" Zayn asked.

"Nope, all real." Niall grinned proudly.

"Seriously?" Zayn asked, feeling excitement for the first time in years.

Niall nodded. "And since my grandma had that surgery she can't drive anymore so she's letting me use her car until the school year is over. No more riding the bus for us after today."

"This is amazing, Niall." Zayn smiled. "I could hug you right now."

"I wouldn't object, I'm just as excited as you. I get my parking spot tomorrow."

Zayn chuckled, getting up and pulling the small fake-blonde into a firm hug.

"Now we can hang out more." Niall said into Zayn's shoulder.

"Of course, yeah." Zayn smiled, letting him go.

Zayn was always the first to let go.

"M-Maybe this weekend?" Niall suggested.

"Sure." Zayn nodded as they sat back down.

"I can't drive after nine though. Not legally." Niall decided to mention.

He knew Zayn always liked to do things late at night.

"Well, you could just crash at my place." Zayn shrugged casually.

"Okay, cool." Niall nodded, attempting to be casual as well while his cheeks burned and his heart pounded.

Zayn smiled, actually having a bit of an appetite now.

Wow, maybe life wasn't so awful after all.