louis stepped out of liam's car and stared at the building before him. he remembered when high school used to be fun. he used to be on the junior varsity footie team in ninth grade. he used to participate in art club and choir. he used to have friends.

this was before everything went to shit.

he didn't know what happened but everyone drifted away. nobody looked at him the same. maybe it was when he came out as gay. maybe it was when he kissed this boy sophomore year and he went around telling everyone they fucked. maybe.

he used to love school. he could be himself. but now school is just a vacancy in his heart. he hated it. he didn't want to read the letters plaqued into the top of the building above the top story windows. he didn't want to walk through those large double doors and sign himself in. but he had to.

it was one of the last senior meetings regarding graduation, class rings, pictures and the last few months of school. louis has yet to confront his guidance counselor and tell her that he has no hope for college. he may just get a job once he graduates, find a one bedroom flat and go from there. he doesn't have a car, he doesn't have his lisence, what's the point?

everything in life is okay except for right in this moment. his relationship was going well, his medicine and therapy have been fine. harry actually offered to have louis stay more often but louis didn't want to feel like he was bugging harry (even though the lad would run to the end of the universe for him.)

"is harry here today?" liam brought him out of his trance.

louis looks over and nods. "it's almost lunch so he will be going on break soon."

the two boys sign in through the front office and louis makes his way down the hallway. a few students were wandering the halls waiting for the lunch bell to ring so louis snuck into the elevator to head up to the third floor.

once he heard the bell, liam parted to find zayn and louis made his way to harry's classroom when the students disappeared. he knocked on the door a few times before opening it, seeing harry sitting at his desk on his phone.

"room service," the small boy said and shut the door, climbing into harry's lap when the man opened his arms. he greeted him with a kiss and snuggled into his chest, burying his head in his neck.

"missed you," louis murmurs.

"i missed you more, baby," harry squeezed him. "what time is the meeting? they said roughly around fifth period."

"one thirty," louis said. "i'm just filling out my information for my diploma. i can't afford my cap and gown. i don't think i'm gonna walk."

"um, you're most definitely walking," harry interjected. louis pulled back a bit and harry tilted his chin up to peck his lips. "because i already paid for everything."

"why?" louis whispered.

"because you deserve it. you're almost done with school. you need to walk across that stage and get your diploma to show these people that you did it even when you didn't want to."

louis looked up into his eyes. "you're amazing."

"why, because i love you?"

louis froze for a moment and harry rose an eyebrow.

"it's true. and i won't hesitate to admit it. i love you. i am in love with you, lou. i want to be your happiness and i want to be your home. i need you to believe everything i say because i have never lied to you, why would i lie now?"

louis teared up and looked down. "i.."

"you don't have to say it back but i'm just letting you know i can't keep it in any longer," harry brushed his hair out of his face. "you make me whole. you are who i look forward to seeing, talking to, being with, everything. i want you and only you."

he lifted louis' head back up and wiped the tears barely dripping down his cheeks. louis closed his eyes and fixed himself up before speaking to his boyfriend.

"i've never been showed what love is," he whispered. "i'm scared."

"of what, baby?"

"i don't want to fuck up."

harry shook his head and wrapped his arms around louis' waist. "you could never fuck up, love."

"i don't want to lose what we have because i don't know what love is," louis whispered.

"then let me show you," harry says. "i want to give you the world. i want everyone to know how much i love you, and i hate that i have to wait until may but the day you graduate i want you to move in with me. i want to start a new life with you."

"yeah?" lou asks softly.

"oh yeah. i want you to move in with me, i want to adopt all the dogs in the world, i want to take you places you've never been before and i want you to know that i would take a bullet for you in a heartbeat. you are my life. my world, my boy," the green eyed man pressed soft kisses against louis' lips. "i love you, louis tomlinson. and i will never get tired of telling you that."

"i'll never get tired of hearing it," louis said. "and..i don't want to sound dumb but you make me the happiest i have ever been."

"how does that make you sound dumb, lovely?"

louis shrugs. "i dunno. you make me smile, my heart skips beats every time i see you. when i hear your voice, everything around me goes away and i focus on you. you still give me butterflies in my tummy. i still get all blushy and giddy when you text me goodmorning and goodnight. i still have all of our pictures saved in my phone from when we first got together. am i supposed to feel like this?"

harry nods with a grin. "yeah, you are.."

"how do you know if you love someone, haz?" louis asked shyly, playing with the collar of harry's shirt. "and i'm not asking this because you love me, but i want to know how a regular person feels love. i don't know these things."

harry spun the chair around for a moment, laughing when louis squealed against his chest because he flung forward.

"love is an indescribable feeling," harry set his hands on louis' sides. "but i know i love you because you are my peace. you can change my mood just by looking at me. you make me the happiest man on earth. i look forward to what our future has in store because i will fight for you until my very last breath."

"you're too good for me," louis whispered.

harry shook his head and shushed him with a soft kiss. "you don't have to say it back but i wanted you to know that."

louis nods and wrapped his arms around him. "i feel bad because i can't..."

"but one day you can, right?" harry asked softly.

"oh yes," louis promised. "one day i can and one day i will."

harry nods and kisses his shoulder. "i love you."

louis closed his eyes and squeezed him closer. "i know."

---

at the end of the school day, harry stayed after to finish grading some tests that he had been trying to do when he had free time, but students always asked him for help. being the generous man he was, he gave out as much advice and assistance as he could. he actually had one student turn in her project by the end of class when they had three days to work on it.

he sat at his desk and slumped in his chair, flipping through the pages and looking back at the answer key laying on the table. right, wrong, right, right, the kid got a 94%. even though it was creative writing, he still had to teach the kids about proper sentences and types of literature.

he got sidetracked by thinking of what louis was doing right now. his mind travelled back to earlier that day when he poured his heart out to louis. he didn't feel like a fool because louis didn't say the "l" word back. he wanted louis to know it. he deserved to. louis was a precious gem. he was quite the rare one, one you would keep and hold onto forever.

harry loves him.

he loves the way louis gets slaphappy when he's tired. he loves the way louis' eyes and nose crinkle up whenever he smiles or laughs or even when he will think nobody is listening and starts singing to himself. half of the time it's in the shower, but harry still thought he was the most wonderful person ever. he had a heart of gold, a pure soul, louis was worthy of love even though he didn't feel like he was.

it took another hour for the teacher to finish grading things and putting the grades in the book for report cards. he ended up texting the boy on his mind and offered to take him out for dinner when he got out. louis obviously accepted because it was more time he could spend with his boyfriend.

harry put the papers in their designated trays to pass back out tomorrow and shut everything off, grabbing his keys and locked his classroom door. he made his way down the stairs and went to sign himself out when he was stopped by the principal of the school, who was exiting his room.

"mr. styles," he greets. "can i speak with you for a moment?"

harry nods and follows him back into his office. "what's going on, sir?"

"take a seat," mr. jones said and sat in his large chair. mr. jones had sleek black hair and a black beard with hints of gray to it. he was in his mid forties, roughly harry's height and had a high pitched accent just like someone else harry knew.

"i've been confronted by another staff member about some suspicions regarding you," mr. jones leans his arms against the table.

harry's brows furrowed. "about what?"

fuck. fuck fuck fuck. this is it. they know. they know about him and louis, they've caught on and now he's about to get fired. what if they search his things? what if he loses his job? he loves being a teacher. he can't get kicked out and be the talk of the school because he had relations with a student.

"mrs. solomon says you and mr. malik have been a little buddy buddy lately, and she's concerned you two are in some sort of secret relationship."

"malik? as in, zayn?"

"correct, sir."

harry looked at him in shock. "you have got to be kidding me. i'm sorry she thinks that way, mr. jones, but that is completely false. mr. malik's partner, is best friends with one of my students. that student had some things go on with his personal life and i've been trying to reach out and make sure they were okay. they stopped coming to school, so zayn would come get his classwork and tell me about how his friend is doing. by no means does that make us in a relationship."

"i understand," mr. jones nods. "thank you for your time. is there anything else you wanna say on your behalf?"

"do you believe her?"

"oh god no," the principal snorts. "harry, you should know this woman feeds into drama whether it involves students or adults. i just wanted to let you know that she's targeting you right now and to not worry about her. between you and i, she's actually getting pink slipped at the end of the year."

harry's eyebrows shot up. "well, that sounds like some tea, sir."

"it definitely is," the man chuckled. "are you using the kids' lingo now?"

"no," harry blushed and crossed his arms, looking away innocently. "i'm just cool like that."

his boss chuckled and stuffed his hands in his pocket. "alright, then. thank you for your time, lad."

harry nods and wishes him a good evening before leaving his office and actually clocking out. he heads to his car, unlocking it and noticed the teacher mr. jones was talking about walking towards her own vehicle. harry wasn't a violent person but he really wanted to run her over at the moment.

---

mmmmmmmmmm i feel like yall dont really like this book so idk about how i feel about this chapter. tried to add something saucy but i dont think its saucy enough.

but anyways, harry said he loved louis. how do you feel about louis' reaction? is his reasoning valid?

what about the principal/harry talk? mrs. solomon being a sneaky hoe?

thank you for almost 8k 💜