"This is stupid."

"No, it's not."

Harry is out shopping for a tuxedo fit for prom, "Who even has prom in January, anyway?" He asks, annoyed. He feels absolutely ridiculous in this suit.

"Our school, now shut up, you're getting this." Zayn tells Harry from his place on the little couch by the dressing room, "Maybe we can come here when you need a tux for your wedding."

Harry scoffs, shaking his head, "Right, I doubt that."

"What? Louis likes this place, he is the one who recommended it." Zayn explains, "Wouldn't want to disappoint your spouse."

Harry turns and looks at Zayn, giving him a hard stare, "Cut it out, okay? That's not going to happen."

Zayn chuckles, "So, have you thought about dropping the entire scam?" He asks, watching as Harry stares at himself longer in the mirror.

"No, that's not happening, he just gave me about 4,000." He tells Zayn, "Sold all of his shit, then got money from something, not sure what."

Zayn sits up and looks at Harry like he's crazy, "Are you insane?" Correction, like he's Insane.

Harry rolls his eyes, tugging off the jacket and hanging it up, then removing the pants, "I don't need a lecture, not from you."

"Well then who, Harry? Someone needs to knock you into some sense!" Zayn exclaims, "Not only will that break Louis's heart into little pieces, it'll put you in jail."

Harry shrugs, "Not if he never finds out." He says to Zayn as he puts his regular clothes back on, "I don't have anything to worry about do I?"

Zayn sighs, "No, you don't have to worry about me telling, but you do need to consider quitting, and giving him the money back."

Tugging his clothes back on, Harry replies, "No, Zayn, drop it please?"

"Fine, are you getting that suit?" Zayn asks him, "Please say yes, I'm ready to go."

Harry nods, "Yeah, I quite like it."

"Thank God."

-

"So? How'd suit shopping go?" Harry looks over at Louis, who takes a seat next to him at lunch.

Harry ignores the warm feeling that fills his chest when he realizes that Louis has grown comfortable with him. "It was good, I uh, I actually was wondering if you'd let me pay for yours?"

Louis is taken back by the offer, "Why on earth would you want to do that?" He asks, genuinely confused at the act of kindness.

Harry shrugs, "I don't know, I know you were complaining about the prices, I just want to help." Or he feels terrible about taking thousands of dollars from you, but fine, that works too.

Louis smiles and shakes his head, "That's so sweet Harry, but my Mum is sewing me one, more special that way, you know?"

Harry smiles, "Well, my suit is black with some gold accents, here, I have a picture."

Louis smiles widely as Harry pulls out his phone to show Louis the picture.

"You should give me your phone number." Louis says as Harry pulls up the picture, "You know, for emergencies and that."

Harry panics for a moment, he can't give Louis his number, because Louis already has it, as James.

"Um, yeah, sure, but here look." He shows Louis the picture of him in the tux, Zayn in the background of the mirror scolding him about the entire scam ordeal.

Louis looks and smiles, "You're so handsome, Harry, you look so good in that, like a prince."

"Thanks." Harry blushes, "You're sweet," He says slowly, "But um, about the number, give me your phone, I'll put it in."

Harry can feel Zayn's eyes burning holes into his head. He ignores him and takes Louis's phone, thankful when the boy doesn't question why he doesn't just put Louis's number in his own phone.

"Here." He tells Louis, sending a message. They both hear Zayn's phone buzz against the table. Louis doesn't acknowledge it, but Harry looks up at Zayn.

Zayn glares like he wants to beat Harry for dragging him into the situation. He shakes his head slowly and looks away, eyes finding Perrie, who decided to sit with her friends instead of his.

"So, Harry." Louis says, "Do you, uhm, would you like to come over?" He asks, hesitantly, "It's okay if you don't want to, I just, don't know, thought it'd be cool?"

Harry knows he shouldn't, and so he denies him, "I can't this weekend, babe." He says, pouting, "Soon though, okay?"

"Yeah." Louis smiles tightly, embarrassed for even bringing it up. He should've known.

"So where's Niall?"

"Good question."

-

"Mom, I have to tell you something." Louis says, he's snuck into her room later that night, crawling into the bed with her.

"What is it, boo?" She asks, sitting up and turning the lamp on, she wants him to know he has her full attention.

Louis pulls his knees to his chest and looks at her hesitation clear on his face, "Dad is here, in Town." He tells her, "He was at my game."

"What?" She asks suddenly, furrowing her eyebrows, "Why would he be at your game?"

"He's actually my friends step-father, she just moved here from the states." He tells her, "I saw him and he told me I was good for my age, you know, at footie, and I asked him what my age was, I was mad, I snapped."

Jay nods, "If I was there I would've done worse." She says, "So don't fret." Jay reaches over and places a comforting hand on Louis's knee.

Louis knows his mother is acting like this isn't a big deal, but in his heart he knows it hurts her to hear that he has a family, one he finds more important than his former.

"I love you." Louis reminds his mother, "Can I stay in here tonight?"

"Of course, Lou." She says softly, "C'mere." She turns the light off and lays down in the bed, Louis falling into place beside her.