Harry's POV:

"Happy birthday, Harry!" Blair and Oliver cheer as I walk downstairs. Margo, who's sitting on her phone at the kitchen island, looks up with an annoyed look and grunts. Good morning to you too.

"Thanks!" I smile, and Oliver hands me a wrapped gift. "Oh, you guys didn't have to," I take the gift gingerly.

Blair hooks her arm around Oliver. "We wanted to. Open it!"

I rip back the leopard gift wrap (which pretty much confirms Blair wrapped it because it's her favorite print) and find myself holding a new pair of football cleats. I've never even owned a pair before, and just play in my purple trainers so this is a real luxury.

"Wow, thank you so much," I say excitedly as I take the cleats out of the box. They're neon green and the exact shoes of one of my favorite footballers, which ups the coolness factor.

"I passed by your room one day and the door was open. I saw one of the footballers on a poster you had pinned up on the wall wearing these, so I thought it would be cool to get them for you as well since we know how much you love the sport," Oliver explains and Blair nods.

"This is incredible, I can't wait to try them," I secure the box in one arm. We aren't at the level where I would hug Bee or Oli, but I give them both warm smiles.

"Now," Blair ushers, "I know Louis planned a party for you and I don't want you to be late. Have lots of fun and try to be back before ten tonight, okay?"

I nod as Margo lets out a long string of quiet curses and bitter words at the mention of Louis' name. Remind me to be careful when having him over because there's a genuine fear that he'll have more pink objects thrown at him, all with the intent of him getting hurt.

If anyone inflicts pain on Lou, it'll be me and it definitely won't be out of hatred.

"Will do. I'm going to quickly put these cleats in my room and be on my way,"

"Happy birthday, again. After all, you're only seventeen once,"

I thank them both repeatedly and drop off the shoebox in my room before driving over to Louis' house. Our date yesterday went better than I could've asked for. Going to the movies with him after dinner was loads of fun, so I'm more than excited to see him today.

Louis texted me this morning and told me to walk through the gate to their backyard when I get here, so I walk around their house and hear music already playing. I can hear loud whispering coming from the backyard as I enter through the gateway.

I'm quickly ambushed by a swarm of hugs, and fall to the ground with four heaping bodies on top of me. "Happy birthday, Harry!" I hear them all shout in unison and feel Louis kiss my cheek before they pile off of me, laughing.

I instinctively give Louis a warm kiss and then a hug as thanks for organizing this little party for me. When someone clears their throat, we break apart and I look to where the voice says, "Whenever you two love birds are done..."

Tommy is standing there, grinning with his arms extended. I throw myself into his arms, joy running through my body by the fact that my best friend is somehow standing right here in front of me on my birthday, which is one of the best surprises I could've asked for.

I've never once gotten to see any of my friends while with a foster family, and I'm frankly not sure how Claudia even agreed to let this happen, For as long as all of us have been in and out of there, none of us have ever been allowed to see one another while they were away. So this is surreal.

"Hey dipshit, long time no see," Tommy grins and ruffles my hair, "Louis broke me out of the agency after a lot of back and forth with Claudia, and here I am. Happy birthday, Harry!" He gives me another hug and a loving smile.

I turn to Louis with a grin, mouthing 'thank you' because I know how much of a stickler Claudia can be. There are three other boys here, all of whom I don't recognize. But they have friendly faces and look like they already know who I am.

"Happy birthday, Harry!" A bond-haired boy cheers, giving me a hug before I even have the chance to react and hug him back. "We're Louis' friends from school. I'm Niall, we've heard tons about you from this bastard," He jokes and elbows Louis in the side.

The second boy, who has curly, dirty blonde hair and a flat-brimmed hat, gives me a small wave. "Hi, I'm Liam, and yeah, Louis tells us tons about you," He turns to the third and final boy, who has skillfully styled raven-black hair and cool earrings, "And this is Zayn."

"Hey, Harry," Zayn smiles casually. He has a cool vibe to him, very chill and laid back. Niall appears giddy and easily excitable as he bounces around with energy. And Liam looks like he's ready to party and just enjoy hanging out with the bunch of us.

Tommy, on the other hand, is ...crying?

"Tommy, what's wrong?" I quickly excuse myself and pull him aside, trying to make sure everything is okay.

"Harry, everyone's been telling me about how bad your foster family is. I mean, of course, they're just rumors, but I'm scared. I don't want a repeat of your bad foster families when you got abused. Harry, I can't have that happen again, please tell me you're okay," He trembles, trying to hold back tears.

I give him a tight hug, promising everything is okay because both of us have been through so much when we go from family to family, and our fear for each other's well-being is completely valid and justified.

"I'm okay, I promise. They're completely fine and I'm safe," I rub his back as his breath shudders from pent up emotion, "I'm sorry you had to hear all the rumors and stress out, but you know I'll always text you or call you if something isn't right, okay?"

"Are you positive everything is okay?"

"I'm sure. With the exception of their daughter being kind of a bitch," He lets out a little laugh, "They're not too bad. The parents are nice and they let me hang out with Louis even though he and Margo have that ex-relationship drama going on that I told you about,"

"Tell me if anything ever changes or you ever need anything and I can tell Claudia right away," Tommy pulls back from the hug and wipes away a few salty tears, "I'm okay now, so c'mon and let's get back to the party," He teasingly pushes me back towards the others.

"Thank you for the party," I take a minute to look around at Louis' decorated backyard with a plethora of blue and gold items and balloons. There are two big speakers playing music, a rectangular table with assorted foods and drinks, and Louis' football and makeshift goals.

"The twins helped me pick out stuff for the party, and Lottie and I went shopping for the food. Oh and I got you something," Louis retrieves a wrapped gift that was sitting on the table next to a bowl of crisps, "Wrapped it myself, but I've never been good at it so sorry if it looks messy,"

The wrapping paper is somewhat haphazard and surely has enough tape on it to secure it through a tornado. But regardless, it makes me smile because it's from Louis and he took the time to try and wrap it just for me.

I carefully tear back the paper to reveal a box of blank Polaroids and a brand new Polaroid camera, something I've always wanted but never had the money to buy. "Thank you!" I give Louis a kiss before excitedly opening the box and taking out the camera.

"Take a picture!" Niall suggests and poses like a supermodel with Zayn, with over-exaggerated pouts and their hands on their hips. I laugh and take a picture of them, and the picture comes out of the bottom of the camera.

We all take turns taking pictures with one another, posing and making funny faces, and having a good time in general. In one of the pictures that Liam took of Louis and me, Tommy photobombed it and you can see him jumping behind us into the frame before accidentally falling right into the Tomlinson's pool.

Eventually, we all end up jumping in the pool after Tommy, fully clothed and a laughing mess. Lottie walked outside sometime during the impromptu pool party and snapped some pictures of all of us goofing off and flipping and diving into the pool.

She added the developing pictures to all the ones we have laid out on a spare table that I want to add to my walls back in my bedroom. My bedroom walls are still pretty bland but having these types of mementos and pictures will make it feel more like my space.

That, and all the little doodles I have on the wall by my bed. Unbeknownst to the Huxley's, the majority of them are doodles of Louis and me, but in stick figure form so they won't suspect a thing.

Time flies by as the six of us hang out in Louis' backyard, dripping wet from swimming in the pool as we play football together with three people per team. Me, Tommy, and Zayn versus Louis, Liam, and Niall - who Niall refers to as 'Niall's Team of Champions'.

It's not about winners or losers, but we won.

Getting to know Niall, Liam, and Zayn is exciting because Louis has talked about them before, and I have a feeling we'll end up hanging out as a big group more often, or for however long the Huxley's agree to keep fostering me. As for Tommy, I still can't believe he's here and not just a face on a video call.

When it's finally time for everyone to leave since it's getting dark, I give them all huge hugs and thank you's. Zayn, Liam, and Niall all promise to hang out soon, and Tommy vows to keep texting and calling every day or two to make sure I'm still doing alright.

When Vanzilla finally pulls up Louis' house, I say my final goodbye to Tommy before he climbs in the backseat. Jasmine, Claudia's assistant and occasional van driver, pulls out of the driveway and heads back to the agency after giving me a quick wave goodbye and wishing me a happy birthday from her and Claudia.

Since it's just Louis and I left, he invites me inside after we carefully put all of the Polaroids in a little bag along with the camera.

"Thank you for today, Lou," I plop down on his bed next to him, grinning like mad because yesterday and today have been the best two days I've had since I first moved in with the Huxley's.

"Of course," He kisses me lightly on the forehead, "Thank you for choosing to go to this one versus the one Oli and Bee offered to throw you,"

"This was perfect. Plus, I think if Blair hosted a leopard print-themed birthday party, none of you would've come," I joke.

"I'd come, don't worry," He smirks and I punch him in the arm when I realize the double meaning. Horny bastard.

"Speaking of," He scooches off the bed and grabs two small boxes off of his dresser before returning to my side. "Phoebe and Daisy thought it would be hilarious to get these for the party," He holds them up so I can read the box.

"Blue and gold condoms?" I question and Louis snorts.

"Extra large too,"

I roll my eyes and bite my lip to hold back a smile. "Give 'em here. You never know, we might need them," I hold out my hand and he gives them to me, before making an obscene hand gesture that makes my cheeks blush red and my stomach bubble with excited anticipation about whatever ...stuff the future holds.

"Don't tell the twins I actually gave them to you, though. They think I threw them away since it was sort of a gag gift," Louis whispers as if they could hear us two doors down.

"THANK YOU DAISY AND PHOEBE!" I shout in the direction of their room, and Louis quickly shoves a pillow in my face to muffle me.

"YOU'RE WELCOME!" Daisy shouts back, and I die laughing while Louis looks so embarrassed, you might think he accidentally showed up to school naked.

"HAVE FUN FUCKING OUR BROTHER!" Phoebe pipes from the same room, and thank god that Louis' parents are out running errands, or I'd be afraid to step foot in this house again if they heard that.

But alas, they're gone, and that means I get to joke around with Louis' sisters as much as I want since Louis is the only embarrassed one here. "THANK Y-" My joking shouts are cut off as Louis tackles me, clapping one of his hands over my mouth as I struggle to escape his grip.

When I'm unsuccessful and he hovers over me, one hand still covering my mouth, I lay back under him and wiggle my eyebrows before opening my mouth to talk again. Louis must have other plans, though, because he sticks two fingers in my mouth, and shit, does that shut me up.

I close my mouth obediently, sucking on his fingers like a lollipop as his embarrassed expression quickly changes to something between a smirk and a lustful look. When I return the smug smirk he gives up the act and smiles before replacing his fingers with his mouth, falling on top of me.

Just like the day I asked him out on a date two days ago on the footie pitch, we make out with one another, oblivious of the world around us as we're completely wrapped up in one another's company. When he finally pulls back and plants a few little kisses on my face, he continues to lay on top of me, hugging me tightly.

"Happy birthday, Harry," He buries his face into my neck, kissing and sucking on it softly.

"Lou?"

"Hmm?"

I pull him closer to me, loving every aspect of spending time with him. "Since it's my birthday, can I ask you one final thing?"

"Of course," He lifts his head up to look at me, his blue eyes truly mesmerizing.

"Will you be my boyfriend?"

***

sooo what happens next? any ideas :)

Thoughts or comments?

VOTE if you think Louis will say yes!