Louis nervously rung the doorbell to the Bright household, shifting on his feet as Sheila opened the door, eyes widening at the sight of Louis.

"Um... Louis! How... What are you doing here!?" Sheila looked behind her as Ed approached, smiling at Louis.

"Lou? You should've gave me a rang, I could've been here to answer the door," Ed said, avoiding the glare his mother was sending him.

"You two are friends again?" Sheila asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Something like that," Ed replied, intertwining his fingers with Louis's and pulling him inside. "We'll be in my room if you need us, Mum."

Ed's mother just watched as the two went upstairs and into Ed's room.

"Your mum looks so different," Louis noted.

"She's had a few jobs done," Ed said with a roll of his hazel eyes, plopping onto his bed- which was really just a mattress on the floor despite the amount of money the family had- and closing his song book. He must've been writing before Louis showed up.

"So she's still happy with Scott?"

"As if Scott is ever home," Ed mumbled.

It hasn't always been that way. Ed's dad died when Ed was only two. Sheila met Scott Bright a year later and they moved here to Doncaster, to this house. Jay Tomlinson was Sheila's first friend and Louis was Ed's.

Back then, Scott was always home. He owned a few car lots and many houses so the family was doing well with money.

Louis supposed that it was different now, but he hasn't been around for three and a half years. Not that it was his fault.

"Do you remember that day?" Ed asked suddenly. "The day that you left?"

Louis blinked slowly, the summer day drifting back into his mind. "I do."

"That's the thing I regret the most in my life. You were my best friend, the one who pulled me from my shell and I hurt you so bad because I was scared to be different!"

"Ed-"

"Let me finish... I was so wrong and even if you forgive me, I feel like shit because it wasn't right for me to do what I did, to hurt you because I know you'd never hurt me."

Louis blushed, looking at his feet. "It's really alright, Ed. Everyone makes mistakes-"

"Louis, won't you understand! I lost the most important thing in my life because of what other people think. I... I don't care what they think anymore. I want to come out."

Louis and Ed stared at each other for a second before Louis broke into a smile. "Really?"

"Yeah... Yeah, I do. I want to throw a party or something and make it an announcement but at the same time I just want to tweet it or something."

"Don't make it a big deal," Louis said immediately. "Not like me or Har-Um... Just tweet it."

Louis crinkled his eyebrows together when Ed grabbed his cell phone.

"You're doing it now?" Louis asked in surprise.

"Yes," Ed said simply and Louis crawled onto the bed beside Ed, who laced their fingers together and used one hand to type out a tweet before taking a deep breath and sending it.

Louis squeezed Ed's hand and the ginger looked at him, smiled, and pulled him in for a kiss. Louis sighed happily into Ed's mouth, pulling away to bump their noses together. Ed smiled fondly and handed Louis the phone so he could read the tweet.

I'd just like to let you guys know I've been keeping a really big secret. I'm gay. (: As in, I'm into boys. (A certain boy.) xx

"Already favorited," Louis said as the notification came up. "By... Oh."

Tweet favorited by Harry_Styles

"What's your thing with Harry? Are you guys fucking or something because-"

"No," Louis said immediately, blushing. "We've done nothing like that."

Ed nodded, setting his phone down and looking over at Louis.

"What did you come here for?" Ed finally asked.

"Oh. Oh. I need to tell you something."

"'Course, Lou, you can tell me anything."

"My aunt is moving to Manchester... And... And so I have to move to Manchester."

Ed's face fell into one of shock. "What? Louis, we just... No, you can't..."

"I'm so sorry, Ed, I don't want to move-"

"Stay here, with me," Ed said, grabbing onto Louis's other hand.

"I can't," Louis whispered. "You and I just became friends again and it's a bit different now. I can't live with you."

"Please," Ed whispered. "Please stay with me. I can't lose you again, Lou."

Louis frowned a bit, confused on what he should do.

Ed was willing to take Louis in, unlike Harry was.

Maybe he should just do it and move in with Ed.

"I'll think about it."

Ed smiled softly and pulled Louis in for a few more kisses.

~~~

Harry grumbled as he tried to use his left hand to open his locker, but it wasn't working.

He'd missed the past two school days and it was shitty being at home. Don't get him wrong, he was happy that Gemma was at home with him but neither spoke much, they just watched movies and Gemma helped Harry do things around the house since Harry's right hand was broken.

Besides that, he woke up late and looked awful today. His hair was down and messy and he didn't even have a hat on. He was wearing a simple white tee, skinnies, and black Converse wit a long black coat due to the chilly weather outside.

"Harry?"

Harry glanced behind him even though he already knew who it was.

"Louis," he said simply.

"Why are you ignoring my calls and texts? I didn't want us to stop being friends-"

"But don't you see!? We were only friends because of this, Louis. We only got close because you were showing me how to be gay. I was your project!"

"It was your idea!" Louis hissed, suddenly aware of the attention they were getting. "Be quiet, please, can we talk about this somewhere else?"

Harry sighed, giving up on his locker. "There's nothing to talk about."

"Why are you so mad?" Louis asked quietly. "And what happened to your hand?"

"You left me for Ed. You want back to him when I've been here the whole time, changing for you. I need to get to class." Harry ignored the other question and swept by Louis, ignoring the calls of his name.

~~~

Louis's day was horrid.

Literally, his only good moment of the day was in the classroom with Ed but he could only stay for ten minutes because his play was coming up soon and he needed to rehearse.

Not even Ed's sweet kisses could make him feel better, though. They actually had him feeling worse.

Does Harry like me? Louis asked himself multiple times that day. It was the only accurate explanation.

Don't be silly. Harry is straight.

Then again, the actions in his bedroom a few weeks ago proved otherwise.

He was horny.

Louis couldn't decide what made more sense because he was too busy focusing on mid-terms to do anything. Louis wasn't the brightest student, so he was filling out study guides to use. Even his essay was shit.

Louis Tomlinson

December 4th

And that was pretty much all he had down. When the bell rang to go home, Louis scurried outside, spotting Harry walking to his car. Louis rushed over, weaving through the students.

"Harry!" Harry paused his actions, hand on the door as he opened it. He raised an eyebrow.

"Can I have a ride?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Harry's eyes narrowed as he slammed the door and walked towards Louis, who backed up slightly.

"I'll be at your house tomorrow around noon to talk. After that, you better not bother me anymore."

"Harry-"

Harry pulled Louis in by his hands and pressed their lips together for at least five seconds before pulling away. Louis blushed.

Harry's thumbs pressed over Louis's cheeks before he turned and left.

Louis sighed and went to find his friends. Roni and Calum were at Roni's car but Louis knew something was wrong when he could hear Roni's voice from this far away.

"You're such a jerk, Calum Hood! Go fetch him, he's our friend!" Roni said shrilly, green eyes narrowed at Calum, who was standing there with his arms crossed.

"What's going on?" Louis asked as he approached, face still a little flushed.

"Calum made Niall cry and he's not doing anything about it!" Roni hissed.

"Niall, Niall, Niall! You and Louis are always so focused on Niall! What if he's the problem?" Calum hissed.

Louis, who hasn't spoken to Calum since he found out about the abuse, shot Calum a glare.

"We all know Niall is the most fragile of us all!" Louis said, placing a hand on his hip.

"Oh, great, you've gotten Louis involved," Calum says sarcastically. "I'll go find Niall."

"No need now," Roni said, looking behind Louis. They all turned to see Niall walking towards them.

He pushed past Calum and got into Roni's SUV. "Can you take me home, Roni?"

"Yes," Roni said immediately. "Lou?"

Louis nodded and got in the back with Niall, placing a comforting hand on Niall's thigh.

"Seriously?" Calum hissed.

"Go catch a ride from someone else," Niall growled back, fists clenched. It was rare to see Niall angry so Louis knew this wouldn't end well.

"Niall," Calum said, his voice breaking. "You know I'd never purposely hurt you..."

Niall leaned out the window and slapped Calum dead across his face.

"Fuck you, Calum Hood."

Roni gave a little wave of her fingers and pulled out of the lot, leaving behind a red-faced, teary-eyed Calum.

~~~

It was later that night and Louis was scrolling through Twitter on his laptop. He smiled every time he saw how many retweets Ed's coming out tweet had.

No one was treating Ed any different at school and although Louis was jealous, he knew that it would probably be different if it wasn't for Harry.

Speaking of Ed, Louis had texted him three times with no response, so he decided to call.

Ed answered on the third ring, making Louis a little nervous.

"Lou?"

"Hey, Ed... You haven't answered my texts."

"Oh... Yeah, I was busy," Ed replied quietly.

"Oh? Um, sorry. I wanted to hang out earlier."

"Tomorrow?" Ed asked. Louis heard a chuffing and what sounded like the strings of a guitar being swiped before Ed added, "Sorry."

"I actually have plans tomorrow with a friend," Louis said, blushing, thankful Ed couldn't see.

"Cool, cool. Sunday, then?"

"Yeah, sure. Text me?"

"Yeah," Ed said before hanging up.

Did I do something wrong?

Louis shook his head and turned off his laptop and his lamp, climbing under the blanket.

He didn't know why, exactly, but he ended up crying himself to sleep.

~~~

"Harry!" Gemma said as she stepped into his room. She looked pissed.

"Yes?" Harry asked from his position on his bed, leaning against the headboard and watching a movie on his laptop.

"Mum just informed me of your little project."

Harry closed his eyes and let out a sigh before looking over at Gemma. "And?"

"That is so cruel! Being gay isn't an option and it's rather insulting," Gemma sneered, green eyes blazing with anger.

"It doesn't matter. It's over," Harry said blankly.

"What's going on?" Gemma asked, her angry facade falling. "Usually you'd be pissed if I talked to you like this."

"The project worked, s'all. I like the boy I was working with and I don't know what to do."

Gemma was the first and only person that Harry could admit this to. No one else would understand.

Gemma smiled sadly and went to sit on Harry's bed. Harry paused his movie.

"Is this the boy your going to see in a bit?"

"Yeah, Louis... He's so... I messed it up with him and I really just want to be friends, nothing more, but every time I see him with his... I mean, I guess not his boyfriend but... This is difficult, Gems, and you're home to relax."

Gemma let out a sigh as the door opened and another girl entered.

"Gemma? Are you gonna come finish playing with your mum and I? I'm close to winning," the girl, Daphne, whined, sitting in Gemma's lap and wrapping her arms around Gemma's thin torso.

"I'll be right there, having a small chat with Harry," Gemma promised. Daphne smiled, waved shyly at Harry, and left.

"Daphne's really cute," Harry said, watching the tiny girl leave.

Harry broke into a smirk as Gemma narrowed her eyes.

"Don't even think about hitting on my girlfriend. Now go get ready for your date, loser."

~~~

Ahhhh. That chapter was everywhere

Okay anyways

Tell me what you think about this chapter since there's a lot of stuff in it.

Xx