Study of Life and Love

Harry’s large, familiar hands grabbed onto my hips, pulling my body flush against his so he could whisper into my ear.

“You look stunning,” he said.

I blushed while peaking over his shoulder at the way Zayn greeted Indiana with a kiss to her cheek.

“You look pretty good yourself.” I stepped back from Harry and smiled at him, feeling content that my heels finally brought me to almost his height. I forgot how tall he was until my neck would start to feel strained from reaching up to kiss him all the time.

“Are you ready to go? The limo’s were pulling up the street as we came in.”

I nodded at Harry and accepted the arm he offered out to me. I held on tightly to my red clutch in one hand while leaning against Harry on my other side. It was cool outside and I was glad for his warmth, as my dress provided none.

“You should know that Louis’ date is Eleanor.” Harry murmured, leaning over so his lips were once against brushing my ear. I fought off the shiver and frowned towards the first Limo waiting out front of our house, Louis was already standing there with Eleanor next to him, Liam on his either side. Toran was his date. Both were only doing it for the benefit of making other people jealous. I was surprised Liam had decided to stoop that low. I was also slightly proud.

I turned to look over my shoulder as Thea and Olly came out of the house, both laughing heartily as they always did whenever they were around each other. I smiled, happy that she was happy and watched as Olly easily maneuvered her towards another limo. I would have to thank him later. I wanted Thea to have a good night, without Louis ruining it. Louis himself, now watched as Olly helped Thea climb into a limo.

“Since when were they dating?” Louis demanded.

I rolled my eyes. “Does it matter?” I pointedly looked in the direction of Eleanor but he only sighed and ushered her into the limo. I rolled my eyes and pulled Harry in behind me. I don’t know what was going on with Louis lately, but he wasn’t usually so dense about his own feelings.

Liam and Toran soon joined us in the limo followed closely by Sidney and Niall. Sidney faltered when she saw Eleanor next to Louis and shared a surprised look with me. I was only surprised that Louis hadn’t told Sidney. As far as I knew they told each other almost everything whether they liked it or not. And if he hadn’t told her than it meant he either knew what our reactions would be or it was a last minute decision. A choice that he looked unhappy about.

Right now, as he sat there with his arms crossed over his chest, he looked like a child without his favourite toy or a child that never got the toy he wanted in the first place.

I rolled my eyes at his pettiness and turned my attention to Harry. He too had been focused on Louis.

“Did you plan this?” he asked.

I look affronted for a matter of seconds before smiling slyly. “I might have encourage Olly to ask Thea to the dance knowing that Louis had once thought they were dating.”

Harry shook his head, frowning down at me. “You shouldn’t mess with love.”

I raised my eyebrows in shock. “You think he’s in love?”

“He looks about as miserable as I did when you wouldn’t give me the light of day.” He said, shrugging his shoulders.

I frowned, tucking myself closer to Harry and nudging my nose against his cheek affectionately. “I didn’t know you then. And I can be pretty stubborn.”

“I’ve noticed,” he said, smiling down at me gently. I understood he wasn’t saying this to hurt me.

“If he loves her then he’s got to prove it.” I finished the conversation, turning to glace at Louis as Eleanor tried to get closer to him. A pang of sadness washed through me as Louis looked like he wanted to be doing anything but touching the girl that cheated on him. I had no idea why he constantly kept putting himself through this. She should have been knocked out of his life a long time ago.

Sidney nudged me and pointed outside the window as we rolled up the hotel that had a ballroom big enough for all the houses to fit inside. The hotel had been partnered with the University for years and it was tradition to hold the annual ball here.

The room was stunning as always, I had never doubted Sidney’s obsessiveness with perfection, all the other house leaders wouldn’t have had a choice but to fall in line behind her.

Niall led Sidney in front of us, towards the middle of the room and mock bowed to her, wanting to dance. I laughed as Harry tugged on my own hand the moment the music kicked in and the room was flooded with sound. I let Harry guide me to the center of the room beneath a large gold chandelier. He kissed my hand and pulled me close against him.

The music wasn’t even ballroom dancing but some track that had been over played on the radio. I shook my head but let Harry lead me around the dance floor in a mock show of the waltz where neither of us had any clue what we were actually doing. Occasionally Harry and Niall would make Sidney and I switch places whenever we passed each other and I found myself surprised by Niall’s grace. He was just never one to not be stumbling around.

It was Harry that slipped and almost fell, only being caught by both Zayn and Louis at the last minute. Sidney laughing hysterically next to them.

I smiled at Harry and reached out to take his hand, he didn’t even seem embarrassed that he had almost stacked it in front of everyone in the room.

“Let’s get a drink,” I tugged him towards the refreshments table, still giggling at Harry’s gangly limbs.

“It’s an affliction that I’ve had to deal with all my life,” he was saying seriously.

“What big feet?”

“Well you know what they say about big feet,” he nudged my waist and winked at me in the sleaziest way. I groaned and pushed his face away with the palm of my hand.

“Trust me Harry Styles, I’ve seen bigger.” I laughed at his shocked face and twirled away from him, letting myself be swallowed up by the crowds of people on the dance floor.

Thea was pulling me into a dance circle made up of her, Olly, Rhiannon and Connor. I smiled at the way Rhiannon and Connor barely kept their hands of each other. It was about time they made up properly.

“Why does Harry look like you slapped him?” Thea yelled over the music, I looked back to where I had left Harry. He was glaring at me over a cup of something.

I laughed and wiggled my fingers at him. “I may have insulted his manhood.”

“I thought those days were over.” Rhiannon joined in.

“I’m never going to be over insulting men’s manhood’s.” I reasoned.

I danced with the group of them for a while longer, Thea and I letting Olly spin us around and back into his arms. His flying legs were only slightly more coordinated than Harry’s. The difference being Olly was using wild legs as part of his dancing style, Harry just didn’t know what to do with his.

“How’s Indiana going with Zayn?” Thea yelled when Olly got distracted by a dance-off with Connor.

“I honestly don’t know,” I vaguely looked around; I hadn’t seen her all night.

“Should we be worried?” Thea asked.

I shook my head. “Like Zayn would ever let anything happen to Indiana. Come on let’s go get something to drink.” I had spotted Harry talking with Liam and made my way towards them. I was surprise when I got closer to find Gemma was also with them. I knew old sisters of the house would be invited but I wasn’t aware Gemma was coming. I felt almost shy when we got closer, unsure how this was supposed to go with Harry’s sister now with us.

I jumped as Harry pulled me in tightly. I wrapped my arms around his neck in reflex as he pressed a large kiss to my cheek. There was a wide smile gracing his lips, causing dimples to appear on either sides of his face. I couldn’t help but press a kiss to the one dimple within my reach before stepping back, still tightly held in his arms.

“You’re not still annoyed at me are you?” I asked innocently.

“You can make up for it later.” He grinned wickedly throwing in a lewd wink. I scoffed when one of his hands wrapped around my waist so his hand could grab a squeeze of my ass.

“Argh, stop parading your love around us singles.” Liam mocked us.

“I know right, makes me gag when I see my little brother being all lovey dovey,” Gemma shot me a wink, a smile lighting up her face. I relaxed easier in Harry’s grip.

“Why don’t you two date each other?” Harry directed the question at Liam and Thea, his voice full of feigned innocence.

I studied the blushing pair before shaking my head. “Nah their too nice. Can you imagine them trying to decide on what they were going to eat or where they should go out to dinner? It will be all you decide, no you decide, and no you decide.”

“Oh shut up you. I’m not that much of a pushover.” Thea grumbled.

“True,” I conceded. “You did just tell me to shut up.”

“I tell Louis to stop harassing me all the time.” Liam defended himself.

“Does it ever work?” Gemma asked curiously, a sly grin slipping across her face.

Liam looked down and shook his head. We all laughed and I accepted a glass of wine from Harry as a waiter walked pass with plates full.

“Actually Harry, Mum wanted me to let you know that she was planning on visiting in two weeks, she’s been asked to be a guest lecturer by one of her old friends and she wanted to have dinner with you both.”

“Both?” I squeaked out, going pale before I could stop myself.

“Yeah, she wants to meet you,” Gemma smiled encouragingly but it didn’t stop the nauseating feeling that plummeted into my stomach.

“I’ll set it up with her during our next call,” Harry said simply, like what Gemma had suggested was completely okay. Like his family didn’t have a completely different person set up for him not that long ago. He had seem to forgotten how completely out of Harry’s league was my entire family and living situation.

I paused in my freak out as Daniel Alston appeared from the crowds of people on the dance floor, his eyes were focused on Thea. Camden was right behind him with the leader of Mary’s, Lillian, on his arms. He seemed to be calling out to Daniel who only ignored him.

Both Harry and Liam stiffened when the trio approached, Daniel ignoring everyone else but Thea. Luckily, Gemma had already turned, finding another person she had attended University with and was too distracted to notice the tension that ripped through the group she had just been a part of.

“You look stunning,” he complimented, causing Thea to blush darkly. I watched her closely as she thanked him. I knew that she still talked to him often but I also knew that she didn’t harbor any real feelings for him like she did with Louis. Though right now, I could see them working out a hell of a lot better. Daniel didn’t seem to have brought a date tonight.

Harry’s arm circled my waist once again but instead of using it to cop a feel, his hand gripped my hip and pulled me possessively against him. I ignored him, focusing on Thea and Daniel.

Except Liam stepped forward into my way, reaching to take Thea’s arm.

“We’re talking,” Daniel snapped at Liam. I was surprised at Liam’s movement before I spotted Louis heading our way, a confused Eleanor trailing behind him.

Thea was almost unaware, feeling the tension between Liam and Daniel but she had no idea that Louis was approaching behind her before he was already there.

I pulled out of Harry’s grip, annoyed that he would care about being possessive in front of Camden when things were about to blow up in front of us. A fight was not for the best when the ballroom was filled with adults that had possible connections with out future.

Thea startled when Louis pushed his way between her and Daniel, his eyes not quite reaching Daniel’s and I knew that it killed him to have to look up at the taller man. I grabbed Thea’s arm but she refused to budge. Her eyes glaring between both boys.

“Do you really want to do this here, Tomlinson?” Camden asked, leaving his date to move closer to the two boys. He was as aware as I was about the people beginning to watch us.

Harry made a noise of annoyance as he moved forward too, keeping himself between both Camden and I. I had forgotten how much of a child Harry could still be. I wandered where Sidney was, worried that this was seconds away from becoming physical if the closing space between Louis and Daniel indicated anything.

“What are you so pissed off about mate? You’re with another chick, why can’t I talk to this one?” Daniel hissed, causing the muscle in Loui’s jaw to twitch, his neck tensing to the point that veins were poking out. I was close enough to reach out and poke them but I didn’t think that would be a great way to defuse the situation. I tried to tug on Thea’s arm again, but she only resisted, not even sparing me a glance. She looked furious, more furious than I had seen her look before.

“She’s not a chick,” Louis seethed, “and no you can go pick another chick any other chick. But you need to back off of Thea.”

I was almost positive that Louis had forgotten who all this was about, to busy being caught up in the male testosterone bullshit that he had going on with Daniel. But when he said her name his posture softened slightly and he glanced out of the corner of his eye to look at her, only for a brief moment before turning back to the mountain of the man in front of him. I had no hope for Louis coming out as the winner in the fight between both boys.

“Get her out of here.” Sidney’s voice sent shivers down my spine with how close she whispered into my ear. I turned to see her smiling face, the ability to force that smile was given away in her eyes. Her eyes were furious. She pushed her way forward and forced herself into the small place between Daniel and Louis.

“I suggest you two idiots get a hold of yourself, smile and shake hands before someone brings the fucking Dean over. I mean are you freaking serious? You want to start a fight here? Do you both want to be kicked out along with all your idiot mates who will likely join in? And on top of that you will tarnish the names of our houses. Now actually act like men and fucking pretend that everything is fine.” Sidney’s smile never left her face, her words forced out between clenched teeth.

Her words had the desired effect and both boys seemed to remember where they were, relaxing and plastering fake smiles across their faces, their handshake only turning knuckles white for a couple of seconds.

I forcefully pulled Thea out of the way without meeting resistance. I took her out the back onto a paved area that overlooked a garden.

“What is his problem?” Thea demanded the moment the doors shut behind us. “What does he want from me?” I realised that she was almost close to tears.

“I don’t think he knows.” I said pitifully, reaching out for my friend but she shook me off. Tears were gathering in her eyes.

“He says he doesn’t want me, that he doesn’t see me like that and I accepted that and I forgave him after he kept teasing with the chocolates and hanging out or whatever. I forgave him and I wanted to be friends. But, every time I talk to another boy or even look at another boy he goes nuts. I’m not blind, you know, I saw the way he’s been glaring at Olly all night.” She was desperate, her voice bordering on tears as she tried to wrap her head around this boy.

“I thought the way he reacted to Daniel was because of the alignment between our houses, but who I talk to has nothing to do with him. And yet he continuously buts in and threatens to fight them every time I do. It’s safer for me to think it’s to do with the houses because if he does actually have feelings for me and keeps denying it, that’s worse than not having feelings at all.”

She looked so upset and unsure and I needed to make her feel like Thea again. I hated Louis for doing this to her.

“You need to break all contact with him. You need to step away from all of this and give him a break from your life.”

“I tried that remember? Didn’t end so well, instead we got a massive prank way.”

“No you didn’t break all contact with him. You were angry with him and you wanted to cause him pain so you pranked him and found reasons to be around him while being angry with him. This is different. This is you not talking or seeing him for at least a week. Go away and visit your family or something. Just say you are taking a study break. Give him a week of not seeing you, of not texting and no calling and see what he does.”

“And if I can’t wait that long to talk to him?” She sounded miserable, her arms wrapping around her stomach at a pathetic attempt of a hug. I moved forward and wrapped my arms around her, resting my chin on her shoulder.

“You keep going back to him, after all the shit he pulls, you keep going back. No matter who you talk to he knows that you like him and that makes him feel safe so he decides that he doesn’t need to do anything. So disappear for a week and cut him from your life so he can realise that he should fight to be a part of your life how he wants to be.”

“And if he does nothing?”

“Then why would you love someone who doesn’t give a damn that you disappeared from their lives for a whole week. If he does nothing Thea, then you move on, you move on for good this time and we forget all about the stupid little crush that you had on Louis Tomlinson. Sound good?”

She nodded, a dry sob hiccupping out of her before she straightened, sniffling and straightening herself out. “Okay, I can do that.”

“Great,” I smiled widely. “Now come on, I’ve got to find that boyfriend of mine to make sure he didn’t do something stupid like follow Camden to the toilets. And you have a night to enjoy with your date who is probably still dancing up a storm.”

I grabbed her hand and dragged her back into the ballroom, prepared to enjoy the rest of the night even if I had to force it on everyone around me.