"What the hell was that, curly?" Louis asked the moment they stepped to the backstage, the slight murmur and sound of girls crying and wailing could still be heard but Harry tried to ignore it, just the way he tried to ignore Louis' question. The shorter of the two, having judged the change in attitude that Harry was going by, grabbed the taller lad by the arm, pulling him away from where Liam and Niall were walking back to their respective dressing rooms, probably to change into something more comfortable.

"Don't ignore me. You made him so damn uncomfortable. You know how he is with Public display of affection," Louis hissed, shaking Harry by the shoulder's as if that would bring some sense back to him.

"You told me to seduce him. Do something to make him blush during the interviews!" Harry yelled out, mumbling the last words but the anger could be sensed from his eyes. He didn't like anything that had happened during their time on screen. Sure he got to touch Niall but the sheer look of disappointment and discomfort on the blonde's face was enough to turn him off. He was beginning to doubt Louis's entire plan. Surely Liam would have been a much better person to turn to, even though he wouldn't be much help in relationship advises, he would surely not go around suggesting such absurd plans.

"I told you to get him to blush and notice you! Not to bloody embarrass him in public. You and him are best mates, you should know better than anyone else about his likes and dislikes. How did you forget that he doesn't do well with PDA? You could've simply tried being sexy and placed your hands around his waist, when did I tell you to go for his thighs?" He did have a point, Harry thought to himself, suddenly feeling guilty for being such a terrible mate. Many times him and Niall had been told to kiss and hug, everything for the eyes of the camera and the screaming fan girls behind their laptop and cell phone screens, and every time he had seen how uncomfortable Niall was, he actually looked like he was facing death at moments. PDA was not Niall's cup of tea, specially not when he had to do that with his fake boyfriend. Back when they were friends....just friends....things were completely different then.

Harry briefly re-called all the times when he would hold Niall's hands or just lightly touch his thighs during interviews and the blonde would just giggle or grin widely at him. He missed those days, that time of his life was so much better than this entire fake dating shit. At least back then, Niall was comfortable in his presence, he didn't feel exposed and nothing they did was forced but now, things were complicated. Harry was letting his feelings get the best of him and it was only time when Niall would catch on. But he wasn't that concerned about Niall finding out, the boy could be really oblivious and blind at times. It worked in Harry's favor, really.

"I forgot. I thought he would like it if I touched him because the last time I did, he didn't really put up much of a fight."

"That was in private though. Harry, if you really like him, then charm him not just by your looks but show him how sincere you can really be." Louis blinked up at the taller boy, hoping he would finally understand what he was talking about because the brunette really wanted to see his dream ship finally sail.

"I can try but I don't even think he likes me."

"Trust me, he does. He's just in denial." Louis smirked devilishly, his brain coming up with another brilliant plan to make Operation Blue Eyed Idiot work, and this time, Harry had to be sincere, with his words, with his charm, make Niall feel important, like he was the only boy in the world and in all honesty, Louis had no doubts in his mind that Harry actually felt like Niall was the only man in the entire fucking universe.

"Okay. Alright. I'll try once again. Three is a charm," Harry ran a shaking hand through his curly hair, pulling them back and taking a small black rubber band out from his jeans pocket before tying his hair into a neat bun. He felt extremely hot in the blazer he had been made to wear, just to dress classy and look beautiful for the cameras, even though he was pretty sure the fans would still call him gorgeous if he didn't take a bath for a week and went on stage with just an old sweatshirt.

"Now, I want you to actually apologize to him and try to kindle some memories of the past. You guys are best mates and just, don't become like me and Zayn, talk to him and sort shit out." Harry shook his head, sighing sadly at Louis's sad expression. The oldest member of the band looked like he could break down any second and he really couldn't believe that it had been more than two years. But then again, Zayn and Louis were the most stubborn bitches he had ever had the chance to know. Not that Harry wasn't just as stubborn but he was also plenty reasonable.

"You should really take your own advice sometimes."

"I'm sorry, did I ask for your opinion?" The shorter brunette cocked his head to the side, shoving the taller lad in the direction of Niall's dressing room, making sure to keep his hands pressed to his back just to make sure that Harry wouldn't turn around and change his mind.

"What if he calls me names and shit? I mean, I did fuck up and does curse a lot."

"Tolerate it. You deserve it." Louis answered simply, finally stopping in front of Niall's dressing room, and finally removing his hands from Harry's back. He knocked on the door, patting Harry's shoulders in order to give him some sort of motivation before he walked away, wishing the man a big best of luck. He really didn't like seeing Harry like this, struggling to get some love from Niall while the blonde just ignored all his advances and really hoped they could work things out.

Harry sighed, shaking his head as he heard a light 'come in' echo all the way to the corridor and walked inside, his hands shaking slightly as he turned the knob only to come face to face with a very shirtless Niall and suddenly, Harry forgot what he exactly came here to do. God, he was a hopeless idiot in love with an oblivious Irishman.

"What are you doing here?" Niall hissed lowly, clutching his white t-shirt tightly to himself as he felt Harry's eyes on his body, suddenly making him conscious because this was Harry, his band mate, the one who got all the girls, the one who worked out for hours and had a very lickable body, not that Niall ever noticed but he couldn't help the gay guy inside of him from praising Harry every time he walked around shirtless in their house.

"I-I...well- you see, I." Harry shook his head, taking his eyes off the blonde's toned chest, lined with slight chest hair, nothing too hairy but just the kind that Harry liked. He shook his head, trying to get all thoughts of Niall's pale, tiny frame, out from his mind and mentally cursed the blonde for being so damn tempting.

"Speak out. I don't have all day." Niall snapped, pulling the shirt over his head and down his chest, covering the skin he was showing earlier and he wouldn't admit it out loud, but he felt kind of grateful for finally having covered his shirtless body from Harry's eyes.

"I-I wanted to apologize. F-for the way I acted back there, it wasn't right and I know I made you uncomfortable. That was never my intention," Harry answered sincerely, crossing his fingers by his side, praying that Niall would just let it slide even though he knew that would never happen. He had been extra bitchy with Niall recently, before Louis came up with this entire plan, he had completely decided to shove the blonde out of his thoughts by hooking up with random girls, anything to forget Niall. Which meant that he was never around when Niall actually needed a friend and while they had been the closest in the band, always cracking jokes and just having a decent time with each other, it was nothing but awkward now, with Niall feeling that he had lost a friend and somehow had managed to stumble into a web of lies, and Harry feeling unloved and very desperate.

"You did. I thought you knew me better Harry, but clearly you don't. You wasted so much time with people whose name you don't even remember that you forgot everything about me." Harry wanted to scream, to shout that Niall was wrong. How could Harry even forget about the boy he was madly in love with? Yeah he fucked up but then again, doesn't everyone?

"I know I messed up. Trust me, I feel really bad. I was just joking and then you-"

"That was a joke to you? Do you have any idea how uncomfortable you made me feel? There were people there Harry, people who watch and analyse our every action and you just made me feel so low by doing something that I don't even like. It's like you don't respect me at all."

"Woah. Now you're going too far blondie. I respect you and you know that. You're my best fucking friend and I thought I was doing the right thing by coming up here and apologizing but clearly you don't deserve any apologizes." Harry tried to shut his mouth, he really did but Niall was clearly looking for a fight. At least, that's what he felt.

"Oh, now you're going to tell me what I deserve and don't? Guess what Styles, I never asked for your opinion."

"You know what, this is shit. I just came here to apologize, only because Louis told me to do that but I just wasted precious five minutes of my life. I'm just done with your shit Niall." The thought made Niall's heart tighten, Harry had just come to apologize to him because of Louis? Guess Niall was wrong in even thinking that Harry might've cared at least just a bit. Whatever, it's not like any of these things mattered anyways. Their friendship was burning in flames.

"Nobody asked you to waste your time on me. Just leave Harry, walk out like you always do."

"Gladly." Harry huffed, glaring at the blonde before walking out of the room, slamming the door a bit too loudly behind him. Louis' plan was clearly a big fail and Harry just didn't have the energy to follow any of them anymore. Nothing would ever work out. Him and Niall, they were just not meant to be.

AN/ Okay, so I would like to warn everyone that this book is not edited. I write every chapter the moment I sit in front of my laptop. I don't have this story pre written somewhere so there will be moments where some facts might go wrong. I am sure some things are terribly wrong in this story. I apologize for those mistakes.