The Drive-In | l.s.

chapter 16.

thank u
for making me see myself,
how u see me

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Harry examined Louis, watched as he frowned and scrunched his face from a pain he too felt. It was so strange. Was Louis also feeling what he felt?

Harry tucked his arm behind his back as he rubbed his palm against the back of his shirt. He bit down on his lower lip to hold back his groans from the discomfort.

It was the same burning feeling as before. The same uncomfortable stinging on his skin. Like a flashback, he was instantly hit with a memory of him sitting in the middle of his kitchen late at night. He watched himself cry against the cold tiles as he held his arm.

Harry furrowed his brows not remembering any of it. Had it been a dream?

"You okay, Harry?" Luke asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Uh, yeah. I just, i'm going to run to the back real quick."

He didn't give Luke time to answer before he took off to the back room where Samantha had been that morning. He kept running until he burst through the back doors and was finally outside. He squinted his eyes shut, feeling the pain travel from his hand up through his arm. His elbow felt like it was on fire.

He cried out and backed up into the wall.

"Harry?"

Harry open his eyes to see Louis. "Louis?"

Harry blinked away his tears as he saw Louis standing in front of him clutching his own arm.

Louis couldn't understand it either as he looked between his inflamed, red skin to Harry's. He held back his own cries as he tried to figure out what he was witnessing.

"Why are you hurting?"

Harry's chest was moving up and down rapidly. His stomach was growing sicker by the minute. He wondered if Louis too wanted to puke.

"I don't know." Harry whispered.

Louis closed his eyes as he sunk to the floor, curling his knees and bringing them up to his chest.

"Do you feel this too?" Harry asked as he watched Louis make himself into a tiny ball against the bricks.

Louis nodded.

Harry sniffled lightly.

"It burns," Louis groaned. "Like fuck."

"Feels like it's on fire," Harry mumbled in response.

He heard Louis curse under his breath. In any other situation he would have thought it was the hottest thing he's ever heard, but right now he was too busy trying to kept himself from passing out.

"D-Did you see it happen before too?" Louis carefully asked, slowly lifting his head to look at Harry. He seemed to be on edge, not wanting to be seen as crazy.

But Harry only felt more lost. He nodded, his eyes wide.

"What the fuck..."

"I don't even remember it," Harry tripped over his words, speaking too quickly. "It was that same night, f-from the poison ivy. I thought it was a dream."

Louis remained silent, at lost for words. Only after a brief silence did he speak again.

"What the fuck is happening?"

Louis leaned out to let the rain that was starting to fall hit against his arm, in hopes that the cold rain would ease the burning. He watched the disappointment spread across his face, meaning it did not.

"You cuss a lot," Harry quietly said.

Louis looked over at him. "Sorry. I just happen to be fucking dying I guess."

Harry hunched over, struggling to remain standing. He gave in as his knees buckled and let himself slide to the ground. It was taking everything in him to not cry in front of Louis. "Are we gonna die?"

Louis sighed, his face softening. "No Harry, we'll be okay I promise."

Harry hummed as his eyes fluttered shut.

"I think this is where we sleep." He heard Louis whisper before he felt himself drifting away, his body growing numb.

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