Silent Cries (Niam)

Chapter 12

Louis refused to pull away from the hug until Niall physically pushed him away. And he only pulled away then because he was worried he might be hurting the boys ribs. He really didn't want to cause Niall anymore pain. He had obviously already taken more than his fair share.

"I promise that I'm going to help you through this." Louis vowed. Niall shook his head.

"It isn't as simple as that Louis." Niall muttered. Everyone seemed set on fixing him. They didn't understand that he couldn't be fixed. Even if they made him stop cutting, there would be so many other things wrong with him that it would hardly be worth it. He deserved the scars lining his wrists, and he knew that no matter what, he would end up adding more. It didn't help anything. But it did give him some control, a thing he desperately craved, as well as giving him a way to punish himself for breaking the rules he had established for homself. It gave his life rule and order of his own.

Louis pulled Niall into a little side hug. "I know. But I'm still going to try."

"It won't help." Niall assured him.

Louis looked at Niall. Where was the sweet, fun loving energetic boy He had known for so many years? The boy in front of him wasn't just sad, He was genuinely depressed. Louis still saw Niall, but he hardly seemed to be there anymore. It was amazing how quickly this transformation had taken place. Only moments ago, Niall had been basically his normal self, jist a bit skittish and that could be chalked up to the pain of his injuries. Speaking of his injuries...

"We need to get you patched up." He pointed out. Niall winced.

"I don't want your mum to know," Nialls voice was shakey and Louis frowned. He knew that it wasn't good for seflharmers to suffer alone, But he also knew that if his mum found out, she would tell Nialls mum. Louis wasn't sure if Niall needed that. His mother was so protective, she would probably only make thinhs worse for Niall. Louis had no idea that Liam had been thinking the exact same thing about him not long ago.

Slowly he nodded. "Okay. We'll have to take you to a doctor if you dnt want her to patch you up."

Niall nodded, his entire body seeming to be shaking like a leaf. Louis pulled him into another hug before adjusting the younger boys jacket sleeves and calling his mum back into the room. Her brow was furrowed in confusion.

"What's going on? Are you boys okay?" She asked. Louis nodded, taking over.

"Yeah mum, everything's fine. The bruises are jist a joke, some good stage makeup. He wanted to get out of school. But I'm gonna go ahead and take him there now." Louis offered his mum a smile, but she looked skeptical.

"Since when was Niall into acting?" She questioned. Louis fakes a smile, thinking quickly. Theatre had always been his thing, nit Nialls. He needed to improvise.

"He's not really. I roped him into doing a play and now I'm forcing him to practice." Louis smiled at his brilliant lie.

"What does the pain and bruises and limping have to do with the play?" His mum questioned. Gosh, she was persistent.

"He's playing a kid who gets bullied at school because of their sexuality." Louis decided. He had always told his mum He was going to make a play about gay rights, or the life of a gay high schooler, and so this lie was pretty foolproof.

"Why are you making Niall do it? Don't you have a whole classroom of kids who are actually interested in acting.

"Half the schools homophobic mum. No one wanted to act in this. He was the best I could get on short notice." Louis said. He didn't relize that His words were hurting Niall, that His comments about Niall being a last resort for a play made Nialls self confidence drop even lower.