Echo (Larry Stylinson)

8: The Lost Pages

Louis woke up and the daylight poured into his room washing it with bright light. He climbed out of bed and went to his bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth.

He put on his clothes, grabbed his bag and raced down stairs to see his mum sat in one of the chairs. He looked around and noticed the room seemed a bit darker. Someone was missing.

"Mum where's Harry?" Louis asked and she frowned. "He didn't tell you?" She asked slightly bewildered and Louis raised his eyebrows. "He went home dear. Said his caretaker had come back." She told him and Louis stomach dropped. He immediately brightened when he realized he'd see Harry at school.

He grabbed an apple, kissed his mum and sisters goodbye, then began his walk to school.

When he got there the other boys were waiting for him. Everyone but Harry. "Where is Harry?" Liam asked. "He went home last night without telling me." Louis said. "Maybe he was in a rush." Zayn suggested and the others nodded.

When they got out to the field they could see Harry picking at the grass. They couldn't see his face but they noticed he was back in his old clothes. As they got closer he didn't look up but the knew something was wrong.

"Harry?" Louis called and the boy looked up startled. The other boys gasped as they saw his face. He had a big bruise just under his eye, a cut lip, and a bruise on both cheeks. "What happened?" Niall asked.

Harry was panicking. He shouldn't talk to them. He could get them hurt. He tried to think of something to say but his brain wasn't forming words properly. He was a mess. He kept having memories of the other night.

*~*

"Where in the hell have you been boy?" Alan asked as Harry walked inside the house. He went rigid and watched as Alan got to his feet. And stumbled over.

"You haven't been here all week." He growled. It wasn't a question. Harry didn't know how he knew but a small voice in the back of his head thought of cameras stationed all throughout the house. "N-No." Harry squeaked and he felt Alan's fist connect with his cheek. Then again with his lip.

Harry fell to his knees and held his cheek in pain. Alan crouched down and grabbed Harry by the chin. He lifted the boys head up then, without warning, pushed his lips against Harry's.

Harry was completely repulsed. Alan's lips tasted like beer and cigarettes which was a disgusting combination. He pushed Alan away only to get slapped. "You push me away again," Alan held him by his cheeks, " and you'll regret it." He said then let go.

;~;

Harry ignored the people he called friends and got to his feet. He walked off the field and up to the couch. He whispered a few words and the couch nodded. The other boys watched in confusion as Harry walked away and didn't look back.

"Somethings wrong." Louis said. "Well yeah did you see his face?" Niall asked and Liam frowned. "Do you think it has something to do with that Alan guy?" He asked and Zayn sighed.

"It's got everything to do with that Alan guy."

-/-

It was the third to last class of the day and Louis, Zayn, Liam, and Harry were all in the same class and group. During lunch Harry didn't show up and that made the guys even more worried.

During, however, class they all sat at a table together so they guessed Harry talking to them would be inevitable. They were wrong.

Harry didn't say a word. He didn't even do his school work. He just stared down at the paper in front of him, hands in his lap and a sad frown on his face. He looked like a kicked kitten. He looked so vulnerable and it seemed to put everyone around him in a bad mood.