I Love You But I Can't Breathe

Chapter Nineteen

I'm sorry! It's been so so long! I ended up going to therapy and telling two of my friends about my bipolar disorder and it just got to be such an emotionally challenging month but I missed updating this story and hearing from all of you (hopefully you're still reading!). 

Harry sighed peacefully, gripping onto the metal bars in the pool as Aiden slowly helped him move along, arms around the boy's torso. 

"That's it..." he said, slowly letting go of Harry. "See if you can just drift along, alright?" 

Harry nodded with determination, managing to kick his legs a little bit, propelling him forward. 

Aiden beamed with pride. None of the physical therapy had been working up until now, but when Harry mentioned that baths seemed to ease his pains, his physiotherapist suggested aquatic therapy, and it was finally the little window of hope that all of Harry's friends and family had been waiting for. They'd also put a humidifier in his room and readjusted the humidity levels in his oxygen and his breathing had become noticeably less rattly and he was able to stay awake longer and move around a bit more, a small bit of vibrancy returning to him that he was scared he had lost forever. 

Louis was glowing when he picked Harry up, combing his fingers through Harry's wet hair and kissing him on the cheek before helping him into the car. 

Just last week the team of doctors assigned to Harry's case had sat him down to let him know they were considering amputation, and then Monday, his therapy finally started helping just when it felt like a hopeless cause. Things were looking up. 

Louis looked younger today- he had actually shaved for once, and probably even eaten a vegetable or two this week. He'd also softened out a little since he'd stopped playing football, something Harry felt terrible about. He made a mental note to remind Louis to go to practice again sometime, but he didn't want to do anything to spoil the mood right now. Harry had visited the boys' house for a movie night the other day and it felt just like old times. His cheeks hurt from laughing, and he was still glowing from the high of feeling normal. 

"What are you so smiley about?" Harry finally asked, as Louis pulled up into the driveway. 

"I may or may not have a surprise for you," Louis smiled, turning off the radio and getting out to help Harry out of the car. 

"Tell meee," Harry whined, letting Louis wheel him up to the front porch where his mom had set up a makeshift ramp for their house. 

"I wanted to keep it a secret but..." Louis grinned. "A new really trendy really fancy place opened up in town and I thought I could take you out to dinner tonight." 

"Really?" Harry asked, his eyes lighting up. They hadn't been on a proper date since before Harry's condition had started. 

"Do you want to get ready and I'll pick you up at seven?" Louis asked. 

Harry felt slightly panicked about the fact that he knew he couldn't get on a pair of trousers on his own, but he nodded anyway, thrilled at the prospect of a proper date- a fancy date. Louis kissed him goodbye, leaving him full of excited butterflies and the promise to see him in a few short hours. 

Harry wheeled into his house and felt relief washed over him when he saw Niall in the kitchen talking to his mum. 

"I heard Louis had some plans for tonight, figured you could use some help getting ready," Niall explained. "That boy's terrible at keeping secrets." Niall steered Harry into the bathroom to shampoo his hair over the sink, trying to rinse out the chlorine smell of the therapy pool. 

Harry sighed contently as Niall massaged his scalp. 

"So how nice is the restaurant?" Harry asked as Niall wrapped his hair in a towel and wheeled him over to his room. He was buzzing with nervous energy already. Him and Louis didn't go on formal dates fairly often, not since Harry had practically dragged Louis out to his prom.