Letters to Harry

Chapter Three

Louis sent weekly letters to Anne after their rendezvous in the grocer. After week four without Harry, all of the emotions that the four boys were experiencing became too much. That day, their world imploded. They realized how lost they were without their youngest member.

It was a quiet Friday afternoon when it happened. They had just finished a radio interview announcing their hiatus. Their excuse being that Harry was experiencing some family problems and needed a break, and the rest of them were taking the opportunity to appreciate their own relatives in his absence.

When the four exited the building and hopped into the van, Zayn was the first to speak.

"Wow," he said. "It feels final now. We're no longer One Direction."

"Don't say that," Niall whispered angrily, shooting a sympathetic look towards Louis, who sat in the far back with his iPod headphones in his ear and stared out the window. The older boy caught his eye, and smiled weakly.

"Its true." Liam added. "We can't be One Direction without Harry. It's just not possible. It was fun while it lasted boys, let's try to stay friends, yeah?"

"Just what are you implying Liam Payne? Are you saying that you're giving up on One Direction? On your brothers? On Harry? On us?" Niall was furious, how could the most insightful and paternal member of the band want to give up after hardly even trying? "Harry will be back. He'll pull through. This hiatus isn't permanent, mate. You said it yourself."

Louis, having finally clued in to the fact that there was an argument going on, took out his headphones and listened sadly.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Harry left us.  No note, nothing. He didn't say anything was wrong, he just left. And then, we get a phone call from out of the blue, telling us that he's-" Liam's heated words were cut off by Zayn covering the brunette's mouth with his hand.

"Shut the fuck up, Liam." He bit out, utterly repulsed that Liam could so easily break the trust of their friend.

"Telling you what?" Louis' interest was piqued, and he decided that now was the time to join the conversation. Niall looked to Zayn for help, who was equally clueless of what to do now that Liam had come so close to spilling the beans.

"Nothing mate, just Anne calling to see if we had seen Harry. She hasn't heard from him either." The Irish boy exhaled slowly, thinking that he had just saved the day.

"Bullshit." Lou screamed, making the three boys jump in their seats.

"What do you mean?" Zayn asked, removing his hand from Liam's mouth and praying that he wouldn't get them in any more trouble.

"Anne knows exactly where Harry is. And you all do too." Louis seethed with anger, so utterly frustrated with his friends. The people who he thought would protect him and care for him no matter what were the ones that were hurting him the most. "Tell me what he said when he called, Liam." the Doncaster lad addressed his former band mate directly, desperate for an answer.

"He didn't say anything, Lou." Liam replied stoically.

"Bullshit Liam, don't fucking lie to me. What did he say?" Louis was done, done with the lies, the deceit, everything. He just wanted to curl up and sleep forever. Then at least, he'd be alone with his memories of Harry.

"Louis, don't single him out. We all had a part in this." Zayn tried to calm the eldest boy down, but was failing miserably.

"Why won't anyone tell me anything?! I lived with him, I loved him! We were best friends, we were even more-" he cried out, tears finally breaking through. "I should have been the one that he called. Why didn't he call me?" He dropped his head into his hands and his body began to quake with the force of his sobs. Niall, who had stayed silent for the majority of the argument, unbuckled his seat belt and moved to sit in the back of the van so he could comfort the crying boy.

"He loves you, Lou." Niall whispered, rubbing his hand up and down the older boy's back. "He'll come back in time.  He'd never leave you. That's why he left. Because he promised he wouldn't leave." Louis just cried harder.

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The rest of the car ride passed silently, save for the sound of Lou's tears. Angry glances were shot between Liam, Zayn and Niall, neither of which wanted to admit that they had brought on the Doncaster lad's present condition. When they arrived back at their apartment building, Liam tried to apologize to Louis, but could not get through to him.

"Don't fucking speak to me, Liam. In fact, I don't want to talk to either of you." He replied, casting a furtive glance at the Bradford boy before walking away down the corridor to his apartment. Niall was quick to follow.

"You guys have screwed us all over. Congratulations." he said angrily, his Irish temper flaring.

"Fuck." Liam screamed, before punching the concrete wall to his left.