Letters to Harry

Chapter Eight

Liam moved like a ghost through the whitewashed hallway. He bypassed many people without sparing them a second glance, attempting to stay focused on the task at hand.

Talking to the woman at the front desk had been terrifying, it just made him realize that this was actually happening. She had given him a set of basic directions on how to navigate the complex, and Harry's room number, in hopes of making his visit easier.

"He should be in his room, just go on up. I'll let everyone know you're here and not to disturb you two while you talk." she had said, before pointing out which set of stairs he should take.

"Between you and me, I'm glad he's having someone visit him. He's been so lonely and looked so lost ever since he got here."

When Liam reached room 165, he hesitated. He had no clue what he was supposed to say, or do. Gripping the envelopes he held in his hand, he steeled his nerves and knocked on the door.

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Harry glanced up from his book, startled by the sound of someone knocking on the door. Niall hadn't said whether or not he was coming, but he hadn't told anyone else about his newly acquired privilege, save for his mother. Getting up quickly, he sprung towards the door with an enthusiasm he hadn't felt in years.

"Niall!" Harry shouted excitedly as he opened the door, but what, or who rather, that stood behind it was nothing like he was expecting.

"Liam?" he said, surprised.

"Yeah, sorry mate. I'm the one they sent, not Niall. He's at your place with Zayn taking care of Louis… So I offered to come in his place." Liam said sadly.

"No, no no no! It's okay. I'm sorry… that must've sounded very rude. Come on in, take a seat. I'm glad one of you guys came by!" Harry was just happy to have someone. Sure, he would have preferred Niall to come, since he wasn't in the mood for one of Liam's

Daddy Direction lectures, but having one of the lads there was definitely helping.

"Thanks Haz." Liam said before taking a seat on one of the plush chairs in the room. "These are for you, by the way." He handed Harry the letters and smiled brightly. "So, what's been going on with you lately? Getting any action in here..? I saw a ton of girls that looked like just your type roaming the halls…."

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Three hours later, visiting hours had ended and Harry and Liam had said their goodbyes. They promised one another that they'd keep in touch, and Liam vowed to send Niall and Zayn to visit as soon as they could spare the time.

Sitting down on his bed, Harry grabbed the letters from his bedside table and opened the first one.

Harry,

You need to talk to Louis. Invite him to visiting hours, write him back, something. Anything. He's so broken and I don't know if Niall and I can do anything to help anymore.

Niall, Lou, and I have made up, but your stubborn flat mate still won't talk to Liam… I guess it was because Liam's words were a lot harsher than necessary. Liam was ready to give up on One Direction. It's true. We didn't know if you'd ever come back because we still don't know why you left. We know where you are.. But we can't do anything to help you come back because we don't know why you're there in the first place.

Clear your head, get better, and fix this mess.

Zayn

Harry couldn't help but agree with Zayn. Things needed to change, he needed to get back. He needed Louis. Cautiously, the Cheshire boy picked up the second envelope and saw his name written on it in Lou's familiar, messy scrawl.

Dear Haz,

I hate you. I hate that you left, I hate that you call Niall, and Liam, and Zayn but not me. I hate that you never reply to my letters. I hate that your laugh echoes in my mind all the time. I hate that I'm forgetting what you look like. I hate that I can't run my fingers through your obnoxious curls whenever I feel like it. I hate that this is tearing me apart inside and I can't stop it. I hate that I can't sleep because of you. I hate that your sheets smell less and less like you each night. I hate that I can't hate you, because I love you too fucking much.

Harry, I need you to come home. I can't do this anymore. Niall and Zayn are trying, but they're smothering me. I don't want to stay like this forever. Suffering from insomnia, loneliness, stress. The weight of everything is beginning to get to me and I can't take it anymore. I'm supposed to be the constantly happy one, the hyper one, there's so much pressure on my shoulders that sometimes it's hard to put up the mask. It's gotten harder with you leaving because I feel like I'm dying inside. You don't understand how hard that is to hide, Haz.

I love you. I love you more that you'll ever realize. I don't care if you don't love me as much as you say you do, or if you don't love me at all. I just need you home. 

Come back to me, I can't live without you.

Love,

Lou

P.S. I'm sorry if the ink is a tad smudged, I got tired of trying to hold back the tears.

Harry dropped the letter on the floor, letting his head rest in his hands. Rough, shattered sobs escaped from between his lips as he thought of the wonderful boy he left behind, so broken, so helpless. He wanted nothing more than to walk out the door and run to their shared flat and hold Louis in his arms. He wanted to whisper sweet nothings in his ear and assure him that he'd never break his promise, ever.

But he couldn't, because he was stuck in his whitewashed room for another two months.

Because he had already broken his promise.