Broken Youth

Chapter 44

~ Chapter Forty-Four ~

••Megan••

I sighed, letting Jess fall softly asleep in Niall's bed before I trundled back down the stairs, passing the others in the kitchen. I went to knock on the door, but instead I stopped and listened, wondering why I could hear sniffles. God if it was Harry...

"I know, I know it is. But this world is unfair." Mali spoke softly. So it wasn't her.

"There are many hidden treasures on this earth and they were one." Ash chocked back the tears. I smiled at his affection, the words creating pictures of Lauren and Calum together in my head. Ash wasn't in sobs yet: thank God, I was fed up of the tears, as was everyone. But we'd lost her.

"It's just that they were hidden for too long, so their worth faded, no matter how precious they once were." Harry spoke, his words slow and slurred slightly, gruff and hoarse but no tears. My heart leaped at the sound of his voice. I was so in love with him that every part of me sang at his presence. It wasn't Harry.

"I hate they lost each other. More than anything else." Luke's tone was venom. The undeniable croak in his throat let me know it was him that was crying. Instead of pushing open the door and running to hug him, I walked back into the lounge, afraid of who Cal might have become.

Gently I opened the door, the fire still alight but Niall, Liam and Zayn all fast asleep in the couch opposite Ren and Cal who were sat together, talking in hushed whispers. Gemma was reading a book and occasionally giggling at it, poking the fire if it was needed. Cal looked up and smiled at me, his hands shaking and eyes watery as he gestured for me to join him and Ren. Sitting beside him I saw the second letter in his hand, again, her hand writing so loopy and neat on the front.

"Meg-"

"Open it. I know what you're gonna say, Cal, and I know what you'll say in 10 years time if you don't." I rubbed his back, hand resting on Ren's as I saw a tear fall. We were all so damn fragile these days.

"O-Okay." He nodded, as I played with the back of his hair, twirling the hair round my finger like Lauren used to. His shoulders slowly relaxed as I did so, sighs falling from his lips before he opened the letter and a sob tore from his throat.

"It's okay, it's okay." Gemma ushered, falling to his knees and kissing his forehead.

"I c-can't d-do thi-is." Cal shook his head, trying so hard not to just collapse with emotional exhaustion.

"Yes you can. You can, Cal." Ren stroked his back as I fiddled with his hair and Gemma kissed his forehead again. He opened the letter once again and began reading, as we all did, the words so beautiful and magical, I struggled not to fall apart myself. She was a wonder with words. I watched, heart breaking, as Calum's sobs grew louder and his tears smudged some of the words, his shoulders hunched again as he muttered 'Oh baby' or 'Lauren' or 'I love you'. The pure agony of seeing him so broken, killing me silently. Harry, Mali and Ash all stumbled in, sitting together on the couch facing the fire, Luke arriving just after, his hands holding another piece of white paper. I heard him mutter: 'it was in the bathroom' to Harry as Ren shook her head, understanding more than me.

"I was such a dick." Calum's harsh words tore through the silence. "I should have fucking told her. GOD DAMN!" He jumped up, yelling the last words, waking the boys on the sofa opposite us. He threw the letter at Harry before storming over to the window and staring out it, going into his own little world of him.

"Oh Cal." Gemma shook her head, hanging it low as she slumped further into the floor. Niall sighed, picking her up and taking her upstairs to a bedroom, just as I had with Jess earlier.