Once in a Lifetime

Seven.

"So, um, I'm Harry by the way," the strange boy said whilst Louis clamped his hands around his hot chocolate mug. He looked back up at him, his bright green eyes looking nervously at Louis as he brushed his curls behind his ear. "I'm sorry, I'm not usually this, um, forward but you looked sad, and I couldn't let you leave alone," he explained, Louis still looking at him. "Listen, um, I know we don't know each other, but we've been taking the same class for over two years, and I know you were great friends with Zayn. I remember him meeting you outside the lecture hall sometimes, and I've been to some of the parties that you guys used to throw. I'm really sorry about what happened, I can't imagine how hard this has been for you." Louis felt his eyes water again, the tears threatening to spill. "I'm sorry, hey, I didn't mean to, uh, upset you again. I think I have another tissue, one moment," Harry said, rummaging through the pocket of his coat. He handed Louis the tissue and he wiped at his eyes gently, trying not to draw too much unnecessary attention to himself. He felt weird sitting in a café drinking hot chocolate with a total stranger. He vaguely remembered seeing Harry around campus, but they had never swapped names or ever had a conversation with each other. "You don't have to talk, you know. I've noticed that you've become very, um, quiet since, well, everything, but I want you to know that when you're with me you're not pressured to talk. If you'd rather we just sat in silence that's okay, I just couldn't, um, stand the idea of you leaving the lecture in the state you were in. Do you want me to be quiet?" Louis looked down at the table, gently shaking his head as if to encourage Harry to continue talking. His voice was quite soothing, the gravelly tone making Louis relax into his chair. "Okay, well, I'll just, uh, talk at you and if you want to join in feel free, if not then I'm sorry for all the boring things I'm probably going to say," Harry chuckled, and Louis couldn't help but allow his lips to curve slightly at the way Harry laughed at himself. "I want to be a sports physiotherapist, you know. I think, um, I think it would be cool to help people be able to compete in their favourite sports. Wait, you're on the football team, aren't you? I think I'm doing a placement with you guys in a few weeks, actually. Oh, do you remember that team goal you lot scored last season? I swear you all touched the ball at least once before it hit the back of the net! You were so unlucky to miss out on winning the league, though, shame it all came down to the penalty shoot-out. How are you getting on with that assignment the professor set last month? Every time I, um, look at my notes I never know what to write. I feel like this one is taking forever to finish; I just hope I can figure it out before it's due." Louis listened to Harry's soothing voice as it rambled on about absolutely everything. How could one person talk so much? Louis could tell Harry was a little anxious, he kept breaking up his sentences with 'um' and 'uh' as he let Louis into the thoughts in his head. Louis learned about Harry's family, his mum, his stepdad, and his sister, and how he was originally from Holmes Chapel. Harry seemed like a nice person, and Louis couldn't help but be drawn into Harry's chatter. It wasn't until two hours later, when their drinks had been finished and the café had begun to empty out, that Harry suggested they walk back to the university. They walked together, Louis nodding along to Harry's conversation about TV programmes and his favourite films. When they reached the carpark on campus, Harry said goodbye to Louis as they stood in front of his car. "Listen, um, I'm sorry if I came across really forceful earlier, I just couldn't let you leave alone. I promise, you never have to talk to me again, but please know that if you ever need someone to, um, fill an awkward silence, you know I'll be at the other end of the row of seats. I hope you're okay, Louis, or, um, as well as you can be. See you soon, yeah?" Louis nodded, smiling slightly at Harry as he turned around to walk to his own car. For two hours, Louis didn't feel like the guy who was responsible for his best friend's death, and he knew Harry played a massive role in that.

"Where the hell have you been, Louis? We've been phoning and texting you for hours!" Niall exclaimed the moment Louis walked into the house. He could tell Liam was in the kitchen by the smell wafting throughout, and Niall was currently yelling at him from the living room door. "Seriously, mate, you can't just disappear like that! We thought something bad had happened to you!" Louis shrugged, already bounding up the stairs towards his room. That night, although he refused to eat much for dinner again, he scrubbed himself a bit lighter whilst in the shower. As much as he wanted to get the feel of Zayn's lifeless body off him, he didn't want to wash away the feeling of being in the café with Harry.