Two excruciating weeks passed. For Louis, they were almost TOO excruciating, in more ways than one. Charlie wasn’t relenting in his abuse, leaving Louis to cry in a corner while Charlie went out and got drunk and cheated on him. He texted Harry a few times, saying he needed help and that he was in trouble, but the texts would always come back, not going through. It was obvious that Harry had changed his number, maybe to stop Louis from ever contacting him again. This would only upset Louis further, and he would lock himself in the spare bedroom until morning.
He was resting peacefully when his phone started ringing. He looked at the clock and saw that it was eleven the next morning, and wondered who would be calling. He squinted at the caller ID and expected to see Charlie’s number, apologizing for the millionth time and promising to make it up to him. However, he did not expect to see Edward’s number lighting up the screen.
“Hello?” Louis answered sleepily.
“Hey, Lou,” Edward’s voice said. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”
“Nah, it’s good,” Louis said. “I needed to get up, anyway. What’s up?”
“Just checking in on you,” Edward said. “Harry told me everything when he got home the night he left you at home. About what Charlie’s been doing to you.”
Of course. Harry just could never keep his damn mouth shut. “Ah.”
“So...how are you?” Edward asked, a little hesitantly.
“Fine,” Louis lied. “Just fine.”
“Uh-huh....” Edward said, not convinced.
“Where’s your brother?” Louis blurted, then shut his eyes, cursing himself.
“What do you mean?” Edward asked.
“Well, I’ve tried texting him and the texts won’t go through to his old number,” Louis said. “It says the number is no longer in service.”
Edward was silent. “Lou, Harry is....”
“He’s what?” Louis asked. “Huh?”
Edward sighed heavily. “He changed his number. He meant well on that promise he made you that night, about not speaking to you as long as you’re still with Charlie. He didn’t want to be bothered by you.”
“He...didn’t SOUND like he meant it...” Louis said.
“He did,” Edward said. “He’s been angry, upset, and worried about you since he left you there. He doesn’t wanna put up with you being stupid.”
“Where do you–“ Louis began angrily, but Edward cut him off.
“His words. Not mine.”
“What can I do?”
“Um....I don’t think there’s anything you can do. Especially now.”
“What do you mean ‘especially now?’”
Edward was silent again. “He...Harry is....”
“HARRY IS WHAT?!” Louis shouted.
“Lou....Harry is seeing someone else now,” Edward said in a small voice.
It was like everything around Louis suddenly grew still. He could no longer hear the birdsong outside or the traffic on the road. Time passed in slow motion as he sat there, stunned by this new piece of news. He finally found his voice. “Is it....that John guy?”
“Yeah,” Edward said with a sigh. “It happened right after he dropped you off. Went over to his house and asked him to be his boyfriend. John accepted. I’m so sorry, Lou.”
