All These Smiles That I'm Faking - Larry Stylinson

Chapter 8 - Niall POV

Irrelevant GIF but it's cute and I can't be bothered to find anything more appropriate

When I entered school, I saw Liam and Zayn already there in the staff room, snogging each other senseless. It would be gross but for me it was a daily occurrence - nothing new. I wondered where Harry and Louis were. Harry and apparently left early due to some 'work'. I knew that wasn't the case but I gave him some freedom rather than constantly stressing over him. But the surprising part was that Louis was also missing - he was usually on time for school though he was late for everything else.

Well - speak of the devil. Just as I was thinking of Louis, he entered. His face was slightly red and his eyes wet. "You alright mate? Oh and have you seen Harry?" "Yeah, I'm alright" He said and I noticed that his voice was slightly nasal. "Oh and for Harry - yes I saw him. I was actually talking to him. He just got a call and he disappeared. By the way, is Harry alright? He seemed damn stressed about the call." I forgot about the nasal twang in his voice and his red face and teary eyes and focused on what he just said. I was glad Harry was talking to him but frowned slightly when I heard Harry was stressed for a call. I was rather sure it was the call related to Anne's test results and honestly don't know why Harry was so bothered by it. He honestly needed to chill. I suddenly snapped out of my thoughts when I heard the staff room door close.

 "Yeah Lou, H is fine. I appreciate your concern but trust me he's alright. His mum had a slight head ache and the lad is unnecessarily giving himself and us a head ache with all the worrying he's doing." I said chuckling. Louis laughed with me and we went and sat near Liam and Zayn. Half an hour passed. The students had started arriving and lectures would start soon and Harry was yet to come. I was now slightly nervous because - shouldn't the call be done by now? Then my phone rang - it was Anne. And I don't know why but that only scared me more. 

"Hey Anne." I said into the phone. "Ni?" Anne's voice was heavy and tears began to fill my eyes as I feared what she was going to say. Till now I had been confident she was alright but now, the confidence and disappeared and I was frightened - very frightened. "Yes Anne, Niall here." "Ni, I - I have been diagnosed with brain cancer. It's last stage, I have less than a month. I sobbed and Louis looked at me worried and confused. Liam and Zayn on the other hand knew who Anne was and knew what was going on. The two of them looked at me in fear and tear filled their eyes, knowing something was wrong. Anne treated us like her own and something wrong with her was too much for us to handle. "Ni, I told Harry. Please, pleases take a day off, go check on him. I'm scared for him Ni, he - he was eerily calm when I told him. Ni you know his past, please check on him and tell Li too." "Ok Anne" I said and cut the call sobbing loudly the second it was over. I wanted to curl into a ball and cry but then I remembered - Harry. I immediately shot up surprising the three lads around me. "Zayn tell Mr. Patrick (Just let that be the headmaster's name Ok) Harry, Li and I having the day off. I'll tell you more later." I ordered and I pulled Liam with me out of the school. As we ran home, I told Liam the situation. By the time we reached Harry and I's flat, Liam was crying with me. I quickly unlocked the door and we searched for Harry.

It wasn't hard to find him. He was on the floor in his room rocking back and forth, hugging himself. He was breathless and panicking. Liam and I held him and tried to help him steady his breathing. As we did so, I took in the surroundings and then I saw it - a blade with fresh crimson blood stains and a puddle of blood beside it. I swallowed a sob and pointed the blade to Liam. His face was pained when he saw the blade. He silently continued to comfort Harry, while I gently pulled back Harry's sleeve and saw it roughly bandaged. By now Harry was calm but he had fallen asleep. At first I feared he had passed out but Liam reassured me. I then slowly took his arm and bandaged it carefully putting antiseptic before wrapping it again. The cuts were extremely deep but the bleeding was light and I hoped he wouldn't need to go to the hospital. I then ringed Anne and assured her Harry was fine. He wasn't but I didn't want to scare her - she herself is going through so much and suddenly I remembered - Anne had less than a month left. I sobbed and so did Liam - we hugged each other tight and cried. We both were exhausted so we lay on the floor aiming for some rest. I drifted off but could hear Liam call Zayn and update him about Harry. 

I had a holiday from school and it was bloody difficult for me to get time to update... so though it is short you should be grateful.... Nah just kidding.... I was itching to write and didn't want to let you guys down... but I'm sure my mum won't be pleased that I wiled away a good 45 minutes doing something I won't even tell her about!