Once Upon A Time (l.s.)

Knowing you

Harry opened the first page of the journal and read the quote that was written in Louis' messy handwriting. 

'Pain is a fire, and fears only fuel it

Love is a pacifier, those dear only prove it'

This is Louis' diary to his best friend

Harry didn't go to school that day, he sat in his bed and cried until he couldn't anymore. He read and read the journal over and over again as he realised just how much he had hurt the small boy and just how fragile he was. However, he did not understand the entry that was written the day before, 3rd August. What had happen? Anne, Gemma and Robin, all went about their work as they thought that Harry was just a little under the weather.

At 4pm, a knock sounded on the front door and he opened it to find Liam and Zayn standing in front of him. He wordlessly went into his room and hid the journal as the other two followed. 

"You weren't at school today" Liam stated

"I wasn't feeling that well."

"Bet the fag wasn't feeling well either." Zayn remarked with a disgusting smirk.

"What?" Harry asked confused.

Just then another knock sounded, more impatient. "Did you call Taylor or something?"

"No" Zayn looked worried and whispered to Liam, "What if the fag outed us?"

 Harry heard but just decided to go open the door instead, He was met by two extremely angry looking Irish brothers. As soon as Niall saw him, he punched the curly haired guy right in the face. Harry stumbled back from the force of the punch and held a hand to his nose that had started bleeding a little. From behind emerged Zayn and Liam.

"Is this them?" Greg asked his brother. Niall just nodded silently. 

"You're so dead today!" Greg said through his teeth before charging towards Zayn.

"Woah woah woah, calm down dude! What's going on?" Harry asked in panic.

"So you don't know what your posse and girlfriend did?" Niall mocked.

"What? What did they do."

"Well, your friends and Taylor's older brothers raped Louis. They tied him up and fucked him until he bled, passed out. I found him there. Covered in his own blood and their fucking sperm. You know what else we saw? He had scars, fresh self harm scars. You were his best friend weren't you? One hell of a friend you are! He looked like he was ready to die, like, how sick can someone get!" 

Harry's eyes wide, mouth open as he took in what his friends had done. Once he got over the initial shock, he looked around to see Niall was on top of  Zayn, punching him in the face and Greg had Liam shoved on the floor, he had tears in his eyes. Just then Anne entered the house. Seeing four fighthing boys and her crying son had her so agitated that she yelled on top of her lungs

"WHAT'S GOING ON IN HERE!!"

 All five heads turned in her direction. 

"GET OUT! THE FOUR OF YOU, BEFORE I CALL THE POLICE!" The four boys scurried out of the house, parting ways to their own destinations. Harry sat on the couch and broke down in sobs. Once she closed the door, Anne walked towards her son, standing with her hands on her hips.

"Care to explain" She looked down at her son. He slowly looked up, unable to meet her eyes. One look and she knew that he had done a lot of crying that day. She moved to the couch and pulled her son into a hug. He buried his head in her neck shaking as sobs wracked through his body. She kissed his hair and rubbed comforting circles on his back. Once he had calmed down enough, she pulled back 

"What happen Harry? Why were you crying?"

"I hurt him mom. I hurt the one person who loved me, cared for me more than himself. I hurt him mom. I broke him. I... I...."

"Who son? What happen?"

"Louis mom. I hurt Louis. He told me he was gay the day after my birthday. I always thought that being gay was wrong. I told Zayn and Liam. They said that it was disgusting and I believed them. They said that if I stay with him, be nice with him, everyone will hate me, I believed them. They told me they'd make me popular, I wouldn't have to be stuck with him anymore and I believed them I don't even know what was wrong with me. I think most of all, I was jealous of him. He was able to be himself, accept himself, come out, be happy but I was just a coward. I bullied him mom, I hit him, insulted him, called him such slurs!"

"I just got to know, yesterday, Zayn, Liam, Cody and Josh Swift, they.... they, they raped him mom" she let out a gasp, she couldn't imagine her second son having to endure all that.

"They raped him. He came to me today, he gave me his journal. Apparently, he started writing a journal so he could give it to me one day. He gave it to me, I was rude to him and he left. He left the town mom, I don't think his parents know, he was being sneaky. He left, and I couldn't even say goodbye, I couldn't even tell him how sorry I am and that I love him!" 

"What?"

"Mom, I'm not sure what I am, but I'm not straight and I love Louis in a way that I want him to be mine." She just hugged him tight again but something occured to her and she rushed out of her house, impatiently ringing her neighbor's bell.

******************************************

That morning when the Tomlinsons woke up, they were met by the biggest shock so far. One look at the note and Jay thought that her son was going to end his life but Mark brought her back to her senses saying that the note said that Louis was leaving the town. She immediately stood up and dialed Louis' phone only to find it ringing in the living room. The lock screen was set as a simple 'Sorry'. 

They filed a missing report, involved the police, but nothing they did could help them find Louis. Two months into it, and they gave up. They just accepted Louis' decision. It's not like they could do anything else. Slowly trickling back into their routine but lacking a member.