another stupid hate song

Chapter 30

Harry cried that night.

Louis was asleep but the noise of the bay window opening and sniffles woke him up. Louis just stayed in bed, waiting a few seconds to hear if he heard anything else, and he did hear something else. Harry bursted into tears, breathing shakily and muffling the sound with something, probably his hand.

Louis sank lower in the mattress, pulling the covers up to his neck. He wanted to go out to comfort him and hug him, but he was so distant after skydiving that Louis thought that he would just make things worse, so he didn't move. He stayed in bed, pretending to be asleep, but how could he sleep again when Harry was crying beside him and he couldn't do anything? Louis' heart was sinking to his stomach as Harry's hiccups became more frequent. Louis was dying to reach for him, help him with whatever he had.

He considered getting up and asking him, but then he remembered yesterday and how Harry had ignored him and seemed upset, for an unknown reason. Maybe Louis was the unknown reason, but what did he do? Everything was going great, but after the kiss when they landed, he hadn't even looked at him.

"Shit" Louis heard Harry's weak voice say between sobs

Louis shut his eyes tightly, holding on the covers. It hurt to hear Harry's hurt in his voice, the obvious sadness in this single short word. It would be so easy to stand up and go help him, but Louis was sure he was the reason for Harry to be this way. He didn't know what he did, but he knew it was him. He felt like it was him.

Harry cried for what felt like a lifetime to Louis, but he eventually ran out of tears. He came back inside and probably tried to make as little noise as possible as Louis didn't hear anything except a shaky breath from the bed next to him.

It was horrible to think that Harry was on another bed next to him but seemed unreachable, like an ocean was separating them.

...

In the morning, Harry got up first and Louis pretended to be asleep, but maybe unconvincingly. Louis and Harry took turns in the bathroom and didn't really talk. Not even a good morning or anything, just 'you can go in the bathroom' once Harry was finished.

If Louis had to bet, he'd say that neither he nor Harry slept last night. Louis for sure didn't, and he could hear Harry's shaky and uneven breaths all night long.

Now they were on the plane back to manchester. Harry didn't even meet Louis' eyes -or anyone's- from over his sunglasses, which were probably hiding his red eyes. He just looked down at the floor even when he took a seat next to the old lady, the one who took another seat to let them sit together on the flight here. Harry smiled back at her when she smiled, and then shook his head and looked back down after she asked him a question. She looked at him sadly and went back to her magazine.

Louis wondered what she asked Harry while looking at Eden.

"Can I sit next to you?" he asked

"No problem" she shrugged, giving him a smile

He smiled back and sat, releasing a heavy sigh once he sank in the seat, trying to hide inside it and never coming back.

"You don't sit next to Harry?" Eden asked after a beat

"Nope" he replied, popping the 'p' and giving her a look that said 'Please can we not talk about him?'

They frowned at him "Why not?"

Eden had always had a thing for ignoring everything or just not paying attention to it.

He sighed "We, um, argued?"

They didn't even argue, and Louis didn't know how to describe what happened, because he had no idea.

"About what? Harry seemed enthusiastic about buying something to please him and you, and you two were all lovey-dovey at karaoke two nights ago" she said, he forehead wrinkling more as she spoke