The Parallels (Larry Stylinson+Niall Horan)

Chapter 54

hi! So I want you to know that I've made up a sort of condition with Harry that will be mentioned. I want to clear it up that it is totally FICTIONAL and has nothing to do with reality. Thank you.

************************************
Harry

If you asked me how I had spent the last three months, honestly, I would have no idea. They went by in a blur. From hanging out happily with my friends to crying hysterically when I'm alone, from loving to do school work to hating to going to school, from not thinking about him at all to him being the only thing on my mind. It was all a big mess and I knew it was going to get even messier before it took a turn for the better.

It was Christmas week. We obviously had holidays going on and the only thing on our schedule was meeting up and spending time together. Even though none of us ever talked about it, we did realise pretty well that in a few months, Niall and Zayn would graduate and go off somewhere for college. I was having a good time with all of them and I appreciated their efforts in trying to not leave me alone for very long. I had started to get better already or at least they thought so.

Three months was a long time to learn to control the display of your emotions and I had done exactly that. I had mastered the skill of not letting my feelings show up on my face and apparently, I was doing a pretty good job at it. I tried to ignore the pang in my chest whenever anyone around us would mention his name. Like how Zayn did on Niall’s birthday or how a random kid at school will be talking about how good he was at footie. In fact, it had started to come so naturally to me that I sometimes had to remind myself that it was okay to feel when I was alone at home.

Honestly, it had started to get easier. I was getting better at actually moving on. My breakdowns because of missing him had become a rare occurrence lately. I was getting more like my older self on the inside as well. I was getting happier, getting more involved in conversations, being enthusiastic about our plans, everything that I had not been in the past couple of months. But of course, nothing good ever goes on for too long.

Christmas meant Christmas eve and Christmas eve meant Louis’s birthday. He would be turning nineteen this time. I remembered his last one like it was yesterday. I mean, how could I possibly forget? We had our first kiss that day, a kiss that he initiated. Not that I would ever be bold enough to do such a thing. He opened up to me a little, called me handsome, touched my face gently, told me to wait for him, returned as he promised even though he was slightly drunk, kissed me and told me that was his best birthday gift. It wasn’t all good since he had lashed out on me first and it wasn’t all perfect afterwards since everyone got into a fight and I didn’t see Louis until new year, but I couldn’t care less whenever I thought back about that moment.

“Haz! You coming, baby?” mum called from downstairs and I jumped out of my bed. I ran downstairs and tackled her in a passionate embrace. “Hello, baby,” she chuckled as she rubbed my back.

“Hi, mum,” I grinned at her. I could feel my dimples digging in and I felt truly happy to have her back.

“Hi, hun. I can’t believe how long it has been since we had so much time to spend together,” she smiled.

“Since last Christmas,” I answered, pulling back and fiddling with my hands.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I’m sorry that my job has been so demanding that I hardly see you, but guess what? I have a special surprise for you as your Christmas present. You’ll just have to wait to find out,” she winked. I let out a laugh at her behaviour.

“You’re never gonna grow up, mum, are you?” I laughed.

"I believe you already know the answer to that," she replied.