I love him (L.S.)

Chapter 22

Third person

Harry's mind raced with thoughts of self-doubt and fear, wondering if he had indeed done something to deserve Zayn's wrath. He felt like he was walking through a nightmare, the darkness of Zayn's accusations suffocating him. He couldn't bear the thought of facing Zayn or Louis again, not until he had some answers.

He turned around and walked out of the house. The cool night air hitting him like a slap in the face. He didn't know where he was going. He just knew he had to get out of there. His car was parked outside, but he wasn't in the right mindset to drive. He couldn't shake off the feeling of being a hazard on the road, his thoughts too jumbled and his vision blurry from tears.

So he started walking, the streets were empty and silent. The only sound being the echo of his own footsteps. As he walked, Harry's thoughts grew more and more jumbled. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had lost his friend, that he had somehow broken the bond they shared. The tears he had been holding back began to fall, streaming down his face like rain.

What if he had lost his boyfriend too.

Eventually, Harry found himself at the park where he took Louis to, on their first date. He sat down on a bench, feeling like a stranger in a place that was once so familiar.

Harry pulled out his phone. His fingers trembled as he scrolled through his contacts.

His mind racing with thoughts of who to turn to. He landed on Gemma's name, his heart skipping a beat as he hesitated for a moment before pressing the call button.

The phone rang, and Harry's anxiety grew with each passing ring. Just when he thought it would go to voicemail, Gemma's warm voice answered, "Hey, H... What happened? Why are you calling at this hour?"

Harry's voice cracked as he tried to speak, but all that came out were sobs. Gemma's tone shifted to concern, "Harry, what's wrong? Are you okay? You're scaring me."

Harry took a deep breath and tried again, his words tumbling out in a messy, emotional confession. "Gemma...it's Zayn...he accused me of...of something terrible. He thinks I'm...that I'd do something to Louis. That I'd take advantage of how young and vulnerable he is. But I swear, Gemma, I would never hurt him. We just had our first kiss like an hour ago. Weeks into our relationship Gem. We just kissed. I don't know what's going on or why Zayn is doing this, but I feel like I'm losing everything. Louis, Zayn, our friendship...it's all falling apart."

Gemma's voice was firm and reassuring, "Harry, listen to me. I believe you. I know you would never hurt Louis or anyone else. You're one of the kindest people I know, and I trust you completely. We'll get through this together, okay? Can you tell me more about what happened with Zayn? What exactly did he say?"

Harry's sobs subsided, replaced by a mixture of fear and desperation. "He...he said I was a predator, that I was grooming Louis. He said I was a danger to him and that he wouldn't let me near him again. But Gemma, that's not true! Louis is my boyfriend and I would never hurt him even if he's not. I don't know what's going on with Zayn, but he's not thinking straight."

Gemma's tone turned stern, "That's ridiculous, Harry. Zayn's accusations are completely unfounded. You and Louis are in a consensual relationship. You know that and that's all that matters. We'll figure out what's going on with Zayn and why he's lashing out like this. In the meantime, stay calm and stay safe. I have your location. I'm on my way to pick you up. We'll get through this together, and we'll clear your name."

Harry's voice cracked, "But what if Louis believes him, Gemma? What if he thinks I'm capable of something like that? I can't lose him, Gemma. He's...he's everything to me."