TORN

Chapter 14: The Search Begins

It was already late in the evening, and the warm atmosphere of the bar seemed to intensify Harry's inner restlessness. Zayn had just casually mentioned that neither he nor Liam had heard from Louis in the past few days, and this news made Harry's heart grow heavy. Louis was someone who was always present, whether he was loudly joking or embarking on some spontaneous adventure. His sudden disappearance was unsettling.

Harry stared thoughtfully at his half-full glass of whiskey before he lifted his gaze to Zayn and Liam. "I think we should go look for him," he said finally, his voice steady but full of worry.

Zayn and Liam exchanged a quick glance before Zayn nodded. "I've been thinking the same. Louis can be hard to reach sometimes, but he's never been out of touch for this long."

"Then let's not waste any time," Y/N said decisively, standing up from her seat. "Where should we start?"

Zayn hesitated briefly before pulling out his phone and dialing Lottie's number. The group waited anxiously as Zayn explained the situation to Louis' sister. Lottie sounded concerned and promised to check with her sisters Fizzy, Phoebe, and Daisy, as well as their mother Jay, to see if anyone had heard from him.

A few minutes later, Lottie called back to confirm that no one had heard from Louis. The silence that followed was filled with worry and uncertainty.

"Maybe we should check his favorite club," Liam finally suggested. "The bartender knows Louis well, and he might have seen him."

As they stepped out of the bar into the cool night air to head to the club, they felt the darkness close in around them. It was already 2 a.m., and the streets were almost deserted. A cold breeze swept through the empty alleys, and the chilly temperature made Harry shiver, though his thoughts were mostly with Louis. The only light came from the occasional flickering streetlamps, casting long shadows on the asphalt, making the mood even more somber. Harry pulled his jacket tighter around himself, glancing anxiously into the night as they walked in silence, each lost in their thoughts.

On the way to the club, Harry finally turned to Y/N and spoke quietly to her. "I feel so guilty," he confessed, his voice thick with remorse. "I... I think this is my fault. Maybe I pushed him too hard, and now..."

Y/N gently placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You're not solely responsible, Harry. Louis is a free spirit and often has his own reasons for his decisions. But the fact that you're worried shows how much he means to you."

Harry nodded, though the guilt didn't leave him. Thoughts of their last conversation, the hurtful words, and the unspoken feelings plagued him.

When they arrived at the club, it was loud and crowded. The music blared, and people danced energetically on the floor. Zayn headed straight to the bar and spoke to the bartender, who knew Louis well. "Hey, have you seen Louis today?" he asked.

The bartender frowned when he heard Louis' name. "Yeah, he was here today. He showed up around 11 p.m., alone, and he looked kind of... out of it. Ordered a few drinks, seemed pretty shaken up."

"And then?" Liam asked, leaning forward with concern.

The bartender shrugged. "He spent a few hours here, danced a bit, and eventually started talking to two guys. They partied together, and around 1 a.m., the three of them left together."

The group exchanged glances. Zayn finally voiced what everyone was thinking. "Maybe he took them back to his place."

Though they had no certainty, it seemed like the most plausible explanation. They left the club and headed to Louis' apartment. On the way there, their worries only grew, the thought of Louis' confused state and his sudden disappearance weighing heavily on them.

When they finally arrived at Louis' apartment, they immediately noticed that the door was slightly ajar. Dull music thumped from inside, and through the crack in the door, they could see flickering lights. The smell of cigarette smoke and a faint hint of marijuana drifted out. From inside, they could hear loud laughter and murmured voices—apparently, Louis had decided to throw a party.

The group exchanged anxious glances. The uneasy feeling that had been building inside them grew stronger. "This doesn't look good," Liam muttered quietly, his brow furrowed with concern. Y/N and Zayn nodded silently, while Harry's tension was visibly mounting. He didn't want to waste another second. Without hesitation, he flung the door open wider and called out loudly, "Louis?!"