Sυρєя Sтαя [Lαяяу Aυ]

•••Chapter Three•••

"--and it may just be cheaper to buy a new camera." The man at the counter said. It was early in the afternoon and Harry had taken Louis' camera out to the store to see if it could be repaired. The man working there, whose nametag read Rick, talked elaborately on the damage done, although the curly haired man had no idea what any of it meant, so he simply smiled and nodded. 

"Money isn't an issue," Harry replied, brushing a long strand of hair away from his ivy green eyes. "I just want to know if it's repair-able...er, can be fixed...fixable?" Rick, who had sandy blond hair and almond colored eyes, bit down into his lower lip, looking a tad irritated with the question, as if they had already gone over this. Harry wracked his mind to see if he could remember already going over the topic, but it was to no avail. 

"It should be." He finally said with a curt nod. "But it'll take a few days." 

"Great!" Harry chimed beamishly, his eyes brightening with every passing second. He was absolutely writhing with excitement. If he could finally deliever this camera to Louis, perhaps he could finally see him again. He has had slightly...rude thoughts of his old best friend over the years, trying to force himself to forget about him entirely. His love for art, the encouragement he had given him, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, but this camera seemed to bring it all back. In fact, if he remembered correctly, this was the camera that Louis' mother had given him for his birthday...the year she had been diagnosed with cancer. What kind he couldn't recall, but he did know that shortly after he left for his first tour she beat cancer's butt. Louis had called him at one in the morning (at least in Australia where he had been at the time) and chattered on happily. Harry had even sent them some cookies and a card, to send them his congrats from so far away. And then it had all stopped. 

The texting. 

The calling. 

The laughing and the talking. 

It had all stopped. It had been his call. He had just abruptly stopped replying to Louis and ignoring his calls, and he had switched from Louis to his new best friend, Zayn, in a heartbeat. And after a while, Louis had stopped, too. The memories made his heart ache. He was filled with so much regret...he had had his reasonings, but they seemed so foolish and selfish now. He had lost his best friend in the entire world. 

"Hello?" Harry's head snapped up his shock. 

"Wha-" 

"You're holding up the line," Rick gripped, pointing behind Harry to gesture to the one person behind him; a little old lady, looking hilariously confused, waddled up toward the counter with a Samsung camera perched in her hand. 

"Sorry to interrupt boys," The lively old lady chirped as she finally reached the front. "But I can't seem to get this to work. I remember the good ol' days when cameras were for taking pictures and phones were for calling your friends, and video games were called playing outdoors--" Harry didn't stand by to listen to her finish her speech on the 'good ole days'. Instead, he just smiled at Rick and the woman, and then turned roughly on his heel to go out and relax. 

★ • ★ • ★

After that, Harry found himself at some little coffee shop (what it was called he really couldn't remember at this point), as he had missed breakfast this morning in his haste. He had ordered a double chocolate chip muffin (he was a chocolate fanatic), and black coffee. He had been sitting there eating quietly by himself, getting a few glances here or there from people that obviously knew of him, when Louis walked in. It was enough to get him choking on the crumbs. Once his coughing fit was over  and his eyes were watering, he looked up to see if he could find Louis again. 

Louis was leaving the counter and heading off towards the restroom. Harry almost followed like a little puppy when he realized that one, that was a single bathroom, and two, it would be a little weird anyway if he just showed up in the bathroom and approached someone he hadn't talked to in...well, years. He waited patiently for Louis to finish, trying not to seem creepy about it as he sipped his insanely hot coffee. He hardly even noticed he was burning his tongue off he was so preoccupied.