Boundless (Harry Styles)

Chapter 26

Harry's POV

How did my life end up like this? I know I don't deserve this, but I willingly took the awful consequences I am facing now and I don't regret anything one bit. One thing I worry about though is Claire. How is she doing? I've been worried sick, I'm serious. I know she is worrying about me too, but I know I'm alright here. I should be the one worrying about her. She can't handle the pressure of the upcoming marriage. I haven't talked to her in a lifetime now and I need her.

I want everything to be back to the way they were, when I didn't know any of this yet. When we'd bond with each other. Actually I think we only did that once, when we got home one time and we'd spend all of our time watching telly in the dark room and she ends up sleeping on my shoulder as I sang her to sleep. At that time, it was perfect then, we had no problems, we had fun, we were together.

She changed me, and I regret nothing.

I love her and I regret nothing.

"Styles," I hear a voice echoing in the jail cell as I fiddled with my hands, lying on the hard bed. I stood up and approached whoever was calling. "Someone wants to see you," The officer said with a monotonous tone and a blank expression. I crept up a small smile as someone even bothered seeing me today. I haven't had a visitor the whole time I'm here so this is new.

"Mate," I hear a boy's voice as I haven't even gotten there yet and I believe I've heard that voice before. When I finally arrived, I was greeted by smiling faces, all facing me and I've never felt so missed like this when I saw their faces.

"Harreh!" Louis' voice echoed in the room as he went and gave me a bone-crushing hug, I almost fell to the ground at the sudden impact.

"How you doing?" Zayn hugged next, patting me on the back in a brotherly hug. "I'm alright," I half lied. When they were asking how I am physically, I'm fine. Emotionally, I'm not. When I pulled back, Zayn looked at me intently while replaying my reply earlier that I was alright. He had knew as well as the boys that what I said wasn't fully true but they let it slip because they came to meet me to be happy I was with them again, not to join my pity party.

I continued hugging the other boys in silence and I ended with Liam. "How are you?" I asked no one in particular but they took it as a group.

"Good, but Zayn wasn't the best." Liam whispered in my ear as I looked over at Zayn who was looking back, he had something in his eyes that his smile wasn't able to hide, it was hurt. I gave him a pity smile at whatever had happened to Zayn and he smiled back. "Don't bring it up, he hasn't gotten over it yet." Niall whispered next and I nod, but at least I needed to know what happened to him.

"Bad breakup," Zayn knew what we were whispering about as he replied with a hint of bitterness in his tone and I patted his back in comfort because at least without Perrie, he had us. I still need more information than two words that described Zayn's problem.

"We'll tell you further details later, we came here for you, not me." He smiled as if reading my mind and we head on to sit on the bench to catch up on what we've been missing out on each other.

"How's the band?" I asked first, needing to know if anyone knew anything about me. "We've stopped interviews and shows until further notice. The fans are not the same without you Haz," Liam replied to that question, as I have expected.

"They don't know anything, don't worry." He continued and they all gave me an assuring smile and surprisingly, I smiled a genuine smile for the first time in a long time because of these lads. They made me smile and feel like I'm alright even for a few moments.

"You? How about you, how are you here?" Louis asked next and he knows what he wants to hear so I tell him. "To tell you lads the truth, I'm not fine, " I lowered my head and focused on fiddling with my fingers.

"We knew it," Lou replied and I smiled at him. He knew me so well.

"How's-" I was cut off by another voice in the distant.

"She's not alright." I turned back to see a guy in a suit, probably my age, and he's a blond. I could have sworn I knew him from somewhere, I just don't know where. "Harry." I know who he is now. I stood up to shake his hand followed by the boys. This was an awkward moment because this was the first time that we'd talk and he's the closest source to Claire.

"She's not alright?" I asked as he sat down beside me, while the boys gave us confused looks. "Oh, right. Prince Harold, this is Niall," I introduced him to the boys one by one. "Liam, Zayn, and Louis." He shook their hands one by one.

"Call me Harry," He said to all of them and they all gave a nod, but still they had puzzled looks stuck to their faces, why I knew a prince. "Claire's fiancé," I explained to them and the boys let out 'oohs' and 'aahs' but they were cut off by Prince Harry. "Not anymore," He looked at me and he smiled at my shocked expression.

No one ever told me he wasn't her fiancé anymore, why?

"They have considered the princess to choose whom she'll marry and her father and the queen have to consider the decision she'll make,"

"I'm one of the suitors." He continues and I look at him with a pity look on my face as he looks at me the same way.

"Please get her, she's better in your hands." I plead to him as hard as I can. If she's not with me, she has to be with the next best thing that I know I can trust somehow. "I can't. She loves you, I have a conscience you know." He smiles a bit, trying to liven up the conversation but it's no use. This is serious business.

"I know she's safe in your hands, please at least get her."

"You need to get out of here. When are they letting you go?" He asks me, his eyes boring mine looking for an answer. "I don't know," I break eye contact.

"She's emotionally suffering, you know that?" His words made me look up to him again. "What? No." I feel my eyes producing moisture as small tears form in them.

"I see her in her room, cuddling a shoe." It sounded quite weird, until you knew what it meant. The shoe, she still has it, and I have the other one.

"I bought that for her," I told him and he nods.

"Please, she needs you more than ever. She can't handle this alone." He tells me and I see him starting to tear up too, like the other boys, until Niall stands up. He went to get something and I watch him as he pulls out something, hiding it from behind, and coming back to the table.

"Here," He hands me the other shoe and I cry at the memories this shoe holds. This isn't just a piece of footwear, it holds more value than anything else. Our friendship grew along with this shoe. I know she still has the other part of the pair, and with that, I know we're both not giving up on this, we're too strong to give on each other. We can take this problem, I can do this.

For her.

"And she definitely won't handle this alone."

Author's Note:

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