Until You Know

Chapter One

Harry pulled the door of his flat shut behind him. As he stepped onto the sidewalk, he turned up his collar against the chill of the brisk November air. He walked aimlessly down the block, his eyes downcast. It was Sunday morning-- the shops were closed, and thee streets were empty. Suddenly he felt a buzz come from his coat pocket. Reaching into his leather jacket, he found his phone and pulled it out. It was a text. A text from...

hey where are you

Harry stopped in his tracks. His stomach tightened and he bit his lip. His hand started to shake as he typed out a response.

sorry cant talk

He hit send and thrust his phone back into his pocket as resumed walking. He picked up speed and forced himself not to think about how much he had probably just hurt Louis. Then his phone went off again. He sighed.

please?

Harry ran a hand through his curls. He couldn't. He just couldn't. He shoved his phone into his pocket and turned back, heading home again. Coming outside had been a bad idea.

He hated this. He hated brushing Louis off, but it was the only thing he could do; because Louis couldn't know the truth.

Harry was nearly back when his phone went off a third time. He took it out and read the message. Then Harry began to panic.

im at your flat can u let me in

He slowly looked up from his phone.  His eyes took in a pair of Keds, then red pants, a jean jacket, and, finally, a tanned and handsome face and bright blue eyes.

Louis was standing at Harry's doorstep. Louis was turning around. Louis was looking at him.

"Harry! So that's why you didn't come to the door. I've been knocking for a quarter hour!"

Louis jumped off the stoop and approached his tall friend. His eyes were crinkled in a smile. God he looked good. His light brown hair was swept up into a short quiff in an attempt, Harry knew, to conceal his short stature. It took all the determination Harry had not to fling his arms around the figure before him.

"So ya gonna let me in or what?" Louis asked, reaching a hand out to poke Harry in the ribs.

"Erm..." Harry dodged Louis' arm as he scarmbled to find and excuse. "No, sorry. I was just going out actually."

"Huh," A grin played across Louis' mouth. "Funny... as it looks like your going the wrong direction. I'd say you were coming home!"

Damnit. Harry wanted to kick himself. Now it was obvious he had been lying.

"Right. Uh, yeah. C'mon then."

Harry could tell Louis was waiting for a hug but Harry brushed past him quickly and went to the door. He pulled out his key and unlocked it, then stepped inside. He kicked off his ankle boots and moved aside so Louis could come in.

"Want a cuppa?" Harry asked as he headed to the kitchen as fast as he could.

"Yeah that'd be great."

Louis took of his coat and dropped it to the floor, running to catch up with Harry. It was almost as if Harry was avoiding him! When Louis got to the kitchen, he sat on the counter and watched Harry as he moved about preparing the tea. Harry busied himself pretending to search for the sugarbowl so he wouldn't have to look at Louis.

"Looking for this?" Louis asked with a grin, sliding the sugarbowl out from behind him.

"Yeah, thanks," Harry said quickly, keeping his eyes down.

Louis' face fell. What was going on? Harry had been acting really odd the past few days. He had either ignored Louis' messages (or replied as sparingly as possible), he had avoided meeting up, and now he wouldn't even look at him! Louis had thought that if he surprised Harry with a visit, something good would come of it, but now he was wondering whether it had been a good idea afterall.

Well, Louis thought to himself, if Harry isn't going to talk to me, then I'm gonna have to find something else to entertain me. His eyes were wandering around the kitchen when something glinted, catching his eye. He craned his neck to see what it was... Louis gasped and his mouth fell open. The bin was overflowing-- filled to the brim with empty bottles.

"Harry-- did you drink all those?" Louis asked, pointing at the bin.

Harry turned round to see what Louis was talking about. Shit. He'd meant to get rid of the bottles before anyone came over, but Louis had caught him off guard.

"I uhh... Had a party last night," He lied, "Grimmy brought a load of his mates over. It was a BYOB."

Louis slid off the countertop.

"Sorry, Haz, but I gotta run," He said, backing out of the kitchen, "I've just remembered that I promised Niall I'd meet up with him." Then Louis turned and walked to the front door and pulled on his coat. Pausing with his hand on the doorknob, he called, " Later Haz!" And then he was gone, the door slamming shut behind him.

Harry was left in the kitchen with two mugs of tea and an empty feeling in his stomach. He was confused and slightly disappointed by Louis' behaviour. Why had he left so suddenly? Granted, Harry hadn't exactly been a ray of sunshine, but he knew that when Louis made an effort to visit someone in person, it was usually for a good reason. So why had Louis changed his mind and left? Harry turned and poured the steaming tea down the drain. He had no appetite anyway

Outside the flat, Louis was panicking. He paced back and forth in front of Harry's doorstep, trying to decide what he should do. He couldn't call up the lads-- they'd freak out. And he knew if he confronted Harry, it would end badly. He sat on the stoop and held his head in his hands.

"I had a party last night. Grimmy brought a load of his mates over..."

But what Harry had said was a lie. Nick Grimshaw had been out to dinner last night, and Louis knew this for a fact because he had happened to run into him at the restaurant. Which meant... Harry had had all that alcohol on his own. Harry was in trouble, and there was nothing Louis could do to help him.