Missing Pages (Book 2)

You're On My Christmas List

Louis' POV~
"Hey mate!" Niall shouts as I step inside Zayn's house.

"Hey." I smile, hugging him quickly.

"It's really good to see you, you look good." He says.

"Bullshit." I laugh, and he rolls his eyes.

"Nah, I mean it. You look better."

"Probably all the football practice." I shrug.

"I heard, I'm glad you got back in the game." Liam states, coming up behind Niall.

"Me too." I lie. Zayn gives me a sideways nod, and I follow him into the kitchen.

"How have you been?" He asks.

"I've been better." I sigh, he gives me a sideways grin.

"I'm glad you came. I was thinking maybe we could visit Donny's grave tonight? Say Merry Christmas, I don't know."

"Yeah," I smile, "I'd like that."

"Good." He smiles back.

"Is Harry coming?" I ask, regretting it almost immediately when his smile dropped. "Sorry mate." He shook his head in response. I understood. There was nothing he could say. When you love someone, they steal the breath right out of your lungs. It's how I feel when someone brings up Donny. Also it's not as bad now as it was.

"He called me." He whispered after a bit of silence.

"What, when? Why?" I exclaimed.

"After Safaa's recital. He wasn't making much sense. Said something about a counselor? Do you know anything about that?" He questioned.

"What? No, of course not. He never talked about his life when we'd talk. It was always about me." I paused. "And Donny. You don't think..I mean..you don't think something happened, do you?"

"I honestly don't know.." He sighs, running a hand through his hair, it's grown out a bit now. "He sounded pretty bad on the phone. He kept babbling about this nightmare..."

"Maybe you should talk to Anne." I suggest.

"Yeah, maybe." He bites his lip, and I decide to leave him there to think as I go to rejoin my family in the other room.

***
Zayn's POV~
I quietly make my way into the garage before dialing Anne's number. It had been a long time since I've talked to her.

"Zayn, Is everything alright?" I could hear the concern in her voice from a million miles away.

"Yeah, I mean yes, well uh, no. Actually, that's what I was calling to find out." I pause, taking a deep breath. "I know this is probably way out of line, but I was hoping you could tell me what's been going on with Harry." I blurt out. It's quiet on the other line for a minute, the sound of shuffling and closed doors.

"He called you, didn't he?" She asked, even though it sounded more like a statement.

"Yes. And I'm worried." I sigh, tugging a fistful of my hair.

"So am I. I thought after leaving the asylum-" Hold, up, what? "That he would be able to move forward. But it hasn't. He's so..callous. He's not at all the boy he used to be. He's disrespectful, closed off, angry at the world." I hear her sigh on the other line. "I don't know what to do anymore. My baby's gone, Zayn." Her voice cracks. She's crying.

"I'll fix it. Don't worry Anne. I'll get him back." I promise, before realizing what I had just said.

"You can't. I've tried everything." She cries.