✔ A Sky Full of Stars [Zarry AU]

Chapter Twenty Eight

"I can't do this." Harry said, placing his hand on Louis' chest and pushing him away from his body. Louis frowned and took a step closer to Harry. They were at the abandoned street behind the pub where they left Zayn.

Harry couldn't wash off the look Zayn had passed on to him when Louis whispered how much fun they're going to have. "What's wrong with you? You're acting differently." Louis said. Harry just grabbed his phone and decided to call Candace, it was about nine anyways.

"I have to go home, sorry." Harry said as he turned around and walked back to the busy roads of Birmingham. Louis stood near his car surprised as ever, not believing the Harry Styles of yesterday was the same today. He had changed so drastically, Louis wondered if they were falling apart. With a frown on his face, Louis Tomlinson got back in his car and drove his way back home.

Harry Styles had rang Candace and told her he would walk home himself, and just said that they should meet at the door. By the time he reached there, he could see Candace stood outside the door, moving hastily with a frown on her face. "Where were you?!" She asked when Harry approached her.

"With Louis." Harry replied.

"What about Zayn?" She asked. "Louis left him near the club or pub, whatever place it was. They had an argument and I don't know what to do." Harry replied. Candace didn't say much after that.

They walked inside the house without another word, both of them offering smiles to the family members before heading towards their respective rooms. Candace was residing at the guest room with her mother which was downstairs. She gave Harry a small smile when they parted their ways.

Harry doesn't know how to connect with Louis anymore.

*

Harry was grinning like an idiot when he held the morning newspaper in his hand. Liam and Niall were engaged and they looked so happy in the picture, Harry doesn't know if he could get the chance to meet them again.

Maybe Niall wouldn't like him in this reality, or maybe he will. Maybe Liam would be more friendly to him this time, if there is a chance. "Harry! It's almost your uni time! What are you doing?!" That was his mother yelling at him.

It was Monday, the day that he didn't care about till yesterday. He had set up everything for university, he hoped that the exam papers would be the same as the last reality, because if they will be the same, he's finishing university with an A. But he didn't give the remaining years in the alternate reality because Cameron took him off this place.

Candace was supposedly leaving for home today with her mother. She watched Harry leave for his university when he took a deep breath and finished the breakfast properly. She told her mother that she would be going out for a morning walk, and her mother let her out. It was about seven in the morning and she was outside in the cold yet pleasing weather.

She took her phone and gave a missed call to Julia. She waited at the children's park which was almost empty. Few old people were seen strolling and some middle aged people talking. She took a seat over an empty bench and waited for Julia Zevon. After ten minutes Julia showed up in a pretty blue dress and took a seat beside Candace. "You're making me feel bad about my tracks." Candace said, receiving a smile from Julia.

"Zayn is sleeping. Harry's off to Uni, I guess?" Julia asked. Candace nodded with a sigh. "Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, Zayn loves you. Yeah? You can have a happy life that you always wanted. Crystal will be completely vanished from your life and she will understand her mistakes in the passing time."

"I know." Julia said. "But it's been an year for him, Candace. He lived an whole year without me and... He moved on. I understand that he can mend our relationship, start over from the very first date. But I'm thinking about Harry too, here. He is important too."

"Yeah?" Candace asked with a small smile. Julia nodded with a chuckle. "He's been through a lot too, Ace. You showed me what things Louis did to him and he didn't even realize, you showed me the pain that he kept inside himself and... He's torturing himself. He can't even look at Louis the way he did before, yeah? Our stories are completely different. I saw him with Zayn and he seemed happy. There was this look on his face whenever Zayn would pass him a smile, I saw it."

"Jules.." Candace started. "No, let me finish." Julia cut her off.

"I love Zayn the way I did yesterday. We're engaged, but it's not the same for him. And then there's me, I'm one of those people who should try to live alone for their own good. I don't need to tangle people in my mess, Zayn managed to get out of it and all I'm doing is pulling him back in." Julia said. "He has done so much for me and I've just taken everything he gives me. I've never gave anything back. I think it's time I give him the happiness that he deserves, by letting go."

"Jules!" Candace said in astonishment. "But you were planning on marrying him, right? You still love him. He won't even leave you, you know that."

"I know that." Julia said. "He won't leave me because he's too nice, so I have to leave him. Maybe talk with Harry and see if he's doing alright with Louis. It'll take some time and I'll have to adjust without him, but I can survive like this. I'll get a house somewhere in... I don't know. Somewhere in America for sure, I'll keep working for my paper and move on with my life."

"How are you going to manage all this by yourself?" Candace asked with a frown. "I'm 23, Candace. Not sixteen." Julia replied, smiling at her best friend.

"I've been planning on shifting away and living on my own too. Maybe we can live together." Candace said. "Really? That would make life easier." Julia said while taking Candace's hand and having a small laugh.

Candace could see the sadness behind her smile, but she didn't say anything because she knew Julia. She would do anything to make others happy and try to push people out of her mess. Maybe this was the time she helped her out step by step, and let Julia help her cousin out too. Candace couldn't help but smile.