Captured Memories - L.S

2

•Thursday Evening•

Harry pushed a box aside as he reentered his apartment. He hated unpacking, but he definitely couldn’t leave it unfinished. He needed to start, just not today. He pulled up his computer chair and sat down. He felt like a fool for actually accepting Liam’s offer. “God, I should’ve said no." he thought. He turned around and flipped his laptop open in one swift, frustrated movement. He started to design the flyers. But Harry’s thoughts were now directed elsewhere - ‘why did Liam offer me a job at the coffee shop? A SINGING job nonetheless.’ He felt like someone was blindfolding him, as if everyone knew something he didn’t. ‘Liam had never even heard me sing! He had to just be playing fair, right? To make me just “take pictures" but not perform. He was just being kind. But his LOOK. Liam knew someth-’ his thoughts were interrupted by even MORE thoughts. ‘oh..he couldn’t have heard me singing… Earlier? I wasn’t that loud…was I?’ Harry laughed aloud.

‘Who am I kidding?’ he thought. Shaking his head in disbelief. ‘I wasn’t ever good at anything anyways.’ he thought. “Right, Dad?" he said aloud, peering up at a family picture he’d set up on a shelf above his desk. “You had always told me that. I’m just a no good faggot, right? A pansy. Different. A nerd." Harry started to rise from his seat. He got choked up, as his father’s words rang threw his head. “I’m just….just…A ‘LITTLE GAY BOY’!" he yelled smacking the frame off the shelf. Harry watched as it shattered on the floor. He fell to the floor with it. Crying. Remembering the unwanted memories. The ones he didn’t want captured. The ones he found no beauty in. The ones that hurt.

When he returned downstairs to give Liam the flyers, his face was red and puffy.

“Woah. You alright, mate?" Liam said grabbing Harry’s shoulder and inspecting Harry’s saddened figure.

“Yeah, I’m fine man. Here are your flyers." Harry turned immediately and ran back up the stairs to his apartment, almost causing a scene.

Harrys phone started to ring, ‘Look After You’ the second he walked in the door. Liam. He took a deep breath, sniffled and wiped his nose, composing himself, before answering.

“Hello?" Harry said.

“Mate, listen to me. Do not lie. What’s the matter?" Liam asked sternly.

Harry sighed before deciding whether or not to answer truthfully. “Just some family issues, is all."

“thats all?" Liam asked concernedly.

“yep. That’s it." harry said reassuringly.

“okay, well come on back down I wanna have a chat, yeah?" Liam said. Liam was really worried for Harry, but Harry just wanted to be alone. "..uhh..well…Liam I ummm… Have some..things to…uhh"

Liam giggled, “Harry, really? Come on down. Please."

Harry sighed before saying, “One second." Harry hung up, and picked up the pieces of the picture frame on the floor. He tore his dad from the picture, leaving him, His older sister Gemma, and his mum in tact. He finally got the strength to walk back out the door.

“There are only two people signed up to perform so far, and we need at least five! One for every day next week." Harry scoured intently as Liam was trying to explain. “I was hoping more, so a few could perform a day, we really need to get business up a little." Liam emphasized, worriedly. Harry glanced around the shop… seeing that it was pretty empty. He looked over at the sign up sheet Liam had on the counter.

“Who’s on there so far?" Harry asked curiously.

Liam turned the sheet toward himself while saying, “Two lads have signed up. Separately of course. but some lads named… Niall Horan… And uhh.. Louis Tomlinson! Oh my! He actually signed up! I asked him to come, not even to sign up! I was hoping he’d come." Liam said excitedly.

“You know him?" Harry asked, seeming surprised.

“Of course I know him, he was my best lad in secondary school!" Liam said excitedly. “Very fun lad."

“Oh okay." Harry said, trusting Liam’s judgment.

Liam nudged Harry and winked. “He’s… a lot like you… and he’s also umm.. Well..I think you’ll like him."