Rehab

Chapter Four: Hideaway

"Harry Styles, my very best friend, I show you, the rock."

Harry and I have been looking for somewhere in our small town where we can hang out without adults, and I, the great Louis Tomlinson stumbled across this great rock on a hike with my mom yesterday.

"Louis, this is huge! Oh my, lets climb it," says Harry. He walks towards the lower side of the rock where it is easier to get on, and starts to walk up it. I do the same. "This is amazing Louis. I'm so glad you are my friend. Lets make a promise. A promise to be friends forever, and to stay by each others side in times of need," exclaims Harry.

"Deal," I say and Harry puts out his hand for me to shake, and I do so. He then tugs on my arm and pulls me in for a hug.

"I'm so glad we are friends Louis." You would think that this sort of thing would make me uncomfortable, but it doesn't. It makes me feel happy, and gives me a weird feeling inside, but I think its a good feeling.

"Me too Harry, me too."

Present Day

"Why are you here?" I ask Harry, wondering why he came here and if he was the one following me.

I thought you would need some comfort and that I could help and-"

"And how did you expect to help me? And why, I was an ass to you anyways," I tell him. We were the best of friends, and I literally just walked out of his life. I replaced him with drugs, booze and partying, not caring that I left him behind in the dirt.

"Because I believe people change and deserve second chances," he tells me.

"And who says I want a second chance? And it's not like you can come here and have a conversation and change me. I am who I am, just accept it," I tell him, taking another drag from my joint.

"Well can I start off by saying that I came here and sat right next to you and you didn't leave or tell me to piss off." He's right I guess. "And don't act like you haven't changed. If you didn't you wouldn't be back in this small town and had given that eulogy, which was quite good by the way. Also, I know for a fact you don't want to be around any of the people in that church. I'm not saying you don't want to be around me either, but times like this you need comfort. And weed won't make you feel better for a long time, that relaxation is temporary."

I'm listening and although I know what he is saying is right, I don't want to hear it. The silence we sit in for the next couple minutes is unbearable so I put out my joint and get up to leave.

"Louis, please listen. Do you remember the promise we made here when we were younger?" I nod my head yes.

"Harry, we were kids, we thought we would be friends forever because we thought that was possible. But like I told you yesterday, nothing is forever."

"But Louis, I'm not saying I want to be friends forever, but I don't want to break my promise of staying by your side, and this is a time we need to help each other. Coach was a big part of our lives and you need to accept that he's gone, but we'd be better off if we do it together. Now please, just come sit here and talk. And if you never want to speak to me again, that's ok, just tell me. But I just want to help you," he tells me. I really don't deserve this, but maybe he's right. Maybe it is something I need. I want to escape my shitty life but it's hard. And maybe he can help me.

I walk back towards the rock but he stops me by pulling me in for a hug, and for some reason I can't stop myself from hugging back and I immediately feel the tears roll down my face. Words start coming out of my mouth and I can't stop. I feel so weak and defeated and he lets me go and we sit on the rock. I start to calm down even though it is hard and I just talk and vent and he listens. He takes me seriously and cares about what I am saying. I have all these people who are my "friends", but none of them would do what Harry is doing right now, and that's listening. I feel weird, and the more I look at him the more I feel a weird feeling in my stomach that I haven't felt since I was little. I then start apologizing for everything I did. How I left. How I ignored him. How I made no effort to explain myself and gave shitty excuses.

I realize I can open up to him, and being here with him is different; it almost is comforting. Then we just sit there watching the sun go down. Complete silence, but it is what I needed to relax me. I can feel Harry's eyes on me. I don't know why he is staring at me when he can be looking at the beautiful scene in front of us, but I don't mind it.

I feel myself calm down. Talking about what I was feeling really helped, and apologizing to Harry makes me feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Maybe I can change. But then it hits me what I'm doing and where I am, and I don't like it. This isn't me. I'm not someone who just mopes around and confesses everything on my mind to someone I used to know, who in a way is a stranger now.

"I have to go," I tell Harry.

"Okay," he says. I walk away and see the car next to me is the one that was following me, and I'm guessing it's Harrys. He must have taken a different way to get here so it wasn't so obvious he was following me. I get in my car and start craving something: alcohol. I look through my car and find my old flask. There is still a little bit of stuff in it and I drink it. The familiar taste hits my tongue, and I drink it up. I guess you can't always change old habits.