One Meaningless Promise

One Meaningless Promise~6

Chapter 6.

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~3 Hours Later~

"C'mon, Harry, the movie has almost started!

Harry raised his head from his pillow, blinking his eyelids to adjust to the dark that surrounded him. He detangled his legs from the tight grip of his sheets and stood up, tiredly walking over to the closed door. His fingers closed around the knob and he strolled out of the room and down the stairs.

With each downward step he took, his heartbeat increased dramatically as he approached. Then, he was in the living room, facing four boys who were seated on the couch, three of which were sprawled unnecessarily over the sofa. The other boy, was sat on the far edge, his bright gaze hidden as his eyes stayed trained on his knitted fingers. Harry wiggled his way between Niall and Liam.

"What movie have you chosen?" He asked to no one in particular, staring at the screen.

"Love Actually." Louis spoke quietly.

Harry swallowed loudly without meaning to. He willed his eyes not to shift over to meet the other boy's pair. The room was noiseless, except for the familiar background music as the credits began to play. Watching this movie was like feeling someone drive a syringe into your heart, and having it inject you with little bits of poison at a time, until you couldn't bear any more, and your pulse gradually slowed to silence. That's how painful it was for Harry. He knew the movie by heart, he'd watched it so many times. He would swaddle himself and Louis in blankets, balance popcorn in his lap, and hold the smaller body close to his own as the two recited the lines together, laughing like idiots. Now, even though he sat wedged between four other boys, he felt lonelier than ever. Like he was empty. Harry's chest felt shallow, and his fingers started fidgeting nervously. In his mind, he knew what was happening. But this time, it was different.

Harry felt his lungs contracting and expanding rapidly, and his heartbeat had begun to pick up its pace. He felt the tingles itch their way from his toes to his fingers as the presence of emptiness crept into his body. So far, nobody had noticed him. It took all of his effort to stare at the television screen like the others were. His breath blew out in fast, quiet pants. Fear climbed through his veins as he screwed his eyes shut and clenched his restless hands into fists. Then, the strangest thing happened.

He felt gentle fingers drag slowly through his curls, softly tugging on the pieces of hair at the nape of his neck. And just like that, the dangerous acid flowing through his body dissolved into thin air. His body relaxed, and his heart returned to its normal pace. The fingers fell slowly down his neck, before they pulled away. What had just happened?

Harry turned his head to the right, where Louis's arm was draped over Niall's shoulders, his hand resting on the back of the sofa just behind Harry's head. Suddenly, the pressure in the air crushed him, and he couldn't take one more second in that room.

"I'm going to bed," He murmured in a quiet voice, standing abruptly from his seat. "Goodnight."

Harry didn't look back at the boys as he ascended the stairs quickly, because he didn't want to see the wounded stairs of yet more people whom he had hurt. He hated himself for shutting out everyone who tried to help him. His face distorted with a silenced sob as he shut the bathroom door behind him, choking down one of his prescription pills and turning towards the mirror.

He looked at his lame reflection. Dark shadows ringed underneath his eyes, his flamboyant curls were carelessly styled and dark in comparison to his pale skin. This, he thought, is someone who is a coward. With that, he walked out of the bathroom and into his room, burying himself under the blankets and sobbing. The tears slid disorderly down his cheeks as he realised that the one person that was coming to his rescue was also the one who was slowly destroying him.

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