A Second Chance - A Larry Stylinson Fanfiction

Chapter 19

Yes, I know, it's another late update and I'm sorry, I am, but I've done everything in my power to get it up today, and so here we have it! I hope this chapter is as good as I planned it to be and that you guys will forgive me for the delay.

Enjoy(:

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Chapter 19

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It's an hour before Zayn and Liam find me in the Biology lab, bleeding from dozens of cuts but with dry cheeks and silent lips. It takes them another hour to get all the glass out of my skin with gentle finger and worried eyes. It's after the third hour, after I was taken to the dorms, showered, and tucked in bed with Zayn nodding off beside me on my bed, his lap replacing my pillow, that the tears finally fall from my eyes, as silent as I've been for the last three hours.

At some point, I finally fall asleep, but am woken by soft, concerned voices. I can feel the slight rumble in Zayn's chest where my head now rests whenever he talks, though it takes a few minutes for me to figure out who he's talking to and what's being said.

"At least it's Saturday so he can sleep in," the other voice says.

Zayn's fingers card though my hair as he answers, "Yeah, poor guy. He was crying in his sleep."

I resist reaching my fingers up to my cheeks to feel if they're damp as I have to keep up the facade of being asleep.

"Should I go get him some hot cocoa for when he wakes up?" I realize it's Liam Zayn's talking to.

"He prefers hot tea," Zayn whispers back, his hand rubbing soothing circles on my back.

"All right, I'll go get some," Liam declares and I hear the other bed squeak as he gets up. Then just as the door opens, Zayn stops him.

"Wait, Liam."

After a moment or two of Zayn not saying anything, his muscles tense, Liam says breathlessly, "Yes, Zayn?"

"I just wanted to say thank you," Zayn responds all too fast. "I mean, yeah, thanks. You're so kind and always so helpful, and. Yeah. Thanks, Liam."

I can hear the smile in Liam's voice. "Of course, Zayn. You know I'd do anything for you." And then the door closes.

Zayn deflates beneath me with a big sigh. "The things that boy does to me, Louis. He's tearing me apart and he doesn't even realize it."

A couple minutes later, I stretch and roll off Zayn, letting him know that I'm awake now, giving the illusion that I haven't been for the last few minutes. Silently, I hold my hands in front of my face, examining all the thin red cuts that mar my palms. They're an ugly reminder of what happened last night and a hollow space fills my chest as I recall that Harry's done. Done trying to remember, done with me.

"Morning, Lou," Zayn says quietly as if afraid that I'll shatter if he talks too loud. He reaches for me but I roll off the bed before he can touch me. Wordlessly, I get dressed and finger-comb my hair, not bothering to style it because it'll just be restyled before the show tonight.

While I'm grabbing my phone off the bedside table with Zayn's calm, calculating eyes watching my every move, the door swings open and Liam lets himself in, rattling off, "Black coffee for me, Yorkshire tea for Louis, and Zayn, I got your favorite-" he freezes when he sees me up and about.

With only a second's hesitation, I grab the Yorkshire tea from the carrier with a "Thanks, man," before leaving the room to not return to until after the show tonight.

Maybe last night I was a wreck that needed the gentle care of my best mate and his friend, but now I can't stand the pity in their eyes and the incessant staring as if I'm just going to fall apart without a warning. Harry's left my life once before and I was just fine without him. I'll get over it.