Just So You Know (Larry Stylinson)

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Harry’s POV

    It was raining, dark, and the lights from the road blinded me. The road curved in an audacious fashion and no one was out in the night. These were the things I studiously noticed while attempting to ignore the awkward air between my passenger and I. The tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife.

    I sighed and shifted into fourth gear, noticing him shift uncomfortably in the silence between us out of the corner of my eye. Even though Louis had wanted to explain things, whatever that was, and we’d both decided that we should probably talk- as he was at a gay club- we ended up sitting silently in my car.

    I didn’t know where I was driving to, I just left the club and couldn’t stop driving. We’d gone past the turn to our street at least half a dozen times. I just couldn’t end this topic, I couldn’t let it drop. But I couldn’t seem to get it started either.

    Finally, Louis shifts in his seat to face me and takes a deep breath before saying, “Harry...” oh no... he used my full name... it’s bad... oh god. “I’m gay.”

    WHAT?!! No, this couldn’t be so... he HATED gays, thought they were disgusting... After... THAT especially... how? My head snapped around to see him so fast, my neck cricked.

    “But... how?” I asked, Louis let out a somewhat relieved breath, what would he have to be nervous about? Coming out to his gay friend?

    “After... what you said.... and what that man did to you... how?” I immediately chastised myself for even saying anything, I regretted even opening my mouth. You’re not supposed to know, you fool!

    I avoided looking at Louis, I couldn’t stand to see how his face would look. Terror, hate... you name it. I could only imagine my position if I was in his situation, I would feel humiliated- he obviously didn’t want anyone to know and probably felt some sort of dominant title he needed to fill. He didn’t need anyone to know that he ‘couldn’t take it like a man’  there could have been so many scenarios going on inside his head, but most importantly was the fact that he now knew that I knew, and he had been avoiding that at all costs.

     I finally had the courage to meet Louis’ shocked face with a glance of my own. At the sight of my eyes on him, Louis found his voice long enough to choke out, “What? Did Zayn tell you?”

    I couldn’t tell him, that would just show him how awful I was. That I was practically stalking him. So, I sat there in silence, staring out into the dark rain. I payed attention to the slick road, and tried to avoid Louis’ incredulous gaze. Finally, I couldn’t stand the silence and Louis’ stare burning into the side of my head.

    “I followed you and Zayn to the clinic... I know you would be careful with Eleanor so I knew it had to have been someone else... and the way you were walking... how you were beaten... there was only one option...” my last few words were a whisper.

    There was a silence after my announcement, and I could see the wheels turning in Louis’ head. I could imagine his disgust, his nerves now that he knew he was living with a freak. A gay freak that liked to follow him around and know about his rape. I could only imagine the humiliation he must feel, he was a proud guy- I knew this- he didn’t like to show weakness, somehow he believed that if I knew he was raped it made him seem weak and breakable.

    “I’m gay, Harry.” Louis surprised me by saying. He had a calm tone and looked straight into my eyes once I’d turned to him.

    “But... I don’t understand... Just because he did that to you doesn’t just automatically make you gay.... like, just because...” I let out, stopping short at Louis shaking his head.