MUTE

23. Thank you

"Let me guess... it's over now?" Frank questions sitting down beside Louis on the couch. "What am I supposed to do Frank? I betrayed him and he hates me," Louis responds putting his knees up to his chest, embracing them.

"You don't know that," Frank says and Louis glares at him, "You didn't see his face, he was so hurt and I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to see me again," the feathery-haired boy says.

"And how will you manage to avoid him? Harry is practically our next door neighbor and your locker is next to his," Frank questions.

"I could either get a locker somewhere else or..." Louis says stopping mid-sentence "Or?" Frank pushes. "Or I can just drop out and go back to Doncaster," Louis finishes, looking at his friend.

"You can't do that... you promised me remember? You said that you would never leave me," Frank informs, "I know," Louis groans rubbing his forehead in frustration.

"I can't believe how loyal you are to me Frank, even after all I've done," Louis says after a while of silence.

"I'm your friend Lou, that's what friends do... I know that you feel guilty for what happened, but you don't have to go through it alone. Mikey and I will be by your side no matter what... he may have said that you are as guilty as Zayn, but he's truly sorry about that," Frank explains.

"He had a good reason to say that... he was right," the feathery-haired boy adds.

"I know, but promise me that you'll stay with us, please," Frank pleads. "I promise," Louis says smiling lightly before hugging his friend.

Frank hugs back smiling as well.

"There's another thing, though," Frank says as he lets go of the taller boy. "I want you to always be you, don't let people tell you to change... you've made a mistake, so what? Everyone has," Frank informs, patting his friend's shoulder before standing up to go to his room.

Louis just sits there thinking about what Frank just said smiling a little.

"Have you been here the entire time?" Frank questions as he trips on Mikey's legs, making the younger boy jump back to his feet.

"You know, it's not very nice to eavesdrop," the shorter of the two says.

"Sorry," Mikey apologizes and Frank's face softens.

"You're a good friend Frank," Mikey informs with a smile, "You always have been. To Gee, to me and now to Louis... you have always taken care of us and I'm grateful for that and like I told you the other day. Gee would've been proud of you," Mikey adds, smile still intact, before patting his friend's shoulder and retreating to his room.

"What's that?" Louis questions as Frank hands him a small package. "It's your birthday present, considering we won't be there for it," Frank explains. "Thank you," Louis smiles getting the two boys into a group hug.

"You should go or you'll miss your train," Frank points out as he pulls away "You're right," Louis agrees, putting on his jacket.

"I'll see you guys on January," he informs as he steps out of the house.

Mikey and Frank watch as Louis makes his way towards the cab that's waiting for him. "Travel safely," Mikey calls after him, "Don't get in trouble while I'm gone," Louis responds before getting into the car.

Frank and Mikey wave him 'bye'.

"Do you think he'll come back?" Mikey asks putting his hand back down and Frank shrugs, "Let's see what the future will bring," the shorter of the two informs walking back inside the house and closing the door behind him.