This Is Forever (Narry AU - Sequel to I'll Be There)

Chapter Nine

''Harry, can I talk to you?'' Louis walked up to Harry as they all stepped out of the car, Harry still not talking or even coming close to Niall.

''Why?'' Harry asked, having difficulties with holding up his tough act. He felt heartbroken inside. He couldn't stop thinking about that look on Niall's face after he had rejected him. The words of the man swirled around in his head and that reminded him that he had to stay away from Niall, he just didn't want what happened in Le Mans to happen again eventhough he craved for Niall's touch and love. 

''You're acting really weird, why are you doing this?'' Louis asked, pulling Harry away from the others to talk to him in private while they walked to their tents.

Harry didn't answer. He knew Louis was right, but he was just trying to do the right thing for Niall. Louis was still waiting for an answer so Harry simply shrugged, not knowing what else to do or say. 

''There's obviously a reason for this, Harry,'' Louis tried to make Harry explain why he was acting this way but Harry didn't really seemed to cooperate. 

Harry kept his eyes glued to the ground, focussing on his white converse like they were the most interesting thing in the world. He shrugged again and tried to swallow the lump that was building up in his throat. 

''Harry,'' Louis sighed. ''Are you ashamed of Niall? Are you embarrassed to be seen with him?''

Harry's head shot up. ''No!'' he shouted immediately. How could anyone be ashamed of Niall? He was the prettiest boy Harry had ever seen in his life. Oh no, he was absolutely not ashamed. Obviously not, Harry was madly in love with the boy with the dyed blonde hair and with eyes that couldn't even compare to the most beautiful oceans. 

''Then why are you doing this?'' Louis exclaimed desperately, throwing his hands up in defeat. 

Harry bit his lip and bowed his head again, his curls falling in front of his face. He couldn't answer Louis' question, not because he didn't want to answer, but because he just didn't know how to explain it. Slowly, he felt his walls break and a single tear rolled down his cheek.

''Haz,'' Louis sighed again. ''Don't tell me you're doing this to protect Niall.''

Harry's silence was enough of answer for Louis. Harry raised his head to look at Louis, who was currently facepalming himself. He couldn't believe Harry thought this was a way of protecting Niall. ''God Harry, you do know that you are hurting Niall by not even coming close to him?'' Louis started to get frustrated with the curly haired boy in front of him.

It was hard for Harry to admit but he nodded nonetheless. He knew he broke Niall's heart and his chest tightened as he thought about that. But he did this for Niall, for Niall's own safety. 

''Okay, Harry, this is what you're going to do. You are going to walk up to him, pull him in a hug, maybe a little kiss and then apologize and we can pretend like this never even happened in the first place, yeah?'' Louis suggested, shaking his head at Harry's stupidity. 

''But... I can't,'' Harry uttered, wiping away the freshly fallen tears.

''Niall's probably balling his eyes out there, of course you can,'' Louis sternly spoke to him, pushing him towards their camping spot. 

Meanwhile, Eleanor and Liam were trying to calm Niall down. They both couldn't believe that Harry would do such a thing to Niall. It was so not Harry's way of dealing with things. Yet he pushed Niall away and no one could have ever guessed that Harry would handle such a situation like that. Niall couldn't stop the tears from falling any longer as soon as they walked away from Harry and Louis. Eleanor had supported him and had half-carried him to a chair on their camping spot. Once Niall had plopped down, Eleanor and Liam both kneeled in front of him and said reassuring things to him, trying their best to comfort him.