Masks Off Identities Out

Chapter Twenty One

One Year from Harry's death

    Uni was finally done and Louis was working as an English teacher at the local Junior High. The school was only 15 minutes away from Harry's grave and 10 minutes away from Louis new apartment. Louis still kept in contact with the four boys but unfortunately they all went their separate ways. Without Harry there, they all grew apart. Louis was driving to Harry's grave, it was one year since he died and Louis still did not know how to cope with it, because so much had happened within the whole year. 

   Once Louis arrived he saw the four boys already standing there. "Hello lads." They all pulled Louis into a hug and smiled. "Hey there Lou, long time no see." Liam greeted him. "Same for you." There were flowers on Harry's grave and his mother's and his sister's.  All four boys were brought back to the memories they shared with Harry. They all had a quick smoke before saying goodbye. Louis stayed longer of course. Louis visited Harry's grave at least once a month, he was still deeply upset about it, and still blamed himself but he was coping with it better than he had 10 months ago. "Work is stressing me out Haz, there's just so much one can handle." Louis laughed to himself. "I've tried your remedy of going to have a drink, ended up crying myself to sleep that night, couldn't go to work the next day because of everything. Memories came flooding back like a rapid flood." Louis continued on with his speech until it was dark. When he realized it was 12:00 he said good bye and walked back to his car until he was stopped. 

     "Mr. Tomlinson?" Louis turned around and saw one of his students. "Darrel, what are you doing here?" Darrel was one of Louis quiet kids, did his work, left the class in a blur. "Visiting me mum, She's been gone for five years now, what are you doing here?" Louis didn't want to give out his life to his student on his sexuality. "Visiting a really close loved one of mine, died exactly a year and a day ago." Louis caught the frown of his student. "Why do the good people have to die Mr. Tomlinson, you seem to know about a lot of things." This was the one question Louis could never answer himself, he wondered, but he could never give himself an answer. 

   "I don't know Darrel, they like to take away what we love most from us." Louis answered. "They?" Darrel asked. "The angels." Darrel gave Louis and hug before his Dad was calling him. "See you tomorrow Mr. Tomlinson." Louis waved and went back to his own car where he broke down. Couldn't contain the tears anymore, so he just let it all slip out from his eyes. "Still." He whispered to himself.

Day 366

    In class the next day Darrel gave Louis a flower with a note 'sorry for your loss Mr. Tomlinson, but at the end of every tunnel is a light.' Louis smiled at the thought. But Louis knows that some people never make it to the end of the tunnel to see the light. He sat down in his desk as the room started to flood with children. 

    When Louis got home he checked the mail. He saw an envelope from Eleanor, someone he hadn't talked to in a really long time. 

'Dear Louis,

    Saw you leaving the cemetery yesterday. I don't mean to sound like a stalked or anything. Heard you're an English teacher now, how's that working out for you? You won't be able to send anything back because I move a lot and I can't stick to one address.  Long story short, I should've done better in Uni. I found something I think you'd want. I don't know whether it would be a sentimental item for you or not, but it's taped to the back of this note. Uh, miss you loads Tommo, next time you visit Harry send him my prayers and love. 

                                                                                             -Eleanor C.xx'

    Louis flipped the page to see a another paper taped to it. Louis closed the envelope and didn't bother to read the other paper, he knew it was by Harry and he didn't want to read it. All of Harry's things were kept in a box in Louis closet. There were a few picture around Louis flat of him and Harry, he didn't mind them because it still felt like Harry's home too. Like they could still be living together. Louis had some of Harry's clothing items hanging in his closet, which Louis would sometimes wear to sleep. Louis kept Harry's beanie that still smelt like Harry in a drawer hidden. Louis kept Harry's old papers in a drawer in his desk. Louis kept a lot of things around, his home was still Harry's and nothing was going to change that. 

This story is ending soon, I think I want to reach until Chapter 24 then I might end it. There is really nothing else to write about. But I know for sure there will be an Epilogue. So I hope you guys enjoyed this story as much as I did writing it.