The Dark Days

Chapter 1

When I was younger I had a best friend, his name was Louis. Louis William Tomlinson. We were extremely close. We were best friends and did everything together.

He was there to hold and comfort me when my dad left me and my mom. I never really had a good relationship with my mom because I find her way too controlling. She has always loved Louis. He was the perfect friend, always there when I needed him, and her best friend's son. When Louis and I began dating in 9th grade (freshman year in high school) she was thrilled!

Nothing much changed between me and Louis, we did everything we had as friends, we just added some dates and kissing. The saddest summer was the one directly after senior year, right before we headed off to college. We knew the long-distance relationship just wouldn't work. So, we figured if we broke up at the beginning of the summer it would be easier than just prolonging the inevitable. I guess we both just figured we would break up, but on the hardest days we could be a support system for each other.

I was strong for the first month. I had spent the first week of summer hiding away in my bedroom crying the days away. I knew Louis was spending the week the same way. See, Louis always had his window shades open to let the sunlight into his bedroom. He kept the shades drawn that week, letting me know he was not the same, happy Louis I know and love.

The few times I had seen Louis' bedroom shades drawn was when something terrible had happened. He closed them when my father left, and when Tyler, a kid at our school, died in a car wreck. Even then, they were only closed for a day or so, but that summer, they were shut tight for the entire week.

The rest of the first month went much better. I went back to my usual summer job at the pool as a lifeguard. Nobody had been seeing Louis around, so I figured he was staying home as much as possible. He had some of his friends over daily at the end of that first month, most likely to play some videogames and just mess around. That is what he used to do with them when he wasn't with me.

At the beginning of the first month it happened. I woke up on a Monday and realized it had been one month. One month said I had lost my boyfriend and my bestfriend. I looked out my window to see Louis' window shades were closed once again. After calling in sick to work, I spend my day crying in my bed. I was back to "normal" by Wednesday. Louis had opened his shades than me. June went by fairly quickly.

I was finally feeling strong again when July began. That is until July 4th happened.

July 4th was the day me and Louis became friends. 15 years before, we were 3 and Louis' family had just moved in next door to us. We invited them to our annual party and that is how we became the great friends we are today. Today was our 15 year friendaversary. And, as if that wasn't enough already, Louis and me had begun dating on July 4th, four years ago. This would be the worst July 4th for sure.

I woke that morning and the tears began immediately. It was 6 in the morning, too early to be crying, but I couldn't seem to stop. I got out of my bed slowly and walked over to my window. I looked out and saw Louis, stood in his window. He was looking up and beginning to slow close his shades. Even though he was looking up I could tell. His face was stained with tears, and his body was shaking just the slightest bit. His hair was disheveled, most likely from running his hands through it, a habit he had yet to kick. I knew I looked similar.

Suddenly he stopped closing his shades and looked up. He stared straight into my eyes. My legs gave out on me, and I found myself sitting down below my window, back against the wall, knees against my chest, hugging myself, while my body shook and I cried uncontrollably.

I knew my mom would be up, down in the kitchen cooking the food for her annual party and people would bring over their contributions any time now. People will stop by all day to bring their party for the party, before offering their help, which my mom always declined. Then they would leave and return for the party in the evening. So when the doorbell rang I figured people had already begun the usual routine.

But then I heard the sounds I knew all too well. I began crying harder, just hoping that somehow I was wrong.