Path of Destruction

Chapter Nineteen

Harry carefully made his way back downstairs. Why would anyone be knocking so late at night? Especially when it was pouring rain. 

He unlocked the door and turned the knob to find himself face to face with a drenched Louis. 

”Louis! What are you doing here?” 

”Cold. It’s so cold. Can I please come inside”, Louis stuttered out. 

Harry couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of his friend soaked in rain; he was so cold his hands were shaking and he could barely speak. 

”Yeah sorry man, come inside. Make yourself at home. I’ll I fetch you a towel and some spare clothes.” 

”Th- thanks.” Louis mumbled. 

Harry went upstairs and found a shirt he had brought with that had originally been Louis’s. They had been known to share clothes. 

Harry can back downstairs and handed Louis the clothes. 

”Thanks. I’m just going to change, back in a bit.”

Harry sat down on the couch to wait for his friend. He didn’t quite understand why he was here, but he wasn’t going to complain. 

Louis returned several minutes later looking dry and a lot more alert than he had before.  

”So Louis what brings you here to my humble abode at this time of the evening?” Harry asked jokingly. He sensed tension and he was trying his best to cover it with humor. 

”There are a few things I need to explain.” Louis stated seriously.  

”Nothing you couldn’t have explained over the telephone?” Harry questioned. 

”No, I really wanted to do it in person and the idea just sorta came to me, so I got up and left. Just like that.”

”Rash and daring. Sounds like you Tomlinson. Well what did you want to explain?”

”I wanted to explain the Eleanor situation.”

Well he was being rather abrupt tonight wasn’t he?

”Lou, you don’t have to explain.” 

”Yes Harry, I do. We are not together; we have just been hanging out as friends that’s it.” 

”Well why couldn’t you just tell me that you were hanging out with her again. Why did it have to be such a big secret?”

”I didn’t think you would understand.”

”Of course I would understand Louis. And that is not an excuse for not telling me and you know it.”

”I just don’t see why it matters to you. Why do you care so much?” 

”Are you seriously asking that Louis?” 

”Yes Harry, I am seriously asking. Why do I have to explain to you every little thing I do? And I know you hurt yourself because of something you heard while Niall and I were talking. I know that’s why you did it. That’s part of the reason I came here. I just want to understand what is going through your head.”

”I ASK BECAUSE I FUCKING CARE ABOUT YOU. AND I HEARD YOU TALKING ABOUT WHAT A GREAT FRIEND ELEANOR IS AND HOW YOU CONFIDE SO MUCH IN HER. THAT USED TO BE ME. I USED TO BE THE PERSON YOU CONFIDED IN. WHAT CHANGED? IS IT THAT YOU DON’T WANT ADVICE FROM THE CRAZY BOY THAT CUTS HIMSELF?”

“Harry you are my best friend no matter what and you know that has nothing to do with it. My opinion of you could never change.  And I care about you too, but that doesn’t mean I ask you to explain every little thing you do.”

Harry was starting to lose it. He couldn’t control what was going through his mind and what was coming out of his mouth. 

”YOU DONT CARE ABOUT ME LIKE I CARE ABOUT YOU LOUIS.”

”What is that supposed to mean?!?!” Louis was so confused. This conversation was taking so many unexpected turns, he just couldn’t keep up. 

”IT MEANS I LOVE YOU.” 

Harry said it. He was shocked. The minute the words left his tongue he wanted them to come back. 

”You what…?”

Harry gained all of his courage and decided to finally lay it all out on the table. He had already come this far; there was no turning back now. 

”I LOVE YOU. I am in love with you. I have been for the longest time. It kills me every time I see you with Eleanor. That’s why I’ve been acting the way I’ve been acting. I am emotionally drained. It’s not your fault, it’s completely my own issue.  I just try so hard to move on, and it never goes away. The feeling is always there. I can never stop loving you.”

His voice softened dramatically on his last few words. He wanted to cry, he could not believe the moment he had pictured in his head for so long was actually happening. 

Louis stared at him; shocked. This is not how he expected this conversation to go.

He was at a loss for words. He tried to open his mouth and say something but it was like he was paralyzed. He just couldn’t get the words to come out. 

Harry stared back at him; crushed. This was the worst kind of rejection. 

He took one last look at Louis before he grabbed his shoes, took his wallet off the front table and ran out the door.