Path of Destruction

Chapter Twenty One

The cab finally arrived and Louis hopped in hoping their wouldn’t be too much traffic. He told the driver the address and then slumped into the seats leaning his head against the window. He began to think of how he had ended up in this position, where did it all go so wrong?

Flashback- The day Harry severely cut himself and ended up in the hospital  

Niall was confused as to why Louis suddenly confided in Eleanor so much. If there was anything he really needed to talk about he could tell any one of us. 

”C’mon Louis let’s go sit in the kitchen and talk about this. If you really expect me to keep up I’m going to need a snack.” 

”Niall I really can explain it all. It’s just hard for me when I’ve been putting everything I have into keeping it a secret for so long.”

They were now in the kitchen. Louis sat anxiously as Niall got some chips out of the pantry. 

”Okay Louis. Talk.”

Louis took a deep breath, “well the reason I have been talking to Eleanor so much is because she knows something that no one else knows.”

”Like what…?” Niall asked curiously.  

Louis searched his mind for the proper words. “She knows my deepest emotions that have just been continuously building since the X Factor.”

”Okay well what kinds of emotions?” Niall continued to dig further into what Louis was trying to say. 

Louis looked away. 

”C’mon Louis you can tell me. This is a judgment free zone. And whatever it is, I’m sure I can help you, you just have to let me.”

”I know, it’s just hard.” Louis took another deep breath, “it’s about Harry.”

”Okay what about Harry?” 

Louis opened his mouth hesitantly, “I think I love him.” Louis quickly looked down right after the words left his mouth. 

”You think?”

Louis met Niall’s eyes for a moment. “No. I know I love him. I have been in love with him for the longest time and as much as I want to just move on from it, I can’t. Every time I see him and everything he does it just makes me love him so much more. And I know he’ll never love me, I am well aware, so don’t worry I’m not crazy or delusional, it’s just that I feel like I will never move on from this. I don’t think I can stop loving him.” 

Niall obviously wasn’t shocked at this confession, but he was shocked by the intensity of the love in the confession. 

Niall was in a predicament.  He could tell Louis that Harry feels the same way… but he felt like it had to be from them. It had to a special moment where they both realized the love was returned all along. Niall couldn’t ruin it for them. He made a promise to himself that he wouldn’t let his big mouth get in the way of their friends eventually getting the special moment that they deserved. 

”Well Louis, you are going to tell him sooner or later.”

Niall figured if he couldn’t tell him the love was mutual, he could at least push him in the right direction. 

”I pick later.”

”I think you’ll just know when the moment is right. You will realize in that moment that you owe it to yourself to tell him.” 

”Yeah I guess you’re right. Thanks for everything Niall, you are an incredible friend.” 

”Yeah”, Niall smiled cheekily and shrugged, “I’ve been told so.”

A week after Harry left to stay with his parents. 

All of the boys (minus Harry) were gathered in Louis’s apartment. Louis had been extremely distant and quiet lately and they couldn’t help but worry. 

They were sitting around eating and joking with each other, all but Louis. It was like he wasn’t even there. 

”Louis man, what’s wrong?” Zayn questioned. 

”Nothing. I’m fine.” He faked a smile. 

Liam spoke next, “Louis we know you miss Harry, but he will be back soon and everything will go back to normal.”

”No Liam it won’t. Things will never me normal.”

Niall stared at him, he knew where this conversation was going. Louis glanced at him and Niall nodded in his direction. 

”What do you mean Louis?” Liam asked. 

”I mean how can things be normal when you share an apartment with the person you are in love with ad they don’t even suspect a thing? How can things be normal when you have to walk around every day knowing the one person you love most in the world will never love you like you love them?” Louis realized that his voice had elevated. He took a breath and lowered his voice, “for me, things will never be “normal”. “

Zayn and Liam stared at him looking for the right words to say. 

Niall smiled. He was proud of his friend for finally letting it go. Now he just had to do it in front of Harry. 

”Well Louis, I mean we’ve always suspected it, but it means so much for you to tell us.” Liam proudly patted his friend on the shoulder. 

”You are very brave Louis. I don’t know if I would have the courage to do what you just did.” Zayn stated. 

Louis smiled at them. He was happy they were so supportive and understanding. 

”Wait man, what are you doing here?” Zayn piped in all of a sudden, 

”Ugh I live here Zayn…”

”No I mean you should be in Cheshire, telling Harry all of this.” 

The rest of the boys nodded in agreement to Zayn’s statement. 

”But he doesn’t feel the same way.”

”He needs to know Louis.” Liam responded. 

”I guess you’re right…”

”Well what are you waiting for, go tell him!” Niall spoke excitedly. 

”Okay, yeah, I can do this. I mean I just told all of you, why can’t say it one more time?

Louis grabbed a few things and thanked the boys for everything. 

”Be strong man. You can do it.” Zayn said as he was making his way to the door. 

The rest of the boys followed so they could return to their own apartments. 

Louis smiled at them one more time before he walked down the hallway with an anxious and jittery feeling taking over his body. 

He knew Harry would never return his love, but he knew that if he ever wanted to truly live his life to the fullest, he had to get this off his chest.