Never Knew I Needed - Larry Stylinson AU

Chapter 19

[A/N]: I am currently updating with inhuman speed, I swear... It's hard to believe I'm doing such things considering I have play practice every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and I tutor a girl in Algebra on Wednesday (even though I have a B in college algebra). Well... let's move on in this chapter shall we? It's time for Harry's P.O.V! Woo!

[Harry's P.O.V]

My ribs were killing me, but the pain didn't seem so bad over the shattering of my heart. I really didn't want to leave the warm flat that I'd been invited into, didn't want to leave the four friends I'd gained recently... didn't want to leave Louis. Yet I couldn't afford to let anything happen to them because of me either. The longer I stayed in that flat with them, the more danger I would be putting them in. To make matters worse, Louis, and now Zayn, knew way more than they should know. Dean would be furious if he were to ever find out that they knew... that I was still living.

I stumbled numbly along the pavement, shivering so violently I could barely walk straight. My damp hair was literally starting to freeze, hardening with ice. My eyes stung with tears that refused to fall because of the cold. Now that I'd left the flat, I had no where to go. I figured I should return to work for a few minutes and retrieve my coat and beanie, and then I had no idea what I'd do after that. I couldn't ever return back to the store for longer than that. Dean knew that I worked there.

I'd already been walking for what seemed like hours, taking a sidewalk that led away from the road, but still headed in the direction of the store. There was a slight possibility Louis would try and find me... he liked being in charge...  but otherwise he may just try and let me come back on my own. Louis. The one person who I ever actually believed when he told me that he cared about me. Sure, I'd known him for a little under a week, but he'd cared more about me than Dean ever had in the time that I'd lived with him.

Finally, as the sky was growing dark, I approached the street that the store was on, keeping a carefully eye out for any familiar cars. I drug my feet sluggishly across the road and down the sidewalk a bit longer to reach the entrance to the store. Walking through the entrance, I was met with a sweet warmth. I nearly sunk to the floor into a ball in attempt to warm up faster, but I needed to get my things and then leave. Slowly walking into the lounge where I'd left my stuff, I found Mr. Bettany sitting at the desk and reading a newspaper.

He looked up as I walked in, "Harry, lad!" he crowed. "Louis said you weren't coming in today!"

My lower lip trembled along with the rest of my body, but from the mention of Louis' name instead of the cold, "I'm not really coming in to work sir... I need to get my coat and beanie."

"Did Louis give you a ride?" Mr. Bettany asked, standing to bring me my belongings and to come and ruffle my dethawing curls. "You look as if you've walked through a blizzard."

"Yeah," I said hoarsely, looking at my feet and clutching my stuff to my chest. "He's out waiting in the car for me..."

"Listen son," Mr. Bettany placed his hand on my shoulder. "I'm so sorry what happened to you... happened to you here at work. It was my responsibility to keep things like that from happening, and I failed. I truly am sorry... if there's anything I can do to help you find whoever did it..."

I shook my head quickly, "That's fine... I er... I filled out a police report at the hospital," I lied.

"I'm still very sorry..." Mr. Bettany said sincerely. "You're a good kid. You didn't deserve that."

"Thank you sir," I whispered, slipping on my things. "I... Lou- Louis' waiting for me. I'm gonna go."

"See you later, lad," he gave me a genuine smile, and I forced a smile in return and left.