My Habit from This Town

14) Bruises

Song for this chapter is Bruises by Lewis Capaldi

**Harry's P.O.V**

I felt tears fall down my face as I watched Louis walk away. I walked back to the box room, where Zayn was, to tell him about Louis going out and to tell Liam to meet him. I then grabbed Niall and took him up to my room so I could talk to him.

"I don't know what happened Niall. He started yelling about how he knew how I 'really got these bruises'. He said that I said I didn't want to be his friend. I've never said that! I don't know what happened!" I begin, as I start to sob.

"Yeah you did, mate. I saw the texts. It was a while ago now, and I didn't actually think you had sent them, but then you just stopped talking to him. It started to seem more likely that you sent the texts. Louis is sensitive, so don't expect him to forgive you. He really took every word you said to heart. He believes them all. And you were a dick, so I am also not happy with you. I'm just better at hiding it." He replied, with a sarcastic smile to go with his last statement. What was he on about? I hadn't sent any texts to Louis! He had blocked me a while back, when Ethan still had my phone. That's when I remembered. Ethan.

"When? When did I supposedly send these texts?" I asked Niall, slightly hoping that I wouldn't get the answer I thought. Surely he wouldn't sink that low, would he?

"Couple weeks after your birthday I think." Shit. It was true. Ethan must have text Louis when he accidentally took my phone.

"You have to believe me Niall! I didn't send them texts! Ethan had my phone around that time. He must have sent them. Please? You have to believe me!" I was begging at this point.

"If you tell me how you actually got them bruises. Louis wouldn't accuse you of lying about them unless he knew the actual truth, so how did you get them?" I was hesitant at first. I didn't know what Niall would do if he knew the truth. I didn't know how much I would tell him. I didn't want to tell him everything, but what if it slipped out? "Well?" Niall prompted me.

I explained to him the whole evening, things just spilling out before I could control what I was saying. Luckily, I gained enough control to stop myself before my humiliation was exposed. I was sobbing so hard by the end of it. Niall didn't say anything. He just embraced me in a huge hug, he wiped my tears and just uttered three short words.

"Go get Lou."

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I was sprinting for around 5 minutes, knowing that Louis wasn't the fastest runner. I turned a corner and saw him and Liam slowly jogging. I could tell what they were talking about. It didn't take a genius to figure it out. I was slowly running up behind them, trying to steady my breath before talking to them.

That's when Louis just stopped, grabbed Liam's arm and just collapsed.