The Pizza Boy- Larry Au

Numb

Louis mindlessly flipped through the limited TV channels available on the small Hospital television. It was midday and the warm sun shined through the window annoying Louis and causing him to squint due to the brightness. He had a few broken bones in his left arm but he honestly couldn't care less. What truly worried him were the charges being pressed against him for drunk driving. Louis was just a foolish 24 year old who worked at Target part time, there was no way he could afford a Lawyer, he could barely afford his monthly rent. At the same time though Louis saw the DUI as a somewhat positive repercussion. It was sort of a wake up call and Louis felt a burst of bittersweet inspiration to better himself.

For the first time in his life he didn't want to run. He wanted to stay put and fix what he had broken. Starting with Harry. Louis was angry with himself for blaming Harry for his pain. It was all his own fault and Harry deserved an explanation. Louis felt true feelings for the first time in a long time and manged to fuck it up, and he wasn't going to allow Harry to move on with his life without a proper apology.

Louis settled on Forest Gump and turned to his side to get somewhat comfortable. He tried getting into the movie but his wandering mind had other plans. Was he going to jail? Would he have to pay a fine so big that he'd be evicted? Would he homeless? Louis didn't know what to expect and was haunted with the unknown. He reached for his phone and realized he didn't have it. He must've dropped it in the ambulance. Hopefully Zayn had been kind enough to pick it up for him.

Louis groaned and started to close his eyes but was startled by the door swinging open. There stood Harry Edward Styles and a nurse looking a bit annoyed behind him.

"Sir you need to wait til we tell you that you can see your boyfriend" the nurse said and Louis smiled a bittersweet smile. 'Boyfriend'

"Please just give me a minute" Harry pleaded with a serious tone in his voice and the nurse reluctantly agreed to his wishes.

"Har-" Louis began to speak but was interrupted by Harrys lips on his. The soft and sweet feeling made Louis' mind swirl with second thought.

"This doesn't mean I forgive you I just um needed to do that" Harry whispered gazing into his eyes with worry.

"Now tell me what happened right now"

Louis held on tight to Harry's arm as he told him about the drinking and the fight, leaving out the whole Mcdonalds' bathroom incident.

"You absolute idiot. You could've gotten yourself killed! And over what? Why did you drink like that Louis!?" Harry questioned raising his voice to a level Louis hadn't heard from him before.

"I know" Louis whispered quietly not knowing what else to say.

"I'm not a good person Harry, and I know you know that. I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have. You're special and you deserve all the world has to offer. I don't have anything to offer you" Louis was quiet and broken. He had to let Harry go.

"No.." Harry was angry and desperate, all kinds of emotions flooded through his head.

"I don't care what you say Louis, you need me. You need me to tell you when you're being completely stupid, you need me to be there when you fuck up so I can help you get back up. You may have put me through hell but you cant just give up on me now. You cant just do all of that and then leave you cant-" Harry was breaking into tears and rapidly wiping them away to avoid embarrassment.

"You need to leave sir, we need to do our procedures now" the nurse said sternly as she popped open the door hastily.

"No" Harry quietly sobbed. He felt pathetic but he also didn't care. Everything Louis had put him through in such a short amount of time and yet letting him go is what hurt the most.

Louis bit his quivering tongue and closed his eyes. He couldn't see Harry like this, it was far too painful but he couldn't take it back. Harry deserved better.

A few nurses escorted Harry out of the room and Louis was left feeling completely numb staring at the bland hospital wall. He wondered if this is how his mum felt.

After a few hours of painfully numb procedures Louis was discharged from the hospital and sat silently in the passenger seat of Zayn's old prius. Words didnt have to be spoken and explanations didnt have to be made. Zayn would always be there when things went south no questions asked and that was something Louis truly admired about his best friend.