The Boy in the Bookstore | l.s ✔

Fifteen

When the early November sunlight came through Harry's thin curtains, he began to wake up. He reached over to where Louis had been sleeping, but he had gone. Harry began to feel anxious, wondering why Louis had left whilst he was still asleep. He picked up his phone and dialled Louis' phone number.

'Hello?' Harry said once his boyfriend had picked up. He still hated taking phone calls, they made him uncomfortable and on edge. He had received a lot of bad news through phone calls, so he thought it was maybe those experiences mixed with his social anxiety that was the reason he hated them so much. 

'Hi Harry, sorry I had to leave so early baby. Mum has a doctor's appointment, I wanted to go with her just in case it was bad news. She's been really sick recently, you know? I felt like I was a bad somn if I wasn't there to support her.' Harry understood. Louis was perhaps the world's biggest mummy's boy, he was always there to support her through everything. He cared, and he was a big softie, some of the qualities that Harry loved most about him.

'Its okay, Louis. Thank you for last night, I love you. Tell Jay I said hi, okay?'

'Love you to, bub. I really have to go, her name's just been called. See you later today, if you want?'

'Yeah, that would be good.' Harry whispered. He really hated being apart from Louis. He exhaled deeply and walked out of his room and downstairs. Gemma was already sitting down at the table, a mug of coffee in her hands. She smiled when she saw her brother, they hadn't spent a lot of time together since Louis and Harry had gotten together and since everything happened in Manchester.

'Morning, Harry.' Gemma said, wirth a small smile. Rather than talking back to her, he just walked over and gave her a tight hug. This surprised her at first, but it had been so long since the two siblings had had a moment like that.

'Mum told me you were sick last night. You feeling better?' Harry nodded, not letting Gemma out of the hug.

'Gemma, do you hate me? After everything that happened in Manchester?' he looked at her, his green eyes brimming with tears that threatened to cascade any minute.

'Of course not, Harry. I just wish you would talk to me when you get overwhelmed.'

'It's not that easy, Gem. I wish I could.'

'Me and mum have been talking...maybe you should give medication a try again?'n Harry froze. He hated being medicated, he felt like it wasn't who he was. He broke away from Gemma's hug ,shaking his head quickly.

'You know how much I hate the medication, please don't make me try it again.' Harry said, nearly crying.

'It might make things easier to manage, though. You might not feel as anxious or sad all the time. I'm trying to help you.'

'But you know how it makes me feel. Can you please talk to mum? Please?' Harry looked up at her, desperate. Gemma sighed and muttered the word 'fine' under her breath. She loved Harry, she just wished that he'd help himself sometimes. There was a period of awkward silence, before Gemma got up and walked to the toaster.

'Do you want toast, Harry?' he nodded his head, knowing that Louis would be proud of him again for eating. He hoped Jay was alright, Louis had said that she had been really sick recently. He ate his toast whilst re-reading the texts him and Louis shared. He missed him already, spending time with Louis was his favourite place. He finished his breakfast and went back upstairs to brush his teeth and get dressed. He could hear his phone ring, but he had left it downstairs on the table where he had eaten breakfast. He presumed his mum had answered it, because he could hear her talking. He tired to pin-point what she was saying. She stopped talking and began to walk up to Harry;'s room. She knocked on the door, obviously wanting to come in. He knew it was serious, and he prepared himself for bad news. He walked over to the door and opened it to see Anne holding Harry's phone and looking sad.