The Boy Next Door (boyxboy)

Chapter 19

"Harry?" Dylan sat up on his bed and looked to his dorm mate. "What happened before you came here?" Harry had been pretty quiet since Niall broke up with him five months ago. He never said much, he zoned out in his lectures to the point that he didn't even know he was in London, sure he had been back home in Cheshire, he actually scared people from his blank stares. Many people looked at Harry with pity as rumours surfed around campus that his partner had died, or how he was abandoned by his only love which crushed him so much he went mental, but then people judged him. They called him a freak. The guy who just stares at people. Sometimes Harry would just stand there in the coffee shop he worked at and stare at people who looked similar to Niall from the back. Louis had tried to help Harry, his general concern that his best friend was going loopy but it hadn't worked. He went back to see Niall two weeks later but the house as empty. There wasn't a single trace that Niall was ever there. It was as if he never even existed. Louis had to physically pull Harry out of the empty house as Harry began mumbling to himself, looking as though he had gone completely mental.

"What do you mean?" Harry only had two friends on campus. He had Dylan, as they practically lived together, and then he had Lucy, whom he worked with. He had never opened up to anyone about what happened to him. Not a single soul knows anything about Harry other than his staring and his name. Some only knew him as the freak. Not even Harry.

"What I mean it, why do you stare into space? Like what happened to you?" Harry zoned out because he would think of some times he had with Niall, or where Niall is or even how he is. Harry really wanted to know, but then he didn't. He was angry at Niall. He loved Niall more than anything and his heart felt as though it could never love again.

"Nothing happened". Dylan scoffed and rolled his eyes. He had asked Harry many times what it was that made him go loopy but Harry always had the same answer. It was always nothing ever happened and Dylan was sick and tired of hearing that because you don't act that way when nothing happened.

"That't bullshit Harry and you know it". Harry pushed back any tears and anger was building inside him and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"I'm gay". There was silence that filled the room, not necessarily awkward or uncomfortable, more as though Harry's words were just unexpected and a bit of a shock.

"Oh". Harry felt as though telling Dylan was a bad idea. He thought that Dylan may have been a homophobe and now one of his only two friends were going to hate him. Harry wiped the few tears that had fallen.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you" Dylan instantly panicked as he saw the regretful, teared look on Harry's face.

"No! Sorry Harry I was just lost for words. But that's okay, really". Harry didn't really believe him. He knew being gay wasn't so easily accepted with most people. But he wasn't ready to talk about anything else. Not yet. "Harry, don't you have work in ten minutes?" Harry looked at the time and his eyes widened as he jumped off his bed.

"Shit!" He pulled his black jeans and black t shirt on, pulling black vans on and grabbing his phone and keys. "Thanks! Be back at nine". Harry rushed out his dorm and drove to work, arriving only five minutes late and receiving an annoyed glare from his manager as he quickly tied his apron. Harry was really distracted now. He couldn't stop thinking about Niall. This wasn't unusual though. He would always mess up orders, stuff up making coffees, drop food and cups, his manager was used to it now. Harry payed every cent he owed for every piece broken. He felt guilty whenever the customers would angrily yell about the wrong orders. He felt flustered as many hot boys watched him embarrass himself time and time again. Some handed Harry their number with a wink but Harry just shoved it in his pocket and it was forgotten about.

"Can I have a Yorkshire tea please?" Harry froze and looked up as the familiar voice rang through his head.

"Liam?" Liam smiled and nodded.

"Hey Haz, how you going?" Harry shrugged and said the price, Liam handing him the exact change.

"How have you been?"

"Good. Yeah. Lou has been worried about you. He said you haven't been replying to his texts?"

"I've been busy. What are you doing here anyway?"

"I'm here with Sophia. Has are you okay? Really?" Liam had a small frown etched on his face as he watched Harry curiously.

"Truthfully? No". Harry looked around the shop and spotted a mid twenties man with died blond hair and quite skinny. Harry walked around the counter, his mind was racing as he tapped the mans shoulder. As he turned, Harry was filled with pain.

"Yes?" Harry held the tears back and shook his head.

"Sorry, I thought you were someone else". He turned back to see Liam giving him a pitiful look.

"Harry.."

"I have work Liam".

"Harry you cant go on like this". Harry placed the tea on the counter.

"Enjoy your tea". For the next two hours, Harry was even more out of it. He continued to stumble, jumble orders to different flavours and mix up orders for different people. His manager orders him to go home and rest so that's what he did. He sobbed as he drove, only thinking about Niall. He stumbled into his dorm and fell flat on his bed, racking with sobs as Dylan hurried over to him and rubbed his back.

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"He can't go on like this! He's beginning to scare Theo". Denise sighed and nodded.

"I know Greg but there's nothing we can do. We have to let him recover in his own time".

He's been staring into space for five months not! He was more sane when they first broke up and he was crying. He's even starting to scare me". They jumped slightly as they heard the fridge door open and close, turning to see Niall.

" 'm hungry". Greg sighed.

"Niall we need to talk" Greg stated seriously.

"Okay? About what?" Niall was oblivious.

"Come sit down". Niall was beginning to notice the seriousness that had filled the room.

"Niall, it's been five months now. You really need to sort yourself out". Niall didn't really understand what Greg was exactly asking of him.

"What do you mean?" Niall's frown deepened as he curiously watched his brother and sister-in-law.

"You're starting to scare Theo. You need to snap out of this period and move on Niall. It's been five months. You really need to get over him". Niall's eyes watered.

"I-I can't...I'm sorry I...I just can't".

"Niall you can't go on like this forever". Niall let a tear drop.

"I can't. I'm sorry". He slowly slumped into the spare room he had been staying in ever since and crawled along the bed, collapsing on it and cried. He missed Harry. He missed his charm. He missed his curls. He missed the love. He missed the smile. He missed everything. He wanted Harry back. He didn't care if they had a dozen kids. He just wanted Harry back. But he was too much of a wimp to find him. He was broken but he couldn't even imagine how Harry was feeling. Niall knew from the look on his face that he was completely heart broken. And Niall was the cause. "Harry". Niall whimpered and clutched the sheets in his hands. He missed Harry. He wanted Harry, he wanted to be held by Harry. He wanted to be in Harry's arms. But Harry was gone.

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Dylan has brunette hair, green/blue eyes and dimples.