Survive [Larry Stylinson]

Chapter 70.

Okay you guys.

This is it. We've come to the part I've been dying to show you. Are you ready for this?

Love always, S.

**

"Liam? What are you doing here?"

I ask, completely confused by his presence. I'm literally standing here with my suitcase in my hand and my jacket on. Can't he tell I was just about to go somewhere? Let alone, leave for good? I don't know. There's something about his eyes that's telling me he already knows exactly where I was about to go. He puts his hand on the suitcase as a brave attempt to try to convince me to hear him out. But doesn't he realize that I've had enough already? I don't want to hear another word. Ever since the day I moved in here I've been lied to, and I'm done with it. I don't want any part of it anymore. I want to leave now and not even Liam can stop me right now.

"I'm sorry, I just can't do this anymore" I admit and put the spare key I used to own in his hand. He looks at it and then back up at me as try to walk past Liam to get out of the apartment.

"Harry, please! I know things have been confusing and I know that Louis might not show it but he needs you! More than you can imagine." Liam presses with the most sensitive voice I've ever heard on him. His tone is always so clean yet rough, but now it sound like he's almost about to cry? I shake my head and turn my back on him. I can't look at him right now. I've made up my mind. "Harry don't go, I'm begging you" He pleads. I just wish those words came out of Louis' mouth instead, but that's not the case.

"Bye Liam..." I say softly and give him a hug. All this time, he might not have always told me the entire truth but I've always felt like I could count on him, and that's not something I can say about anyone. Liam has been a good friend to me, and it honestly breaks my heart to see him like this. It really is unfair that he's always the one that has to fix everything and say things other people should've said instead. I mean, Louis could've been standing here begging me to stay, but no. He left and told his buddy Liam to come all the way over here to do what's supposed to be his duty.

Liam looks down at the floor as I tie my shoes. I give him a weak smile before walking out. But just as my foot steps outside the door Liam stops me.

"He's sick."

He says. I freeze completely with my foot on the other side of the door. I don't know what I was expecting, but certainly not this. Or did I? A voice inside my head keeps telling me that I knew all along. I knew that something was wrong with his health. It was obvious. All the signs were there right in front of my eyes. I knew. I just didn't want to believe it. I knew. I knew. Shit I knew.

"Wh-what?" I choke. Turning around overwhelmed to face Liam. He's standing there with his tired sincere eyes and puffy face. I turn speechless, staring down at the floor with absolutely no words. Liam walks up to me and comforts me by wrapping his arms around me. I barely hug him back. I'm just suddenly incapable of doing anything, speaking or thinking over all. Liam pats my back and I just rest my head on his shoulder.

He's sick? Louis is sick? My mind starts rewinding all the signs I never saw before but are so clear to me now. The doctor, the breathing problem, the medication, the... pills? Liam lets go of me and places the pill-can in my hand. It's the one I saw in their hotel-room back in Barbados. They were never Liam's. I should've known they were Louis'. I squint at the package and try to read what the label says. It is for people with COPD. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. What the hell is that now? I look back up at Liam. His eyes are red and glossy. He gives me a small forced smile as we both walk back into the living room in silence. I'm in complete shock and Liam let's me take my time.

We both sit down on the sofa and I just stare down at the floor with my mouth open. No way. How could I be so stupid? I always knew something was wrong with his health. It was obvious. How couldn't I have seen this? How could I have been so blind? I look at the laptop on the coffee table right in front of me. I don't even say a word to poor Liam that's just sitting there patiently, waiting for me to give a proper reaction. I start the laptop and type in COPD on google.

"COPD is disease a that makes it hard to breathe. It is caused by damage to the lungs over many years, usually from smoking. COPD gets worse over time. You can't undo the damage to your lungs but you can take steps to prevent more damage and to feel better." I read out loud. Liam nods along and his face expression tells me that it's nothing he didn't already know. "Normally people get this disease in their late years. People who get it in their younger days have a disorder that runs in families, called alpha-1"

"It runs in his family." Liam says, stating the obvious. Well, clearly it does.

"So it's basically lung cancer?" I ask. He nods in agreement. But this is so rare though. The statistics show that people get this disease in their really late years like in their 50's. How the fuck did Louis manage to get it at such a young age? I shake my head and keep searching around in the internet looking for the treatments and so on. I don't know why any of these facts even matter but I just can't digest the fact that this is happening right now.

"When you lived with your mother, he didn't take his medication properly the entire month." Liam tells me. "And remember that time you had to sleep at my place? That was because he had to spend the entire night at the hospital. Same thing happened last night. That's why he didn't come home."

So much information at once. I'm panicking, what am I supposed to do with all this information right now!? I shut the computer off and lean back in the sofa, covering my face in my hands. Trying to have some sort of mental break. That's when the door suddenly knocks. My head snaps up immediately. Is it him? Is it... Louis?