Second Chance

10

This chapter is suggested by thetea13 ♥️

Harry stares at the paper in his hand in confusion without reading it at first. Then he recognizes the logo of their old management. Louis gave him the contract he signed?

He starts to read and his eyes grow bigger and bigger. Half through he breaks down. He can't believe what he's reading. Why would Louis sign this?

He continues to read even if the tears flooding from his eyes makes it hard to see.
"Oh, God!" He cries out as soon as he read it all. His insides are in a knot. He's never felt more guilty in his whole life. Or sad. Or confused. Louis never cheated on him.

"What's going on Harry?" Mitch asks him, eyeing him in concern.

"I...this...Lou..." Harry answers, unable to form a sentence.

"What about Louis?" Mitch asks.

Harry waves the paper in his hand.
"Louis never cheated on me. Our old management faked a baby. He's not a father."

Mitch stares at him in disbelief.
"That's crazy! Why would they do that?"

"To finally break me and Louis apart. They tried really hard for five years. They really outdid themselves with this. The cruelty of it. I can't." Harry answers and lets out a dry sob.

"That's absurd. Why would they go this far just to keep you apart?" Mitch questions.

"Because they're a bunch of homophobic assholes, that's why. The amount of shit they put us through, but this is a whole other level of crazy. Poor Lou! Oh my God! I need to see him. Where are my car keys?" Harry stresses and gets up to look for them.

"Woah! You're not getting behind the wheels. You're drunk Harry. Come on. I'll drive you." Mitch says and takes a hold of Harry's elbow to keep him steady.

"Thanks, Mitch. You're the best!" Harry beams.

Mitch gives him a sad smile. Harry is one of the kindest, sweetest people he ever met. He feels so bad for him. He knew that Harry had a bad experience with his old management and label but he never really talked about it. Mitch is blown away. He could never have imagined that it had been this bad.

He helps Harry to his car and buckles his seatbelt before he backs out of the driveway. Harry gives him the address and they drive off. It's a lot of traffic and Harry is restless. He feels awful. He hadn't even questioned it back then. He had believed every word Mr. Lucas had said even tho he knew how their management worked.

There he was walking around sulking and feeling sorry for himself when Louis was going through the same. He must have been so hurt. To top that he had to pretend like he was going to be a father. The pressure he had been under. His heart clenches from just the thought of it. Louis had been all alone.

Then he remembered the fight they had this morning and he lets out a whimper. Louis had told him the truth and he had accused him of being a lousy father. A bad person. Oh, God.

He's not paying attention to the road. Mitch yells a "fuck" and hits the breaks. Another car drives a red light and Harry closes his eyes when they crash. The blow makes him jolt forwards and he smashes his head in the side window before the seat belt throws him back again. He feels something wet drip down his forehead and he's dizzy. Then everything goes black.

Louis har just landed on his sofa with a beer in his hand when Liam calls. He can't muster enough energy to answer the phone so he just let it ring. He's just about to take a sip from his beer when the phone rings again. He furrows his eyebrows and picks it up and answers it.
"I don't wanna talk right now, Liam."

"Harry's in the hospital. Car accident!" Liam says.

Louis' whole body goes cold.
"What?" He screeches.

"I'm on my way to pick you up. I'll be there in a minute." Liam says and hangs up.

Louis just stares into nothing, trying to comprehend what Liam just told him. Harry's injured? How bad? No! He flies up and runs to the front door. He doesn't even lock it behind him. Liam pulls in when he comes outside and he runs over and throws himself in the car.
"What happened? How bad is it?"

"I don't know. Niall got a call from the hospital. He's one of Harry's emergency contacts. He and Zayn are on their way as well." Liam answers and starts to drive to the hospital.

He used to be Harry's emergency contact. Fuck, he's focusing on the wrong thing. Harry could die. Oh, God. 

They reach the hospital and Louis jumps out of the car when it's still rolling. He runs inside and spots Niall and Zayn by the front desk.
"Where is he?" He shouts.

"7th floor. He's in surgery." Niall answers.

Louis can't breathe. He starts to hyperventilate. He's sweating and it feels like someone is sitting on his chest.
"Shit! He's having a panic attack!" Zayn says.

A nurse comes running with a lemon in her hand. She puts it against his mouth.
"Bite in this!"

That sounds stupid but Louis does as he's told. The bitter juice and the texture of the lemon shock him. Suddenly everything he can focus on is his mouth and the taste of the lemon. It somehow grounds him and it becomes easier to breathe. He's calm.
He removes the lemon from his mouth and stares at the nurse.
"Uhm, thanks. How did you do that?"

"It's just a grounding technique I learned. You're welcome, hun." The nurse says with a smile.

Liam comes inside.
"What's going on? Where's Harry?"

Harry! Louis starts to run towards the elevator.
"7th floor!" He shouts over his shoulder and he can hear the boys run behind him. He reaches the elevator and presses the button mumbling "come on, come on."

Harry just has to be okay. He doesn't know what he will do if he isn't.

What happens next?