Silenced- A Larry Stylinson Story

Chapter 26- POV Harry: The Utopia of Laughter

 "You really think so?" I whisper in the direction of Jay, eyeing the beautiful boy lying innocently in bed inside the hospital room that I am lingering outside of. 

He looks so fragile, with his pale paper-thin eyelids that are the canvas for his long and flowy eyelashes, which flutter gracefully every few seconds. 

I have always loved his eyelashes, but I would never tell him that.

His thin figure is tucked tightly into the bed by a pastel pink blanket that compliments his gorgeous complexion. His small hands fidget with the blanket, and I can tell he is anxious by his bouncing leg under the blanket.

My heart throbs- all I want to do is go and comfort him, help him, calm him down because I know that when he is anxious he likes his hair to be stroked, and he likes a hand patting his knee, and he likes it when I silence his heavy breaths with a soft kiss. Well- he liked it, before. I have no idea what he likes now.

It's like he's a whole different person. One that I just don't seem to recognize. I mean, I love him all the same, but... he is confusing, and I know that he is confused too. At this point, we all are. Nobody knows what is happening, and nobody knows what to do. Well, except maybe the doctor, but he says it could take weeks for his memory to come back, which seems like forever, because it has only been a few days since the accident and I am already exhausted to the bone.

"Yeah, I do. It will be soon. I just know it. Louis is a fighter. And so are you, love. You didn't have to stay and wait for him. You could have just left. You're so strong, and I want you to keep fighting for him. He doesn't have anybody else, even if he doesn't know who you are. He needs you right now." Jay nods solemnly.

"No, I couldn't have just left. Because he's the only reason I'm alive right now. I'm not gonna just leave him. I couldn't do that. I don't care how bad it hurts me."

"Harry... I don't know you that well. But I really like you. And I am so glad that Louis chose you. He picked a good one." A smile flutters over her lips.

"Thanks, Jay. I'm really glad he chose me too."

She sends me a warm grin and I turn my attention back to Louis, who makes awkward eye contact with me before we both avert our eyes to the floor. As I slowly send my eyes back up to him, I notice his lips twitching upward into a weak giggle. Before giggling back, I duck out of the doorway and slide to the floor. 

What the hell was that? 

I peek my eyes around the doorway again, meet his eyes again, then duck away again, clapping a hand over my mouth to try and contain my childish giggle.

Closing my eyes, I lean my head back against the cold wall and let out a built up breath. I let my tensed shoulders drop and wrap my arms loosely around my knees, holding my opposite elbows with my hands. Louis always said I had big hands. I guess I agree, judging off of how I can wrap them around my entire forearm and touch the opposite thumb and middle finger around the circumference. 

Louis. Louis, Louis, Louis. My beautiful boy. Deepening my breaths, I reluctantly let myself drift off.

__________

"Harry! Harry!" A sweaty hand leaves a sharp sting on my cheek, and I force my eyes open to see Niall standing over me, eyes wide and mouth smiling excitedly.

"Ugh. What, Niall? How long was I sleeping?" My eyes sting from all the crying I was doing the previous day, and I can feel a pinch in my neck from the awkward sleeping position. With a little help from Niall, I stand up, knees and back popping, causing me to groan tiredly. 

Despite my soreness and the weight in my heart that never seems to leave, I feel surprisingly well rested.

"Lad, you slept for like fifteen hours. We let you sleep as long as we could, but I've got an idea."

"What?" I rub my eyes with a fist.

"I think you should talk to Louis- maybe it will spark a memory or something." I sigh and play with my greasy curls as Niall speaks.

"I don't know, Niall. It might break me. It's really hard to see him like that."

"Don't feel like you have to, I just think it might help. I don't know."

"Yeah, maybe i'll try it." I reach out for a hug and Niall steps away with a smirk.

"Dude, you're disgusting. You haven't showered in like a week. Go home and shower. Please. Then come back and see Lou." He insists.

"Fine. I need a ride, though."

"I can arrange something."

"Thanks, Niall. Seriously, I don't know what I would do without you."

"It's no problem, mate." He turns to leave, then mutters, so quiet I can barely hear, "My fault anyways." I furrow my eyebrows and grab his shoulder roughly. "Ouch. What was that for?"

"Don't you dare blame this on yourself. You are not at fault. Burn that into your tiny little brain. If anything, you saved Louis. So shut the hell up and stop being so hard on yourself. You're an amazing friend. Your laugh, it lights up a room, and you're so freaking annoying but I love it so much because there is never a dull moment with you. Got that?" Silence. "Okay?" More silence. "Okay?" I look up to make eye contact with him, and notice how his eyes are glassy. My expression softens in sympathy. "Oh, Nialler. It's okay. It's going to be okay." Despite his complaints about the fact that I haven't showered in a week, he melts into my open arms and I rock him for a while. Niall may be older than me, but he's soft and caring, like a little child.

"Okay, Haz, your ride is here. See you later." He mumbles into my shirt, and I let him go, still looking at him while I stride towards the door. 

I stumble into a fake plant in the hospital waiting room and my legs flip up over my head as I land on my shoulder on the floor. Glancing up, Niall is rolling on the floor, clutching his stomach,  bubbly laughter escaping his vibrant smile that I missed so much. 

His laughter is incredibly contagious, and I find myself cracking up along with him, despite the odd looks we are receiving from others I the waiting room. 

For a second, I forget about everything. About the fact that Louis lost his memory of me, about my family that can't seem to accept me, about boarding school, about the horrible mistake I made by breaking up with Louis. 

It's just... laughter, filling my heart and overflowing into the rest of my body. After my stomach hurts with laughter, I sigh and lay back on the ground. Everything comes rushing back, and the emotion and pain comes flooding into my mind. 

No longer is my world perfect. 

Now, I am just the crazy, dirty teen laying in the middle of a hospital waiting room. 

Now, I am lost again. 

Lost in my own mind. 

Lost in Louis', it seems, too.

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