"Mom?"

"Oh, Lana, it's so good to hear your voice!" I can't speak. I'm too surprised. My whole body feels kind of numb. "Lana, are you there? Sweetheart?"

"What do you want?" I say quietly. I can feel anger start to boil inside me.

"I want to explain myself."

"I don't want to hear it!"

"Lana, please-"

"No, mom. You left. Abandoned me. You didn't even know if Dad would stick around and you still left! And you didn't even say goodbye, all I got was a fucking letter."

"Watch your language, Lana."

"You gave up the right to tell me what to do when you fled the country." I take a deep breath. "Don't call here again, Mom. I don't want to talk to you. If I do, I will let you know."

"Lana, don't hang up. Please let me-" I take the phone from my ear and hit the end button. I set it on the counter and stand there for a few minutes. My dad comes downstairs and sees me.

"Lana? What's wrong?" He walks up to me and puts his hands on my shoulders.

I look up at him after a few minutes. "Mom just called." His hands drop and he puts his hands on his hips, waiting for me to explain.

"What did she say?"

"I didn't really let her say anything. I told her not to call anymore." He sighs and hugs me. That's a new one.

"Are you okay?"

I nod and pull away from him. "I'm going to go up and take a bath."

"Okay, I'm going to order some food. Chinese?" I nod again and walk up to my room, locking the door behind me and going into the bathroom. I have a giant soaker tub and tons of bath soaps and salts. I let the water fill and dump different scent in, climbing in when it's full. The water is so hot that it stings, but I get used to hit. I close my eyes and sink in so my chin is on top of the water.

I think about my life since we moved here. The way my parents have changed. At least my dad and I have been able to work things out. My mom gave up that chance when she decided to run away from everything, including me.

Harry's POV

I'm trying to work through my math assignment when I hear a knock on the front door. I run downstairs and swing it open to see Mr. Forester standing there.

"Hey, Mr. Forester."

"Please, call me Stanley, Harry." I nod. He looks around for a minute.

"Is something wrong?" I ask.

He sighs. "I just...Lana's mom called earlier and she answered the phone." Shit.

"Is she-"

"I don't know. Look, she said she was going to take a bath, but that was almost two and a half hours ago. I've knocked on her door five times but she won't answer."

I wait for him to say what he's doing here. He understands that Lana being in the tub means she's naked...he's not actually going to ask me to go in there, is he?

"This is not easy for me, but would you come back to the house and try and talk to her?" His forehead is wrinkled with worry.

"Uh, yea. Sure." I shut the door and follow him back to their house. I go straight upstairs and stand in front of the door. "Lana?" I wait, then knock a few times. "Lan, it's Harry. Babe, let me in." Nothing. I don't hear any type of movement. Shit. I go back downstairs.

"She didn't open the door?" her dad asks, stopping his pacing.

"No, I can probably pick the lock, though. I need a bobby pin or something."

"Okay, my wife probably left some in our bathroom. I'll check." We both go back upstairs and I wait in front of Lana's door. Her dad comes back out and hands me a bobby pin before going back downstairs. I get to work on it. It takes a while, but I finally get it open. I open the door slowly and walk in, closing it behind me and locking it again. I walk to the bathroom. The door is open. I lean against the doorframe when I see Lana. She's staring up at the ceiling. I can see she's been crying. She doesn't look at me or acknowledge my presence. I stand and walk over to her, leaning beside the tub and resting my forearms on the edge of it.

"What happened?"

She doesn't move for a few minutes. I wait patiently, reaching forward with one hand and stroking her cheek gently. She finally speaks, but so softly I can barely hear it.

"What's wrong with me?" My heart breaks at this question.

"What are you talking about?"

She finally looks at me, tears in her eyes. "Why doesn't my mother love me?"

I sigh. "Come on," I say quietly, pulling her to stand up. She climbs out of the tub and I hold a towel out for her, wrapping it around her and pulling her against me. I pull her into the bedroom and lift her up, setting her down on the bed. I take the blanket that's folded over the foot of the bed and wrap her in it before crawling on the bed next to her. I pull her against me, rubbing her back.

I speak after a while. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. I know your mom loves you, she's just...I don't even know. But I know she loves you. How could she not? I can't even fathom what kind of person wouldn't love you." She looks up at me. I take one of her hands in mine and look at it. I laugh softly when I see how wrinkled her fingers are. "How long were you in there for? You're a prune."

She sighs and snuggles up against me. "I don't know. A long time. The water is freezing."

"I'll bet."

"Thank you," she sighs, leaning up and kissing my cheek.

"Any time."

"Does my dad know you're here?" she asks suddenly.

"He actually came and got me. You really freaked him out."

"Oops. I guess I was kind of out of it. Wait, he knew I was in the tub..."

I laugh. "Yeah, I don't think that was an easy decision for him."

"Well, this is going to be awkward."

"I should probably go, then. Are you going to be okay?"

She sighs and holds me tighter. "I guess so."

I don't move for a few more minutes. "What did she say to you?" I ask after a bit.

"I didn't really let her say anything. I told her not to call again."

"Wow. My girl's pretty tough." She laughs and sits up, then goes to her closet to get dressed. I stand up and lean against the door of the closet. "I should probably go now. Are you going to be alright?"

She slides her sweater on after my boxers and wraps her arms around my torso. "I'll be fine. Thank you." I lean down and kiss her. When I pull back she reaches up to tough my face. "I love you."

I pull my face back and tuck her hair behind her ear. "Aww, thanks." She laughs and smacks my chest. I laugh and kiss her again. "I love you, you know that. I'll see you in the morning. I'm driving you to school." She nods and releases me. I wink at her before going back downstairs. Stanley (that is going to take some getting used to) gets up from his place on the couch when he sees me.

"Is she okay?"

I nod. "She's alright. You should talk to her."

"Thanks, Harry."

I nod again and walk out of the house and back to my own. I can see my mum standing at the sink through the window. I go in and walk into the kitchen.

"Where did you go?" she asks, setting down a dish.

"Lana's dad came over here and asked if I could go over there. I guess her mom called and Lana answered the phone. She kind of...shut down. He couldn't get her to come out of her room."

"So he came here to ask you to talk to her?"

I nod. She smiles. "What?"

"Nothing," she says, laughing a little. "You two are obviously very close. I'm happy for you. Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she'll be fine. I'm going to go finish some work." I kiss her on the cheek and go back up to my room. I work on my math for a little longer before laying on my bed with a guitar. I start strumming a few different cords, then try out some new lyrics.

Baby I, I wanna know
What you think when you're alone
Is it me, yea
Are you thinking of me, yea
We've been friends now for a while
Wanna know if when you smile
Is it me yea
Are you thinking of me yea

Girl what would you do
Would you wanna stay
If I were to say

I wanna be last, yea
Baby let me be your let me be your last first kiss
I wanna be first, yea
Wanna be the first to take it all away like this
And if you only knew
I wanna be last, yea
Baby let me be your last
your last first kiss

I rack my brain for a second verse, but it doesn't come to me. I continue strumming. I feel so relaxed playing my music. If I had the guts to let people hear me sing, maybe I would try to make a career out of it.

My phone vibrates on my desk. I set the guitar down and go to pick it up. It's a phone call. From Zayn. Shit. This is like the millionth time he's called me. I keep ignoring him, but I don't know how much longer I can avoid this. I sigh and hit the answer button.

"What do you want Zayn?"

"About fucking time, Styles."

"Why do you keep calling me?"

I hear him chuckle. "You know, Harry, I can bring you back here whenever I want."

"If that were true you would have done it by now. The rest of the guys are glad I'm gone, I know it. They saw me as a liability. What do you really want?"

"Nothing gets by you, does it? Payne took your place. I have to say, he doesn't question me half as much as you did. You were a real pain in my ass towards the end."

"Zayn, just fucking tell me what you want."

"Niall."

What? "Why?"

"He's an asset I don't want to lose."

"He's a fucking person, Zayn."

"Still. I'm letting you go because I know I can't control you anymore. You made that quite clear in the few weeks before you took off. I knew it was coming, to be honest. Niall was a little more...unpredictable. I didn't expect him to leave. Now I want him back."

"I'm not helping you force Niall back to Bradford."

"I'm not asking you to. I just need to know where he is."

Oh, so that's what this is about. He has no idea where Niall went. Now that I think about it it's pretty smart that Niall came here. Zayn wouldn't expect him to hide out where I already am.

"I don't know where he is."

"Bull shit. Niall idolized you. I know he went to you for help getting away."

"Well, he didn't. Is that all?"

He lets out a frustrated sigh. "Fine, don't tell me. I'll find him eventually." He hangs up abruptly.

Shit. I call Niall right away.

"Hey, Harry. What's up?"

"Why'd you leave Bradford?"

"I told you, Zayn kicked me out. I didn't feel safe, so we moved."

"I know that's what you told me. Now I want you to tell me the truth." I wait and he doesn't say anything. "Damn it, Niall, I just talked to Zayn. He asked me where you were. He wants you to go back. You took off didn't you?"

"Harry, let me explain, okay? But not on the phone. I'm coming over." I hang up and chuck my phone on the bed. I go downstairs and see my mum and Robin sitting in the living room.

"Mum?"

"Yes, dear."

"Niall is coming here right now. Not for long. School night, I know."

"Alright. He needs to be out by 10."

"Okay. I'll be in my room." I go back up and pace around. After about ten minutes I hear Niall come inside. Seconds later he's in my room.

"Hey, Harry. How-"

"Explain. Now."

"Geeze, Harry, calm down." He sits on the chair and puts on foot up against the edge of my desk. "It's not a big deal. I wanted out, I told Zayn that. He told me I couldn't leave, but that he would just give me less shit to do. I would still be in, but I wouldn't play a big role. That wasn't good enough for me. I went to Zayn again to tell him I was done, but he wouldn't have it. He had some guys beat me up one night, so I decided it was time for me to leave. Speaking of fights, why do you have a cruise on your face?"

"I punched a kid at this thing. Why did you come here, though?"

"Because I knew Zayn would never look for me here. He already knows where you live, why would I go to a place he might visit?"

"Well he thinks I helped you get out."

"Maybe you should just go along with that theory. Let him think you helped me."

"Why?"

"Tell him some random place I said I'd be. He'll go looking there, not here."

I roll my eyes and pace around again. "Niall, Zayn isn't stupid. He will find you eventually."

"I know that."

"What then?"

"I haven't really worked it out."

I stop and sit down on my bed, running my hands through my hair. "You really didn't think this through. When he does eventually figure out that you're here he's gonna come after both of us."

"Well, what do you suggest? I'm open to ideas."

I run my thumb along my bottom lip, trying to think of something. Zayn knows about Lana. Fuck. I wouldn't put it past him to use her to get to me. "Niall, we need to go see him."

His eyes go wide. I lean forward, elbows on my knees. "Are you out of your mind!"

"Niall-"

"No, Harry. I'm not going. That's asking to have the shit beat out of us. Or worse."

"I am not going to risk him coming to us! He knows Lana, he's seen her. He knows we're together. I'm not going to put her in danger. This isn't her mistake."

"I don't know, Haz. It's risky."

"Zayn won't kill us, Ni. We've know him forever. We're like brothers. I'll call him before we go and see if we can work something out. Meet him and Liam alone. That will be easier. He's not as much of a dick when it's just us."

He sighs. We stay silent for a few minutes. "Fine," Niall says finally as he stands, "I'll do it. But, only if you can get him to agree to only bring Liam. That's the deal."

"Fine. If he calls me again I'll try and work it out." He nods and makes his way out of the room.

"You really like this girl, don't you?"

I smile and nod, looking at the ground. "More than that, mate."

He walks over and ruffles my hair. "Didn't think this would ever happen for you!" I swat his hand away and laugh. "Seriously, Harry, she's great. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Niall." He waves and walks downstairs. I lay back on my bed. Great, now I have to face Zayn again. That is not going to be fun.

Notes

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