Sixteen

Harry tightened his grip against Louis' hand, their tiny ten year old fingers laced together, in a way that made them both feel safe. The man soon walked back down the rickety old stair case, the squeaking of his clean shoes hitting the polished staircase haunted Harry's mind for years. His breath hitched in his throat, even as the front door was unlatched, and swung open, releasing the killer into the world. It was just like that and he was gone.

They heard his car speed down the road, screeching as the brakes were used every so often, they knew it was him, they knew nobody in Harry's neighbourhood went driving that late at night. Harry hoped someone would come, he didn't want to leave the comfort of his bed, but he knew he had to sooner or later. Louis was the one who raced down stairs and dialed 999. He was the one who promised to come back upstairs, and cuddle into his best friend until the police arrived. He's the one who kept that promise.

"I will never let him hurt you." He whispered as tears fell from Harry's frightened green eyes. he wiped a stray tear that dripped it's way down his friend's face, just as it was about to drop from his chin. "I will be with you forever." He promised, and Harry had believed him.

He remembered that promise on his first day of high school, as 13 year old Harry walked into the crowded halls being ignored by all the older kids, and avoided by his peers. He remembered when he spotted Louis, and when their eyes met. It was when Louis soon turned the other way he knew that his promise had been broken.

Now staring at Louis as he opened his locker, Harry couldn't help but wonder about the promise. 'I won't let him hurt you' He knew that part, Louis had meant because there he was trying to figure out what to do. Harry chuckled when he noticed the condom's inside of the metal locker, he reached in to grab the box, toying it between his hands.

"You need one?" Louis asked with a hint of laughter in his voice, he was smiling, which only made Harry want to smile back at him, but he couldn't.

"No, I have my own." He answered, Louis' smile fading, Harry cursed himself, Louis didn't want to hear about his sex life did he? That must be awkward.

"More for me then." Louis shrugged, taking the box back and throwing it in his locker. He said it lightly, but inside his chest he was aching, he had no use for them, his girlfriend had just broken up with him over a facebook flirting disaster on his part, and he still felt awful.

"Go Louis." He cheered, although his heart wasn't in it. He sounded drained, like he was forcing his words which he was. Harry ignored the sympathetic smile Louis was giving him as the Principal walked towards the pair.

"Styles, I have just been informed about your aunt, if you don't feel up to classes today I completely understand." She told him, Harry shook his head, he didn't want special treatment.

"No, it's fine. I need the distraction." He informed her, as Louis closed his locker. She nodded her head before eyeing Louis, confusion struck across her tired eyes, she hadn't seen the two interact in all her time as principal.

"Louis, if you need to take the day off too, it's understood." Harry frowned, why would she say that? It's not like Penelope was his aunt!

"I think we are fine Miss, but thank-you for your consideration." Louis answered, rested his hand on the crook of Harry's back, as he pushed him along to their first class.

"Don't even ask." He whispered in Harry's ear, knowing he was dying to ask questions, Harry had no idea about Louis' diagnosed anxiety and depression, he had no clue about his special needs, and the principal's involvement in his counselling sessions. He didn't want anyone to know.

Harry just shrugged as he walked to the back of the classroom, taking a seat beside Nick who grabbed hold of his hand straight away. "Babe are you okay?" He whispered, Harry nodded, it's not like he wanted to go into huge detail with Nick. He just couldn't do that. his thoughts drifted him away from the class as his head rested against his loving boyfriend's shoulder, the pair of them each playing with each other's fingers, as the teacher droned on.

Louis sat beside his best mate Zayn, trying hard not to pay too much attention to Harry. Zayn didn't like gays, he never bullied them, but he was vocal about his dislike towards them while around his friends. Louis knew that if Zayn heard about his helping Harry, he would ask too many unwanted questions and possibly lay out some rude remarks.

"Turn to page 16." The teacher instructed, little did she know that this was only the beginning of a journey, that the number she spoke so lightly would soon change the boys' lives for good. The rest of the class droned on and on, so as soon as the bell sounded for the next class, students raced out the doors, almost knocking each other over, as the teacher yelled out homework assignments, hoping they were listening. Zayn walked out, with Louis not far behind him, he had no clue that Louis wanted to keep an eye on Harry, but Nick being with him, made Louis feel a little better.

To Zayn's displeasure, the two boys shared an emotional kiss, Nick knew Harry needed the comfort and this was the only way he knew how. Harry was a kisser, he loved kisses, and Nick knew this. As their lips connected, Harry's whole body seemed to calm, the only thing he could think of was moving his lips, his emotions bottled up, as he let his love take over, he loved that boy, and it was obvious. Louis watched the pair, feeling envy, why didn't he ever have a kiss like that? His girlfriend never kissed him with loving passion, it was always a ploy to get him to do what she wanted, or to show him off to all the other girls, or worse, she kissed him because she was bored.

He longed for a soul reaching kiss, one that begged him to fall in love, but he knew with his popular status, and reputation he wasn't going to get one any time soon. "Come on dude let's get away from this." Zayn muttered, pulling Louis down another hallway, leaving the two boys to do their thing.

Harry was panting when he broke away, his forehead pressed cutely against Nicks, as he caressed his check. "I needed that." He whispered, Nick's hands rested around his waist, his thumbs gently stroking his hips beneath his shirt. "I love you." He responded, making Harry smile even though he desperately wanted to cry.

"You know I love you too."

The day the two of them started their friendship was the day Harry treasured. He had spent weeks crying himself to sleep in Penelope's arms after Louis refused to talk to him, she had talked to Jay, Louis' mum in an attempt to reconcile the two boys, but Jay couldn't get through to her son, she felt bad for Harry, but he knew it wasn't her fault. The day he and Nick started hanging out, he had his nose buried in a book as he sat down in the library, his only friends were lined in the pages throughout the many books he had read every lunch time for the first month of school.

Nick sat beside him, giving him compliments over his choice in books, Harry didn't know whether Nick was being sincere or mocking him but it didn't take long for the two of them to bond, especially since Nick could name almost every book Harry had read, as well as several others that Harry was yet to read.

It was two months later when Harry knew there was something different about their friendship, it seemed too perfect. It was Harry though who made the first move. On a lazy Sunday afternoon, they laid spread out on Nick's king sized bed waiting for Nick's parents to come home with their take away dinner. His heart raced as he leaned over his best friend to grab his book mark, he couldn't help the feeling of needing to feel his soft lips, it was only for a second, but it had happened, he had kissed his best friend then and there.

Nick looked shocked for a while, and Harry thought for certain that he had just lost his best friend, he thought he had read him wrong, he thought the shock was negative, he never expected Nick to lean over and kiss him back.

Their kisses grew for the next few weeks, their blossoming romance was obvious to those who knew them. Penelope would often tease the pair on Saturday movie night at her place. It was perfect, and Harry was happy for once, he never expected that he would have his whole world come crashing down for the second time, he just hoped it wouldn't ruin his relationship, if it did he would make sure to take down that bastard once and for all.