The Hitchhiker

Harry's POV

The closer to Cambridge we got, the quieter Tyra became, shrinking in the seat next to me, her fingers in her mouth, staring straight and unblinking.

"He'll be there," I say, trying to calm her down from the nerves that played on her face.
"It's not that," She whispers, letting her hand fall from her mouth. I can tell she is making up her mind about something, and I wait to find out what it is.

We pass a sign letting us know we are about a five minute drive away from our destination, which is the same time Tyra came to a decision.
"Harry, I need to tell you something," She says, sitting up slightly straighter in her seat. I nod my head, letting her know I am listening, but it's not enough for her. She asks me to stop on the side.
I do as I'm told.
Tyra opens the door and steps out. I follow her as she climbs into the back of the truck. Sitting down as we did that same day we met.

"So…" She starts, playing with her fingers, trying to find a way to explain. My head is full of different scenarios of what this thing she is trying to tell me might be.
"Niall- My brother, he was the golden boy back home… He was a straight A student, he was the QB1 of our football team, he had a full scholarship to three different high profile colleges- He just had to choose which one he was going to go to, he could play a killer guitar," She stops looking up at me, making sure I am listening.
I don't understand what she is trying to say by all of this, so her brother is brilliant, great! But instead I just tell her to go on, waiting patiently for the punch line.

"A year before he left.. He changed… He didn't go to college, he stayed home… we used to be such good friends- we were so close, but when he left we weren't.. We hated each other… He hated me.."


Flash back 2.5 years ago.

Tyra's POV

I can't believe it was only a few months since it happened. It felt as if it was only yesterday.
Maybe it felt that way because Niall and mom felt the same.
I stopped cheering, I just couldn't do it anymore. Instead, I threw myself into school work, trying to forget by making that my one and only.

That day, when I came home from school I found Niall on the front porch smoking again.
I pull a face, hating the smell, hating the fact mom didn't tell him off about it, not caring that in the process of him killing himself, he was killing us, and stinking up the house.
"Niall," I start ready to ask him to put it out, but then the smell reaches me. It is not a cigarette, it smells different.
"Seriously?? You moved on to pot now? Fantastic! Put it out!" I raise my voice standing myself in front of him.
"Fuck off Ty," He replies lazily, which makes me raise my brows in astonishment. When did he start cursing at me? When did we get to this?
"Niall, this is not you," I try, a softer tone to my voice. He is stoned, I remind myself, this is the weed talking, not him.
"What is your problem? What makes you think you can come home from high school and start telling me what is me? And what I can do or can't? You're not mom- she is in there not caring, and you are not dad!" He pointed into the house, before letting his arm fall back onto the chair.

His words stung, and I felt my face grow red. I walk pass him into the house slamming the door after me. I hear him curse again, as I let my back rest on the door, closing my eyes.

My mom was in the kitchen making lunch like she does every day, but now she just goes through the motion, not really seeing what she's doing, she hasn't really seen or been here for months. None of us have.

I run up to my room, letting my bag fall to the floor, then pace to the bathroom, leaning down to the sink and letting cold water touch my face.
I am staring at my reflection, and I don't recognize myself. Hilary Duff's song 'Who's that girl' Comes to my mind as I stare at the person in front of me.

I talk about my mom and brother not really being here anymore, but neither have I.
This is not me. I am not living my life, I am just going through the motion of my everyday schedule, but it is not me living.
How did this happen? How did I allow this to get so bad? He would have hated us like this!

I promise myself now I will pick us up, not letting us sink to this kind of low again.

I march down to the kitchen, back to my mom, knowing that I am better off starting with her.
"Mom stop it," I say when I enter, standing next to her, I reach for her arm, making her stop and look at me.
"Hi sweetie! I didn't hear you get in," She smiles. The smile is not real, it doesn't reach her eyes, dead eyes, blue eyes that have lost their shine that day.
"How did we get like this?" I whisper.
"Did you say something sugar?" My mom was back frying.
"Mom stop! I can't take this anymore! Look at us!" I shout.
The raise of my voice makes her jump, and she turns to me. For the first time in months there is a little life in her face, she is startled by my outburst, and I wonder if I looked just as dead to my friends.
"He would die all over again if he knew what became of us" I whisper, not able to meet her eyes.
My mom is silent, and when I finally find the courage to look at her she is crying.
I don't know what to say next, maybe leaving her to cry and think of what I said is a good thing. I turn and walk out, deciding it is Niall's turn for a shake.

I step out and without a word I take the joint out of his fingers tossing it to the floor and pressing my heel into it.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!?! I WILL KILL YOU! HOW MANY TIMES DO I NEED TO TELL YOU TO LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!?!?!" He is on his feet and in my face.

I squeeze my eyes shut, but I don't step back, telling myself this is not Niall screaming.

"WHAT IS YOUR FUCKING PROBLEM??"

That comment makes my eyes snap open, and I straighten to my full height. Even though I do, Niall is still a full head taller than me, but I don't let his red mad face scare me.

"My problem?! You are! Look what became of you! You were the best quarterback our town had ever had! You had the best colleges line up for you, on their knees waiting for you to pick them! But instead you are here, on the front steps smoking and throwing your life away! We are falling apart! And it hurts to watch!" My voice cracks but Niall doesn't comment, his eyes are slightly sharper than before, which makes me continue, telling me he is listening to what I have to say.
"You aren't the only one affected by this! Mom is hurting! I am hurting too! My life got blown of course too! But we can't continue like this! If we do- it's like he died for nothing! We can't have him die for nothing Ni!" I beg him "You need to find the power to push past this, take control of life again,"

Niall had matching tears on his face, as he pulled back from me.
"It numbs the pain," He chocks "I can't, it hurts all the time, I want it to stop,"

"But weed?? That’s not you- that is not the way,"

"Not everyone is perfect as you Ty, not everyone can push the pain away, finding a way to rise above it," Niall snaps

"You think this is easy for me? You think I pushed the pain away? I am struggling just like you and mom! I am hurting! I have nightmares! But I try- because I can't live like this anymore! I can't take the sorry looks anymore, I can't take the whispering, I don't want to watch my life pass by- I want to live it,"

"Well good for you, now leave me alone,"

At that he turns away.
I watch him walk off, not turning back even once.
A few months later he was gone, leaving his journal on my pillow, a piece of paper folded on top and one sentence written on it in his handwriting: Take care of mom.

The Present

Harry's POV

You would never tell the pain this girl held inside of her, hiding it well, deep inside, masking it with a smile and bright big eyes.
I don't ask who died and how, knowing if she wanted me to know she would have said, though I have my guesses.
"You're a good sister," I finally say.
"If I was.. I would have come looking for him when he called and not two months later," She answers.
I shake my head, knowing nothing I say will make her feel better with herself.
I put the car into drive, knowing he is waiting for us, knowing that maybe that is what it will take to make her whole again.

When we finally arrive, I find a place to park. It is late, but it doesn't seem to bother Tyra, her being eager to get to her brother.
We walk side by side to where he told us to meet him. We don't speak, but we don't need to. Tyra knew I was here for her if she needed it.

As we get closer, I can tell an outline of a figure leaning on the wall ahead of us. When Tyra notices it her stride becomes faster, as if trying to get to him quicker.
When we step into the light, her pushes away from the wall, letting his foot that was bent resting against it fall, bringing his face into the light.

Tyra stops in her place, a gasp escapes her lips.

Even I, who had only seen an old photo of her brother, could tell the lad standing before us is not him.

"Tommy?" Tyra asks, confusion all over her face.

I can tell she is running back in her head, trying to figure out if she misunderstood something, getting a fact wrong, though I know she hadn't. Niall was supposed to meet us here, not this Tommy.
The bloke took a few steps towards us.
"Hi Ty.. I can explain,"

Notes

Gosh!!! I can't believe it is chapter 8 already!
And so many people reading for only 8.. thank you so much! You guys are amazing!!!
Thanks once again for your comments! I get so excited to read them!!!
So new face in town... Tommy- want to know who he is??
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Had to put a photo of blondie here... take care all of you wonderful people!
xx