Nobody Compares

Chapter 2

Harry’s POV

A white car pulled up with a “just married” sign spread across the back. I watched as Lou daintily entered the vehicle, and was sickened when Tom fell in after her. Leaning against a tree with my hands shoved deep in my pockets, I watched them drive away. The party was still in full swing, people dancing, laughing and talking, but I was done with it all. I walked out to my Range Rover, put the key in the ignition and twisted it. The car came to life, and I sped out of the parking lot, desperate to get home.

I arrived home in record time, and threw my keys as I walked in the door. I was both mentally and physically drained; but more than that, I was worried. Lou was left alone with Tom as they honeymooned, and I could do nothing about it. I wouldn’t see her until we went on tour in less than a month. That would at least put some separation between her and Tom, for a little while. I wondered when she would start telling people about the baby.

When Lou had come to me about the baby, I’d been utterly shocked; they’d been having such problems and, I know it was in a moment of weakness, but she could’ve gone through with it, she could’ve left him. Lou and I were close, but not close enough. If we had been close enough she would have come running to me instead of him and I would’ve held her in my arms, comforted her and given her the strength she needed to be done with it all. Then maybe, just maybe, she’d be carrying my baby instead of his. But this was all just slightly ridiculous; she didn’t know how I felt! At least, I’d never told her, I couldn’t! But deep down inside me, I could feel that she did know, which made all of this so much worse. I thought of what it would be like in a month’s time, working with her. She’d be showing by then, a baby bump appearing on her flat stomach, marking the creation of life happening inside of her.

I flopped down on my bed and heard rain beginning to pitter-patter on the roof; the streetlight sending shadows of raindrops on the window dancing on my walls, temporarily staining them with darkness, much like the tears that began streaming down my face. It made me think of ‘More Than This’; never before had those lyrics meant more to me than they did in that moment. I lay there, crying and sobbing like a child, only the problems of children are so much easier to fix; this was the problem of an adult; a problem I was not ready for; a problem that, none the less, I possessed. I drifted to sleep in that pathetic state, all the while wondering what Lou was doing at that very moment.

Lou’s POV

It was late and I was in our hotel room; alone. I didn’t know where Tom was and, honestly, I didn’t care. All I did care about was Harry’s face as we’d driven away. God, why did I have to be so fucking weak? Why couldn’t I just go and claim the things I wanted? Why did I have to worry about what other people might think? Why couldn’t I just say “fuck the lot of them” and do my thing? I’d always believed that I was a strong person, but now I wasn’t sure; the empty hotel room where I was so achingly lonely accentuated this concept in my mind. All I wanted was for Harry’s arms to be around me like they had been earlier, holding me, making me feel safe. I instantly felt guilty for thinking these things, knowing that I was now married to Tom. That was my fucking problem! How the hell did I manage to make myself feel guilty for that shithead? I knew what he was like and yet I still let myself feel this way! I was angry; angry at Tom, but fucking pissed with myself. As I said: weak.

The only comforting thing for me was that we were still in England, which made me feel closer to Harry. I sat down in a rocking chair, placed by the window and curled up in and afghan. I watched as raindrops began pelting the countryside and racing down my window. How had life turned out this way? A couple months ago I’d been happy! I’d been off with One Direction, far away and out of Tom’s poisonous grasp. That’s when I’d really began to love Harry. It had always been there, but on that tour, things really stirred up inside of me. The way he spoke to me, cared for me and even flirted with me! It was like our ten-year age gap wasn’t even there. I constantly had to remind myself of it, until eventually one day I just didn’t; it didn’t matter anymore. If only I’d told him all of this! How different could my life have been right now?

Harry’s POV

It had been two weeks since the awful wedding and I still wasn’t myself. I began to wonder if I’d ever be that carefree boy again or if I’d remain this broken-hearted man. We were in the studio, recording songs constantly, seemingly more than necessary. I think it was just the lads trying to distract me and I was grateful for their efforts, no matter how in vain they were. The session was over and I grabbed my phone and keys as I headed out the door towards my car. I unlocked the Range Rover from the sidewalk and crossed the street, opening the door and putting my seat belt on. I took a moment just to stare off in front of me; wondering where I should go. All of a sudden, I heard the passenger door opening and Louis jumped in. I looked at him bewilderedly.

“What are you doing?” I asked him.

“Why are you so down, Harry?” He asked, completely ignoring my question.

I rolled my eyes at him.

“I’m not doing this right now Louis,” I told him, pinching the bridge of my nose as I rested my head hopelessly against the steering wheel.

“Bollocks,” he persisted. “You’ve been down for weeks, and we all know why, but you need to talk about it!”

I snapped my head up abruptly.

“I do need to talk about it, but in case you hadn’t noticed, the one person I tell everything to, isn’t here to listen! And what’s more, I could never ever talk to her about this, because she’s married!” I exploded at him. He gave a sympathetic yet satisfied look, thinking he was making progress with me. I sighed loudly in exasperation. “Go home Lou, this isn’t going anywhere,” I said, my voice growing quiet again as the sadness crept back in.

“Mate, you need to tell her how you feel – ”

“Why?” I cut him off. “So she can leave her husband that she just married? The husband who’s baby she’s carrying? Yeah, that’ll be good.” Shit. Louis didn’t know about the baby, and wasn’t supposed to, but in that moment I didn’t even care that I’d slipped up.

“She’s not happy,” he said simply, ignoring my last comment, thankfully. I looked at him; he was right and I knew it. But was it because of me? No, it was egotistical just to think that! I had absolutely no bearing on her; I was just someone she had to work on; a means to an end, a way to put food on the table.

But did I really believe that? I don’t know if I could. We had something, something special, a bond like nothing I’d ever experienced; but this bond was all one-sided. I felt my eyes threatening to overflow and betray my feelings, which apparently seemed transparent to everyone already; needlessly but proudly, I hid them.

“There’s nothing I can ever do to change that,” I sniffled, my brave front breaking a tad as the emotional cracks and fissures started to disintegrate my defensive walls. “I’m nothing to her.”

“Even if you’re not want you want to be to her, you’re still her friend, and one of her closest ones at that; that means something,” Louis persisted, patting my shoulder once before opening the door and stepping out. “Talk to her,” he said as he shut the door, leaving no room for a rebuttal or response. I watched as he darted across the street and hopped into his car, driving away no doubt to go and spend the day with Eleanor. I was happy for them, but I was also insanely jealous; why was it so easy for them and not for me?

After sitting there for far too long, I put the car in gear and drove aimlessly. I had no purpose, no destination, just the need for the open road, to feel like I was going somewhere. One more week, and I would be going somewhere; I’d be going on tour. She’d be there with me, and I didn’t know how to feel. All I could think was how happy I’d be to see her and hold her in my arms again, if only for a short embrace between friends.

Notes

Well, I decided to update this even though I said I wouldn't be for a while :P Can't guarantee when I'll update next, but maybe I'll just do it based on demand. Anyways, enjoy and please rate/comment/subscribe! xoxo
P.S Feel free to check out my other story, Over Again :)