Harry sat in his-now- normal seat in the classroom. Facing many backs to people he no longer spoke to. Ever since that day (that day he could never forget but wanted so badly to never remember) Harry had spoken to no one outside of his home. Even then, he would say one word sentences to his parents. And when Gemma left, he gave her a simple "have a safe journey" before he locked himself back into his room.

Very much like Louis, Harry took a few days off college. He was too ashamed, too hurt, too broken, to face anyone. He knew that everybody would find out sooner or later. Nothing personal stays personal for very long these days.

And it wasn't the fact that he was trying to hide what he did, he felt awful and he knows what he did was the biggest mistake he could have ever made. But it was for Louis; the boy he longed to touch; just to have him close again. He didn't want people to look differently at Louis for something he, himself, had done.

But it had been two weeks. Two weeks of emptiness. Of nothing.

After three days of not moving from his bed, Anne had made Harry go into college. And Harry was sort of glad but angry at the same time. Glad, because this is what was best for him- to go out, get fresh air, actually go to class. Angry because he didn't deserve it; he didn't deserve to walk around and act like nothing had happened. Like he hadn't just lost, and crushed the best thing that had happened to him in a very, very long time.

-

Louis sat at his- now- normal seat at lunch. At the back of the cafeteria, the table that seemed as if it was hidden in the shadows even though it was just as lit up as the others.

As usual, Luke was sat two seats away, his lunch and work scattered all across the table as he babbled on about something someone had said in class. Louis wasn't paying much attention. He'd been doing that a lot lately.

Staring at things as if they were the most interesting thing in the world and completely forgetting that a world existed around him.

This was Louis' fifth day back at college. He'd been counting. He had been dreading it the seven days before. And the two days before that, he couldn't even tell you if he had changed his underwear. They had been pretty dreadful days.

After Jade had come over, Louis did start going to bed at reasonable times and waking up before the sun had set. But he wasn't ready to go into college straight away. Too scared to face everyone. Too scared to face someone in particular.

Six times. That's how many times Louis had seen him. He has been counting.

"Louuu?"

Louis jumped a little in his seat, he had done it again. The grains in the wooden table just seemed to suck him into a deep black hole. "Hmm?" He raised his eyebrows, freshly waxed. (Megan had treated him to a beauty day yesterday).

Luke sighed. "Don't worry."

Louis gave Luke a sad smile. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. At least you're getting there." Louis nodded softly, not too much to agree fully but not too little to disagree.

Luke looked back down at the book he was reading and Louis looked back around the filled room. Looking for something new to distract him.

And then it happened. Seven times. His mind told him to look away, to get Luke and leave before he brakes down like the first five times. But he couldn't. This had been the first time he had seen Harry smile since that day.

-

"Thank you." Harry pulled his lips up softly, as much as he could without it seeming forced, to the dinner lady. She gave him a quick nod of the head in return.

His tray slid across the metal side as his pushed it along gently. Just two more hours. Is what he kept telling himself. Just two more hours and you can lock your self in you room again. It was all he could think about; When he could get out of here.

As he handed over the money for his lunch, Harry's eyes scanned the tables, desperate to find one empty.

He muttered a quiet thank you to the woman but his eyes were still scanning as he picked his tray up and began walking somewhere he was still unsure of. "C'mon," he whispered to himself.

And then he spotted a table. Right in the corner of the large room, hidden away from all the loud noise and business of all the other students. Harry kept his head down as he walked towards his found table, trying so desperately not to be seen by anyone who may call out his name.

And once he was sat, he knew he was safe.

Since the breakup, the only person outside of his family Harry had spoke to, was Ashton. He was extremely surprised when his friend had picked up the phone when he called, knowing that he would have heard what had happened through Luke and the band.

"I can't believe you." Was the first thing he had said. "After everything. I really can't believe you." Harry had to beg him not to hang up the phone then, pleading him to just let him talk. And even at the end, Harry was almost sure, for certain, that Ashton would never speak to him again. "Your drunken' needs broke a heart. I hope you were satisfied." Harry had then cried and half an hour later, Ashton had called him back.

"What you did was so so so wrong. And you had to have picked the most amazing, wonderful, caring person to do it to. I'm not going to forgive you. And I don't think you expect me to forgive you. I can tell that you didn't mean to do it, but then that doesn't make it all okay, Harry. I'm your friend, I always will be, but this, I can not forgive." Harry understood, and he swore to him, on his heart, that it is something he'd never- eevveerr- do again and that if he could go back in time, and save Louis' heart from breaking, he'd do it a thousand times over, if it meant he could take back what he did.

And Ashton believed him. Because Harry doesn't lie to him. Harry can't lie to him because Ashton can tell when his best friend is lying and he for sure wasn't then.

But now, now Harry sat alone on his table. Eating his lunch and wishing he was locked up in his bedroom.