echo. | larry stylinson.

Chapter Seventeen - Lack of Trust.

Harry's POV:

“G-Gemma? What are you doing here?” I said, and Gemma smiled at me, grabbing her suitcase. I stepped aside and watched Gemma drag her suitcase into the hallway, closing the door.

“My university is being refurnished so we have a week off,” Gemma explained, and then she walked into the kitchen.

“Gemma!” my mum said excited and I watched them hug each other. I shoved my hands into my pockets. I wasn't sure why Gemma was here, or why she was acting like we had never lost contact. She left us, she hadn't called in five bloody months and then she has the nerve to show up like that.

That made me wonder if she called my mum and simply avoided me.

I rolled my eyes and turned around, walking into my room. I wasn't in the mood to listen to them talking about useless stuff. I sat down on my bed and sighed while rolling up my sleeve, looking at my cuts.

The urge to cut was really big in that moment, but I promised everyone to not cut anymore, and I really wanted to stay clean. I rolled my sleeves again, trying not to trigger myself and grabbed my laptop. Maybe the internet could distract me.

~

Gemma's POV:

Mum handed me a cup of coffee and I sat down with a smile. I took a sit and looked to the door, only to notice that my little brother had disappeared.

“When did Harry leave?” I asked and mum sighed.

“I don't know, I think a few minutes ago. He needs to rest anyways,” she answered.

“What's wrong?” I asked as I could feel that there was something on my mum's mind, something that was stressing or worrying her a lot.

“It's just... the last days have been stressful for us, especially for Harry. It's going to be okay, I think,” mum said, stirring around in her coffee.

“What do you mean? And please don't shrug it off or I'll go ask Harry, and I'll make him answer me,” I said.

My mum shook her head. “Don't confront Harry with anything right now, he's not doing well,” my mum said and I raised my eyebrows.
“Define not doing well,” I said.

“Listen,” my mum started. “Harry's depressed and he harms himself. I found out by accident and I made Harry see a therapist. His arms are covered in scars and there's something else going on, too, but Harry pretends that there isn't anything else.”
I swallowed. My little brother was depressed? Little, smiling Harry? I opened my mouth to say something but closed it because I had no idea what to say. I then stood up.

“Where are you going?” my mum asked, looking confused.

“I'm going to talk to Harry,” I said and walked upstairs, knocking on Harry's door. I heard his laptop being closed and a few seconds later Harry opened the door, looking at me.

“What do you want?”

I looked at Harry and noticed how much he changed, now that I knew what was going on. His eyes looked lifeless and dull. They used to be shiny like the sun itself lived in it. I pulled harry into a hug and buried my face into his neck.

“Why haven't you told what was going on?”

~

Harry's POV:

I shoved Gemma away, glaring at her.

“When? You mean in those five months you didn't talk to me?” She swallowed, looking at me.

“I-I'm sorry,” Gemma started and I let out a mocking laugh.

“This isn't going to help me, and it won't make these go away,” I said and pushed my sleeves up. I didn't care anymore, so many people have seen them already. Gemma gasped and grabbed my arms.

“I-I had no idea it was that bad,” she said and I pulled my arm away, pulling down my sleeves again.

“I know no one cares, so please stop pretending. I even think Louis doesn't care as much as he says he does.”

“Who's Louis?” Gemma asked and I ignored her question.

“I don't want to talk to you,” I said and shoved her out of the room, locking the door once she was out. I broke so many of my rules, but I won't break my number one rule.

Don't make yourself believe anybody cares about you, nobody does. Trust no one.