10. Home

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I couldn't sleep that night, I just stared up at the ceiling; tossing around the image of Harry sleeping on that cold hard bench.

I tried to convince him one last time before I left him, but he wouldn't budge.

Nothing hurt me more than leaving him in that park alone.

It was apparent at this point that my feelings for him were growing stronger with each passing moment.

I never thought I would ever fall so hard for someone so fast.

I looked over at the clock, it read 12:00 a.m.

Once I finally realized I probably wasn't going to get a wink of sleep, I sat up in my bed; rubbing my face in frustration.

"If he's not going to sleep here." I said to myself. "Then I'll just have to sleep there."

I hopped up from my bed, putting on my shoes and jacket before making my way to my car.

I pulled into the park as usual, looking over at the park bench with overwhelming concern.

Nobody was there.

I jumped out of my car, making my way toward the empty bench.

"Harry?" I said out-loud.

I continued looking, my concern growing stronger. "Harry? Where are you?"

I suddenly heard loud voices coming from behind a nearby tree.

"Please..Don't!" I heard a voice shout, desperately. "I-I don't have any money!"

My heart dropped down to my stomach as I ran to the tree as fast as I could.

"Ow!" I heard someone cry out in pain. "Please! Stop!"

I ran even faster when I realized the voice sounded like Harry's.

I finally reached the other side of the tree to see Harry curled up on the ground with 3 thugs punching and kicking him.

"Give us your money!" One of them shouted, kicking Harry in the stomach.

"HEY!" I screamed as loud as humanly possibly. "Get the fuck away from him!"

I ran up to them, my phone in my hand.

"What are you gonna do, twink?" They laughed at me, standing over a trembling Harry.

"I just called the cops." I held my phone up in the air. "They're on their way."

The thugs all looked at each other. "Oh shit!"

They all sprinted away and out of sight.

I ran over to Harry as he shook uncontrollably on the ground.

"Oh my God.. Harry.." I grabbed him, pulling him into a deep hug. "Are you okay?"

His sobbing intensified as he cried into my lap.

"I-I'm so sorry, L-Louis.." He whimpered. "I'm so sorry."

I shook my head. "Why are you apologizing?"

"T-They took your blanket, t-they took your pillow." He sniffled loudly, visibly trembling. "T-They took your jacket. T-They even took the r-roses. They took everything. I-I'm so sorry."

I took off my jacket, laying it over the hysterical boy. I looked down at him with tears in my own eyes. "Shh.. it's okay."

His eyes were black and blue, his nose bleeding.

"This is all my fault." I blamed myself. "I knew I shouldn't have let you stay out here."

"It's not your fault." He sat up.

"We need to get you to a hospital." I attempted to lift him off the ground.

"N-No.." He cried out. "Please.. Hospitals remind me of my mother. I-I can't."

"Harry.." I caressed his cheek. "Then you're coming home with me."

"I can't."

"I'm taking care of you." I attempted to lift him again.

"Please.. I don't want to be a burden." He clawed at my shirt.

"Then I'm staying here at this park with you every night." I said, stubbornly. "It's your choice."

"No!" Harry shook his head. "You can't, Louis. It's too dangerous out here."

"It's your choice." Louis repeated.

Harry let out a shaky breath. "O-Okay.. I'll stay with you."

Harry finally let me pick him up bridal style.

I walked to my car with the boy wrapped around my arms.

"Here.." I set him in the passenger seat, placing the jacket over him. "Put your seat belt on."

I jogged over to the drivers side, quickly turning on the car.

I looked over at him as I pulled out of the park.

"How are you doing?" I laid my hand on his thigh.

"I-I don't know." He examined his own body. "I hurt."

"I know." I sighed. "We need to call the cops."

Harry shook his head. "It won't matter."

I raised a brow. "Why not?"

"I'm just a bum who got what I deserved." He paused. "No one cares about some worthless homeless kid."

I abruptly stopped the car, turning my body toward him.

"What are you-"

"I never want to hear you say that again." I raised my voice. "Throughout this week, I've gotten to know the sweetest, kindest person I have ever met in my entire life. You mean the world to somebody out there and guess what.. that somebody is me. I may not know everything about you, but I do know one thing. You did not deserve what just happened to you. If anything, you are the last person on earth who would deserve that. You are not a burden, you are not just some worthless homeless kid. You are a person. A person with more worth than he could ever imagine."

I finally let out a large breath, watching his reaction as I spewed out those honest words.

"I-" He didn't know what to say as his eyes welled with tears again.

"Now let's get you home, get you a shower and get you into a real bed because that's what you deserve." I grabbed the steering wheel. "To be treated like the king you are."

Homeless || LarryWhere stories live. Discover now