Chapter Ninteen:
Harry watched as Louis and his mum shared an emotional moment, he soon decided that he should leave the two so they could have some privacy. Returning to his cell, Harry was glad to see Ash and Liam sitting on one of the two beds. With Louis' unstable mental condition, he hadn't had much time to see his friends lately.
"Hey, dude!" Liam declared as Harry walked through the door.
"Sup." The curly haired man let his body flop onto the unused bed. Ash looked around before questioning, "where's Lou?"
"With his mum."
"But... I thought-I thought he wasn't allowed visitors for five months?" Harry watched Liam as he spoke. Louis had once told Harry that Liam looks like a harmless puppy. He now understood what Louis meant when he said that. Liam did resemble the animal with his soft features.
"Yeah. Bribed the guard, a few grams."
"Haz, you said you weren't going to do that anymore. If you keep bringing drugs into the prison, you will never be able to leave the mob life. What will happen when you and Louis are released from jail? The mobs won't just want to hurt you, Harry; they will want to hurt your boyfriend too. You need to stay far away from your previous life Haz; you have to think of Louis now too."
It was a typical Liam speech; he had heard it many times before.
"That is if Louis doesn't leave before I am released," Harry mumbled as he stuffed his face into a pillow at the thought. "What do you mean?" Ash questioned.
"Lou... I heard his mum say something. She stated that she was going to open another court case and try to help Louis receive early release or parol."
"What? You're joking right?" Ash blurted out, hating the thought of Louis leaving, but hating himself for not wanting Louis to have a better life.
Of course Liam, always the caring soul, proclaimed; "maybe that is for the best Haz. I mean... nothing good ever happens inside these walls."
The curly haired man knew Liam was right, just like he always was. But Louis was the first person that he felt a genuine connection with. He wasn't like Harry's other boyfriends. He was caring, compassionate, loving, kind, considerate, beautiful and strong; just to name a few characteristics.
Harry looked at his friend for a split second before moving onto his back, to stare at the ceiling. He was extremely conflicted; his mind told him to let Louis go, but his heart was contradicting that thought.
---
Meanwhile, in the visitors room Louis was sitting on the opposite side of the table, having a very similar discussion. "Harry seems nice." Johanna was smiling, glad that Louis had found someone to protect him when she couldn't.
"He is mummy; I don't think I could ever leave him." The small boy trailed off, and Johanna knew exactly where he was going. "Baby, you're better outside of this prison alone, than inside of this prison and with him."
Alone.
That one word rang through Louis' head. He was alone before he was sentenced to jail. He never had friends; nobody wanted to befriend a gay twink in his town. He didn't have a boyfriend; there were only homophobes where he lived. He was always the small boy who lived in the 'poor people' suburb and attended a private school on a scholarship because he was smart.
He never truly belonged. And even though he doesn't belong in prison, he felt at home. Harry was his home. Harry is his home.
Louis looked up at his mother with a light smile on his face as he came to a realisation. "I once told Harry 'I will always choose you', and I don't break promises."