Harry:
The next week seemed to fly by, but not in the good way. Niall was unusually quite, almost like he was when I first found him. He stayed in my room most of the day according to my mum. While I went to school. Louis had told the other lads, but I didn't have the heart to be angry with him. They deserved to know anyways. They took it rather well and promised to keep it quiet until Niall came to school himself.
My dad had postponed the case and was waiting until Niall would come to the station and give a statement. Unfortunately today was his last day. He hadn't spoken to his parents either. They came over almost everyday, trying to get him to talk to them.
I stepped into the house and threw my bag down on the couch. It was finally Friday. I found Niall in the kitchen talking to my mum. I was starting to think that he liked my mum more than he liked me.
"Harry, Love, how was your day?" My mum asked.
I shrugged. "Uneventful." I said.
Niall studied me with his pretty blue eyes. "Hi Niall." I smiled.
"H-Hi." He stuttered. He was so cute.
"Are you hungry Harry? I was just getting ready to make some sandwiches."
"Yeah sure, thanks mum." I said, still holding Niall's stare. My mum went to the fridge and I went to Niall.
"Come with me." I whispered into his ear and grabbed his hand.
He followed me willingly out to the back garden. We set off hand in hand into the deep forest of beautiful plants. I stopped him by the creek where there sat a little bench. Instead of sitting on the bench I sat down in the grab by the edge of the water.
Everything was silent but the river and the occasional bird. I wanted so badly for him to talk to me.
"Say something." He mumbled.
"Like what?" I asked.
"Anything."
"Well I can't say what I want to say." I said truthfully.
"Why not?"
"Because you don't feel the same way." I told him.
His eyes dropped to the water. I hated admitting it to myself but I knew it was true.
"Can I say something then?" He asked.
I nodded.
"Thank you." He said.
"For what?"
"For everything, Harry. Everything."
I was silent. I didn't know what to say. I leaned towards him, desperately wanting to kiss him but he pulled back.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"We- I can't..." He began. "I don't-"
"You don't what?" I asked as I felt my heart sink into the pit of my stomach.
"I... I don't know how to say this after everything you've done for me." He said.
"Just say it... please?" I begged.
"I don't love...you." He said. "Anymore."
I felt my heart shatter a little bit, but it wasn't like it was something that I didn't already know. He told me in the beginning that he didn't want anything to do with me.
"I'm sorry Harry." He said.
"It's alright, you know. I can't always get what I want." I said standing up. "And truthfully," I said looking down at him. "I would give up everything I have for you to love me."
I didn't have anything else to say to him so I started off to the house, but then I remembered the reason I brought him out here.
"Oh, tonight's the last night for you to go to the station. If you don't go, they'll come get you. Dad's leaving at 6."
With that I walked off to my room with tears in my eyes.
. . . . .
Niall:
What I had said to him hadn't been completely true. I mean I did love him, alot. Just not in the same way I had. I knew I could trust him, but I couldn't love him. It took me a while to get past my insecure fights to keep him in my heart. I loved him partly because he could keep me safe, it was a strange kind of love. I only liked it when it benefited me, not when it made him happy.
It was selfish of me, and very hard to explain but I needed to stop it. Maybe it was because I would never feel good enough for him, but it was hard standing next to him. I knew that from now on I would always be compared to him if I let myself love him.
Whenever Harry would kiss me or smile at me it made me feel like I was taking something from him. Like it was all fake. Of course I was anyways. Harry didn't really love me. He was just attached to me after everything that had happened. It was mostly my fault.
As I sat there beside the stream of water I realized something. Everything I have done was to benefit me. I ran away because Harry said something that I didn't like, but he said it because I kissed him, because I wanted to. I knew the consequences of it but I did it anyways. I put Harry through hell all because I felt sorry for myself. Why couldn't I be more like Harry? Harry cared about everyone and he took care of everyone above himself. Harry deserved better than me. I was only holding him back.
All this time I had thought of everyone else as the enemy. When really I was fighting my own war. I took a deep breath and stood up. Deciding it was probably time to go inside to get ready to head to the station.
I found Anne at the counter with two sandwiches in her hands. She looked deeply concerned. "What happened?" She asked me. "Harry was crying."
My heart ached for the boy. I didn't mean to make him upset. "I'll take that to him it's that's alright?" I asked taking the sandwiches from her and avoiding her question. How in the hell was I supposed to tell her that I just broke her sons heart.
I made my way up the stairs and into Harry's room. "Harry?" I called.
"What?" He asked. I found him sitting in the bay window. His favorite place.
"I brought your sandwhich."
"Thanks." He muttered.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
He sniffed. "Just trying to figure out a good way to tell my dad that I'm gay." He laughed lightly. "That'll be fun."
i smiled weakly. I knew that wasn't the whole truth. "I'm really sorry Harry."
"Don't apologize, it's not your fault." He said.
"Why aren't you angry with me?" I asked. "Do you ever get angry? God why are you so perfect?" I shouted.
He stared at me wide eyed and just shook his head. I sighed and turned to leave the room. I went to the guest bedroom just down the hall and sat on top of the freshly made bed. I guess I wouldn't be sleeping with Harry anymore. I realized that I might of just lost a friend.
It was almost 6 and I knew I was going to have to go to the station. I wasn't going to lie, I was afraid. I slipped back into Harry's room.
"Harry?" I asked.
"Hmm."
"Can you come... to the station?" I asked.
He nodded and got up for his spot and walked over to me. "I'm not mad at you." He said softly and he lead me down the hall with his empty plate in his hand. We gave our dirty dishes to Anne and went to meet Harry's dad outside.
"Ready boys?" He asked when he saw us.
"Yep." I managed to choke out as I followed Harry into the back of the police car. The station was just down the street. When I got out I felt like my legs were going to collapse beneath me. Harry must have noticed because he wrapped a protective arm around my waist and led me into the building. The small gesture made me feel even worse about what I had said to him. The people in the station looked at me like they couldn't believe that I was actually there.
"Right this way," A man off to my right said. Harry smiled at me and let go of me.
"This is Agent Marcus, he'll just ask you a few questions and we will go from there." Harry's dad said.
"Okay." I nodded.
"I'll be right out here." Harry said. I nodded and followed the tall dark man into an all grey room. There was a silver mirror on one wall that I recognized as the one way window that all interrogation rooms had.
"Have a seat Niall." Agent Marcus said. I did as he said and swallowed hard.
"Alright, lets get started shall we?" He asked.
I nodded.
"We have that you disappeared on August 27, 2011, is that correct?" He asked.
"Yes."
"And you have been gone for almost 5 months?"
"No, well I came home a couple of weeks ago." I explained.
He scribbled on his notepad and then pulled out a picture. "This was the house that you stayed in correct?" He asked.
I nodded. I was afraid to tell them about the other house. My hands began to sweat. I shouldn't have come to this place.
"And what can you tell me about this one?" He asked. He passed me a picture of a house in flames.
I felt every part of my body freeze.
"Okay, did you know this man? We found his body burnt and at the bottom of Glass Lake, right beside the cabin."
I swallowed hard. "I don't know anything about those last two. I was only in the first house." I said.
Stop lying, this is only going to hurt you more.
"Niall we found your DNA in the ashes." He said sternly.