His Little Secret

"I..." Tears began to stream down Harry's face. "I..."

Louis went over to Harry and wrapped his arms around him. "Oh Hazza bear..."

"I'm sorry... I just can't..."

"I know, Harry, the truth hurts. Sit down, Niall, Zayn, Liam."

The three other boys sat down, Niall and Zayn on the floor and Liam on the couch, next to Harry.

"You don't have to tell the truth if you don't want to." As much as Liam wanted to know what on earth happened to Harry, he didn't want to put too much stress on Harry. After all, he (Harry) seemed fragile enough and Liam didn't want to make him worse.

Niall, on the other hand, felt as if some rule had been violated. Compassionate as he was, he didn't see why Harry was keeping something a secret from him, Liam and Zayn. It wasn't just Louis who was his best friend, right? "Just spit it out, Harry. It's not like we're gonna stop being friends with you if we knew your secret."

"He's right, Harry, we're here for you." Liam patted Harry's back, trying to comfort him. "Though I'm not forcing you to spill the beans, the truth won't hurt our friendship."

"Good bros stick with each other forever." Even Zayn was making an effort to be sentimental.

"Can we please go somewhere where nobody will see us?" Harry wasn't quite ready to tell the truth but it was then or never. Plus, he'd feel guilty if he kept this secret any longer than he should. He'd been insecure though, and still didn't want the public to be involved.

"My room in the cellar's a good one!" Zayn suggested. The rest of the band agreed, and so One Direction went to the cellar, in other words, Zayn's room.

~*~

"It's dark in here!" Niall shouted.

"I know, there should be a light switch somewhere!" Zayn searched the walls. Where was the darned light switch anyways?

"Is this it?" Harry asked, and the lights were on.

"Yes!" Zayn exclaimed, relieved.

"How on earth did you find it?" Niall asked.

"I used to hide down here when I was sad or stressed." Harry said. "I mean the last time we were here, when I shared a room with Louis and Niall."

Louis and Niall exchanged looks. They had been so-called "mortal frienemies" from the start and Harry hated that fact.

After a few minutes of easy conversation, everyone sat on the carpet.

"Ready, Harry?" Louis asked.

Harry nodded. "Guys, I'm sick," he said.

Niall gasped. Liam covered his mouth. Zayn laughed.

"Why the fudge would you go here if you were sick?"

"It's not contagious, Zayn. The chemicals that were used to treat it made my hair fall out though."

"Oh no. You have..." Liam shook his head.

"Leukemia. Cancer of the blood." Harry finished for him.

"Oh dear God." Niall said, doing the sign of the cross. Liam started crying silently while Louis hugged him. Zayn, meanwhile, snuck up behind Harry and removed his bonnet.

Harry let out a string of cuss words and tackled Zayn. "Don't ever do that again, ya hear?!" Infuriated as he was, his eyes sparkled with tears and his cheeks were flushed red with both anger and embarrassment.

"Hey, you don't look all that bad without your curly mop!"

"I don't look bad, I look terrible!!!" Harry was full-out crying now, everyone could hear the tears in his voice.

"Good God, Harry, you're still beautiful!" Niall's arms were around him in a flash. "Look at yourself, Harry, you haven't changed and will never change in my eyes-heck what am I saying, EVERYONE'S EYES!!! Look at your face in the mirror, Harry, look!" Niall forced Harry to look into the vanity mirror that Zayn had.

Harry took one glance at the mirror and his cheeks turned even redder. He collapsed onto the ground, hugged his knees and cried even harder. "It's gone Niall, everything's gone! It's useless to convince me otherwise!"

Suddenly, the door closed. Harry looked up.

"Guys, who left?"

"Liam." Louis said, softly.

"Oh God!" Harry shook his head.

"It's okay Hazza, he just went to get something."

"What time will he be back?" Niall asked.

"I don't know, but I think we have to cancel the concert."

"No!" Harry stood up. "Not for my sake!"

"Hazza bear, please sit down!" Harry looked down at Louis and met his crescent-shaped orbs. Louis was usually the strong one and the least likely to cry, however, at the moment, there were obviously tears in his eyes.

"Boo-bear..." Harry whispered, kneeling down. "Don't cry."

"I'm the one who's supposed to be saying that! Look at your face!"

"I look terrible!" Harry closed his eyes and allowed the tears to fall freely.

"Hazza..." Louis pulled Harry closer, but remained silent, knowing that words had no power at the moment.

Niall and Zayn exchanged looks. The night had only just begun and there was already so much emotion in the air. Oh, what a crazy, mixed-up day it had been!

Notes

Where did Liam go? Ehmegash!!!