***

TW: Self-harm (Sorry in advance)

***

*Niall's POV*

I reached Harry and my house with a cat in my hand. I saw her outside Louis' mansion, and remembered I had to get a gift for Harry. So, I picked her up. Fleas and shit will be taken care of by Harry.

I knocked on his door, and he opened the door. "Morning, Ni." He said, without opening his eyes. "Morning H, look what I got ya." He cracked open one eye and began adjusting his vision to the bright light outside.

He finally saw the cat, who was looking at Harry. His tired expression broke into a surprised face. He said, "Oh God, Niall. Is that a cat?" "Naah, it's a caterpillar." I joked. He flipped me off and reached to take the cat from my arms. The cat began meowing, while Harry fonded over it.

"Where did you get it from?" "Outside my friend's house." "Oh...What about fleas and stuff?"

"You must find out, I don't know." I said and walked into the house, to my room. I could hear Harry talk to the cat in the living room, which made me smile to myself.

My friend was happy, which made me happy.

***

~Five days later~

*Louis' POV*

I was finally leaving for home from work. Everyone had left around half-an-hour ago, even Zayn, but I had stayed back to take a few extra calls.

I walked out to the gate, to wait for my chauffer to get the car. But the scene on the other side of the gate was pretty surprising.

Zayn was snogging some blonde-haired girl.

I wondered how ever on Earth do people get the courage to ask someone out, moreover to snog them. Looked like they were together, Gigi and Zayn (I still didn't know whether that girl was Gigi or not, but I knew Gigi was blond, so I hoped that girl was Gigi.)

When they finally pulled away and were staring at each other for a while, I cleared my throat loudly. Both turned to look in my direction, and Zayn looked embarrassed. I chuckled, "Nice snogging session, may I know what's the occasion?"

Zayn was too blushy-blushy, so the girl spoke, "He asked me out, not certain whether I liked him. But I do like him, so I kissed him." I nodded and asked, "I'm assuming you're Gigi?" She nodded, "Yes Mr. Tomlinson."

I said, "Please, call me Louis."

By then, my chauffer had come and was waiting for me. I bid them goodbye and went to my house.

If my best friend was happy, I was happy.

***

*Louis' POV*

BREAKING NEWS!!

Well-known young businessman Mr. Harry Styles caught in scam involving millions! Mr. Styles hasn't been arrested, but his company is being shut down.

The newspaper fell from my hands to the floor.

Styles in a scam? I didn't know whether I should be happy or concerned. Happy that my biggest rival's company no longer existed; or concerned because as much as I hate to admit it, Styles wasn't someone who would be involved in a scam. Styles was, smart and sensible, not a scamster.

But I didn't want to think much about it. My rival was finally finished. I was happy, I called Zayn.

"Tommo." Zayn greeted me.

"Zaynie baby how are you??"

"The fuck is wrong with you?? I'm here with Gi and she could think that I'm cheating on her! What is it?" He whispered into the phone.

"Oh, I'm so happy!! I could fly, if I could, you know?" I nearly squealed.

"What's happened?" He asked me.

I told him what had happened and Zayn listened on intently. When I was done, Zayn said, "Louis, will give me a minute? I'll just call you back." Before I could say anything, he hung up.

Well, that was weird.

***

*Zayn's POV*

Immediately, after ending my call with Louis, I turned to an expectant looking Gigi. "What happened baby?"

I sighed, "Gi, why don't you call Gem and ask her if she's alright?" She wiggled her eyebrows at me, and I told her what had happened. She immediately called Gemma, I called Niall.

"Hello, Neilo?" I asked, as soon as he picked up.

"Zayn. What is it?" He asked and I could immediately understand that he was depressed, of course he would be. "Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Not really. Harry's worse. We never even did anything. Fucking Cowshit." He replied.

"What did he do? Is Harry okay? Do you want me to come over, or something? How's Gemma?" I asked in one go.

Niall was quiet for a while. Then he said, "Will you please come over? It would mean a lot to me. Get Gigi too, if she doesn't mind."

"We of course wouldn't mind, bro, text me your address. We'll be there in a few."

***

I reached Harry's and Niall's house (mansion?) with Gigi in a few minutes. Rang the doorbell, the door opened, and I was met with a pair of blue eyes.

Gigi hugged Gemma, who hugged her back saying, "Thank you for coming over, both of you. Especially when you are from the rival com-"

"No, Gem, this is nothing. You and Niall are our friends; me and Gi just being true friends." I cut her midway, giving her a smile. She gave me a watery smile and led us inside saying, "Harry looks a bit uhm...scary, might I warn you beforehand."

I nodded, feeling genuinely bad for Harry, even if Louis always had hated him. I knew he wasn't the bad guy; it had to be Simon.

Harry had set the company up all by himself, worked really hard to get it to such a position, all from the age of 19. See, Harry's father had died really early and Gemma had just finished Uni. Harry's family couldn't afford the money for sending him to Uni, but Gemma pleaded her ex-professors to get him a seat. Harry had always been a genius, way advanced in studies for his age, which helped him get a scholarship in the Uni. While studying, he also worked in a bakery, and planned on setting his business up. He worked really hard for nineteen-year-old, and all that hard work paid off.

He is, or rather was, one of the leading businessmen even if Louis didn't agree. Louis, in my opinion, was just jealous of Harry's success at such an early age (don't tell him I said that).

I walked into a room which I assumed was their living room. I saw Niall and Ashton sitting on either side of Harry, on the couch. Both looked kinda fine, but the sight of Harry nearly broke me.

Harry sat staring vacantly at the ceiling, his curls in different directions and his hands-shit. Both wrists had white bandages around them, but with blood oozing out. There were red scars on his forearms, and that was when I saw Niall sitting next to a box of first aid.

I walked towards Harry and looked at Niall, asking him silently whether I could talk to Harry. I was a stranger to him after all. Niall nodded, Ashton got up and I sat down on his place.

I cleared my throat and said, "Mr. Styles?"

No response. Harry didn't even look down at me. I tried again, "Sir, are you alright?"

No response. Harry kept staring up at the ceiling. I looked at Niall for help, who nodded. He gently tapped Harry's shoulder and said, "Harry. Harry, look who's come to meet you."

Harry didn't look down at him either, but closed his eyes and sighed as a few tears rolled down his cheeks. I reached out for the tissue papers on the coffee table and began wiping his tears. He then sighed and looked down at me, saying, "Yes. What do you want? Have I been caught in another scam now?" His voice cracked in the end and I really pitied him.

"Mr. Styles, I'm Zayn. Zayn Malik, Niall's friend. I just wanted to be there for you in this difficult time." I said, not being sure how he would react.

He looked at me for some time; searching my face for something and maybe he found whatever he had been searching, so he said, "Call me Harry. And thank you, Zayn. But I'm good." With that he looked back up at the ceiling.

Well, I knew he definitely wasn't good. I said, "You clearly aren't, Harry. I mean...I know you didn't do anything, you're so intelligent. We can do something about it, we can file a case against Simon." He sighed as he said, "I'm not in for that, please. I don't have the strength in me to do that. Please leave me alone, all of you."

He began to get up but Niall held him down by the sleeve of t shirt. I said, "Harry, you need to talk. Don't shut us out."

"Don't feed me psychology, I've learnt enough of that already! Can you all just not grant me one simple wish, and leave me alone, huh?" He shouted; eyes red with tears. "We can't H, you'd do something stupid like you were doing a few minutes ago." Gemma said, worry etched in her voice.

He began crying and wiped his snotty nose on his sleeve, saying, "How does it matter? I've lost everything I had, I'm nothing right now. There's no point in living anymore! Just let me go or leave me alone."

Gemma walked towards him to hug him. Hugging him, she said, "I can't lose you too, H. not after dad, please. I need you. We all love you Harry, you can't do this." He began crying into her shoulder as she rubbed his back.

Things were worse than I thought they were.

*** 

1647 words. Guys sorry about the sad part, but I promise this will be temporary.

I got 98.75% overall...Like WOT??!

Anygays, how is everyone?

We have exactly one month for the 11th 1D Anniversary. I'm not expecting anything, but I am expecting something. Sorry, this is hard to explain.

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Congrats for 100% on that essay Erin<3

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S

P.S. Lots on the wayyyyy xx