Hiding the hurt, hiding the pain,
Hiding the tears that falls like rain.
Saying I'm fine when I'm anything but.
The ache in my soul rips at my gut.

Melissa Bernards

~~~~~~~

"Three shots of vodka Harry, table six," Lucy, a co-worker said as she walked towards the kitchen.

Harry sighed as he glanced at table six. The red haired man had been shooting him lusty looks that just irked him up. Every once in a while he would glance at Harry and wink, then turn back to his friends and say something, they would all burst out laughing while looking at Harry.

Harry placed the drinks on the tray and looked round for Niall, but he spotted him at any table, taking up orders. He took calming breath, trying to stop the anxiety building up and walked towards the table.

"Here are your orders," He said quietly, bending down to place the drinks before them. Harry froze when he felt a hand touch him, just below his bum.

"I think I would like to order something else," The red hair man said, sending Harry a smirk, which he just found evil. He moved his hand a little higher, squeezing Harry's butt cheek. Harry took a heavy gulp, he could feel his hands trembling and he feared he would drop the tray, breaking glass and spilling the whole content.

"P—Please remove your hand," He begged, his voice so low, it was barely audible.

"What did you say darling? You mean more?" Red hair asked wickedly, his friends laughing at the terrified look etched on Harry's face.

"He said you should take your hands off." Harry heard a strong voice say just behind him, he turned around wondering who had intervened. Just three feet away stood a young man, his blue eyes were sparked with anger as he glared at the red hair man who had just removed his hand from Harry's behind at the sound of the voice.

"Why don't you mind your business fool. Who are you, his boyfriend?" One of the red hair friends asked, while the other shot him menacing looks.

"No, I am not his boyfriend. But I happen to be someone who can send you to jail for being a sexual offender. Now, if you want to prove stubborn, go on." Harry gulped at the authority in the man's voice, he wasn't bigger than any of the men sitted there, he was barely bigger than Harry himself, but he seemed to hold something in him, and from the way he was dressed, Harry could tell he was no ordinary man.

The men glanced at each other, after mumbling curse words, they stood up, shooting Louis a look before they walked out of the bar. Harry sighed in relief. "Thank you." He told the man and proceeded to walk away.

"Wait!" Harry turned around in question. "Why didn't you do act? Those men were touching you, you obviously didn't like it, why didn't you speak?"

"I—I don't know, I was going t—to, it's just, I..." Harry stuttered, he couldn't find something to say. He stared down, ashamed at himself.

"Next time, try to be more firm, tell them no, if they don't listen, kick their balls and call for help." And with that, the man turned to walk away, leaving Harry to stare after him in awe.

"Hey, what's just happened?" Niall asked, watching the young man leave. "Who was that? He is hot."

"I don't know," Harry replied. Just as the man reached the exit door, he was joined by a huge man in black suit and glasses who pulled the door open for him, together they both walked out.

"Woah Harry, you have landed your hands on a big one this time and he seemed to be so interested in you, with the way he wanted to eat you up earlier," Niall said with a chuckle, he turned around and began walking back to the counter.

Harry froze and then regaining himself, he hurried to catch up to Niall. "What do you mean by he wanted to eat me up?"

"While you were lost in your own little world, hot pants had been sitting over there watching you." He looked at Harry, who still looked lost and confused. "Oh Harry, you can be so oblivious at times. So tell me, did you guys exchange numbers?"

Harry summarised the whole ordeal to Niall, leaving the part of the question the man had asked him. Harry couldn't answer that, because he has been asking himself that same question ever since.

"Those pricks, I will speak to Tom and have them banned from coming here. They are lucky I didn't get here on time, why didn't you call me over?"

"Oh, I had it under control, there was no need for that," Harry smiled. "Hey, you seem to be needed over there," He said referring to the table Niall was attending to earlier.

"Ah geez, later mate." With a sigh, he walked away. As soon as he left, Harry ran to the men's room, grateful that it was empty, he walked towards the mirror staring at himself.

The tears gathered up slowly as Harry tried to control his breathing, he could feel the anxiety rising from his guts. He didn't want to have an episode here, didn't want anyone else to know, even his best friend saw him as a strong figure, when all he was was weak.

Why didn't you act? Why didn't you speak?

Harry remembered speaking up, but that still wasn't enough, he was weak, and now that young man knew that. He had seen the look of pity that had risen up on the young man's face, he probably felt sorry for him or disgusted, Harry thought.

He squeezed his eyes shut, resting his head against the wall as he slid slowly to the ground, he held his palms together, trying to stop the trembling. His shoulders shook as he relinquished heavy sobs, Harry hated being weak, he hated this feeling, and he was tired of it all.

~~~~~~~

"That would be all for today Matthew," Louis told his driver. "You can go home, greet Estelle and the kids for me," He said as he walked into his mansion of a house.

"I will Mr Tomlinson," Matthew said tipping his cap.

Louis walked into the quiet house, his head hurt and his eyes begged for sleep. But there was something he wanted to do first.

"Louis! Darling is that you?" A voice called from somewhere in the house.

"I'm the one Erin, I will be in the-"

"No Louis." A young woman stepped out, She was clad in a bathrobe, a towel tied around her wet hair. "You are always there, in that room doing your painting. We are set to get married by August, and you should spend more time with me, your soon to be wife."

"Not now Erin, I'm tired-"

"If you're tired, why don't you get some sleep, or I could give you a massage," She said, her face lit up in a mischievous look as she rubbed her arms over his shoulder. "Come on Louis, I missed you, it's been so long."

Louis sighed, anytime Erin got like this, she always made sure she got her way, if only she could understand that he just wasn't in the mood. "Erin go get dressed, I will come upstairs soon, I just need to do something."

"Promise?" She asked, pouting her lips, her emerald green eyes holding a hopeful look.

"I promise," He said, giving her a kiss on the lips, he pulled away just before she wrapped her arms around him, and tried to trap him in her hold. He walked away, heading for his art room.

He stared at the empty canvas for few minutes.

Green eyes, the boy had green eyes.

>>>>~~~~~<<<<<

What do you guys think about the first chapter?

Kindly share your thoughts with me, and also a vote.

Stay safe 💞