Secrets

In the morning, we take Molly to her aunt’s house so that she can say goodbye. The boys and I stay in the tour bus, figuring that tagging along would be kind of intruding on their privacy. Instead, we all wave and scream out the windows as the bus pulls away.

“So we’re going to California, right?” Molly asks, settling down in the bench that serves as the seat for the table.

“Right,” I answer as I slide in across from her. “San Francisco, to be more accurate.”

She rolls her eyes. “Which is in California. So I was right.”

Louis slides in next to me, giving me a fake stern look. “Aw, Harry, don’t give the girl a hard time. She was right.”

I throw up my hands in surrender. “Alright, whatever.”

My best friend and girlfriend share a smug look, satisfied that they’ve shut me down well enough.

I take in a sharp breath as the bus goes over a massive bump, sending everything skittering across the table. There’s a horrific thumping sound in the next room, followed by a screamed expletive by Niall, so I figure he fell over. But since no one starts shouting for help, he must be okay enough.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Molly expresses as she scrambles to her feet, reaching into her pocket for her phone. “I was supposed to call Brendon.”

Before I can say anything else, she disappears into the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

I try to suppress the groan that’s building in my chest, but I can’t keep myself from gritting my teeth off and on.

“You really don’t like that she’s talking to her brother, do you?” Louis questions in a soft voice to ensure she doesn’t overhear us.

“I hate it,” I emphasized. “I mean, I know that forgiveness is supposed to be a good thing. It makes the soul lighter and life better and all that shit.”

“Did you get that from Oprah?” Louis teases.

I shove his shoulder and laugh a little, but I’m trying to be serious for once. “Maybe. But anyway, despite all that, I just…I guess I can’t believe that she’s trying to form a relationship with him after all he did to her.”

There’s a moment of silence before Louis responds to my comment. “I understand it, mate. Really, I do. But you have to remember that Molly is her own person. And if she has it inside of her to forgive her brother and form a relationship with him, you should be happy for her. Living a spiteful life is no life to live.”

I blink at him. “That was very deep, Louis.”

“Thanks. I try.” He shrugs his shoulders and gives me a sassy look. “Plus, it’s not like he can really hurt her anymore. She’s on tour with us, he’s in Seattle.”

“He could verbally abuse her,” I point out.

“Always the optimist,” Louis mumbles before reaching over to ruffle my hair. “Seriously, Harry, don’t worry about it. She’s a big girl, and she’s strong. She’s perfectly able to make her own decisions.”

“Fine,” I relent. “But I don’t have to like her decisions.”

“Nope,” Louis assures me. “You do have to live with them, though.”

I let out a long, dramatic sigh, which makes Louis laugh.

“Alright, do you want something to eat?”

“Sure,” I respond. “Don’t you think you should ask the rest of the boys before you make anything, though? Niall will be pissed if he finds out you made food, but not for him.”

Louis ponders this before shaking his head emphatically. “No. They have sucky timing for going to play videogames. They can live with the consequences.”

I snort with laughter but don’t stop Louis as he starts to go around the kitchen, trying to find something to heat up.