Tamper

Chapter 4

He called Sophia while driving. Her voicemail picked up and he left a message saying that he would arrive home late that evening. He hung up and threw his mobile aside, putting one hand out the window as he drove.

There hadn't been any other boys after Louis. Niall was a distant memory while Harry was a perfect daydream. Louis had been his actuality, a taste of what it was like to possess a boy. For three short weeks they had embarked on their affair and then it had been over. On the last day of substitute teaching, Liam gave Louis his contact details, not expecting Louis to actually make use of the information and show up at his flat one day. They continued their relationship until the summer when Liam started working at La Plur and met Sophia.

It was one evening, ten minutes before closing time and the restaurant had been empty apart from one lingering, too-drunk-to-drive-home customer who was being sobered up with free coffee when Liam sensed someone watching him. He turned around and spotted Louis standing by one of the tables, hands shoved deep in the trousers of his pants, looking all of his fifteen years of age. Liam had ushered him to the balcony and closed the door.

"You know you can't come out to see me," Liam had said, checking if the manager or owner were around. He didn't need word reaching Sophia that he had been visited by a minor at work. If it did happen, Liam would mention it to her and he would say one of his former student had come through to see him. After his stint at Howard Prep, he had kept touch with the students and they felt comfortable coming out to see him and talk about issues that they were experiencing.

"You don't fancy me anymore," Louis said, his voice too shrill and loud to Liam's ears. "I'm too old for you."

"Lower your voice. I'm at work."

"You're not even denying it. You really are a sick paedo." Liam slapped Louis hard on the face, shocking the both of them. Liam dropped his hand, watching Louis as he touched his smarting left cheek.

"I shouldn't have done that." Liam picked up a handkerchief from a nearby table, dampening it by pouring water from a pitcher and held it out to Louis. "Take it." Hesitantly, Louis took the handkerchief and placed it against his cheek. "I'm sorry I slapped you, but you are out of line. You haven't forgotten the rules, have you?"

"No," Louis said sullenly.

"And they are?" Liam asked, using his teacher's voice, soft but commanding.

"I don't talk to you unless you talk to me first," Louis recited parrot fashion.

"And the other one?"

"I don't question your authority."

"Louis, over the last month a lot has happened to me. I met a girl called Sophia Smith. She's the daughter of a very rich man and she's interested in me. Can you see why it would be unseemly if accusations about me fucking a student were to come out?" Louis remained silent, damp handkerchief still pressed tight against his bruised cheek. "We can't be what we were. I'm seven years older than you and it was never going to work out. There are plenty of girls out there that will be more than interested in you. Lads too, if that's what you're into."

"I don't want other people. I want..." Louis sounded dangerously close to tears. Liam glanced through the balcony's glass door, grateful that the other waiters didn't appear to be paying attention to the melodrama occurring a few feet from them.

"Louis, I have too much to lose to keep doing this with you. Please understand that." Louis gave a shrug, looking like a faded echo of the boisterous boy that had yelled out jokes in Liam's History class. "Don't look so sad. How about giving us a smile?" Louis bared his teeth, pulling a face. Liam lightly smacked his left shoulder. "Don't be cheeky, give me a real smile and I'll find a way to see you this weekend. Maybe buy you that Green Day record you said you wanted." This managed to coax a shadow of a smile from Louis. "That's a good lad."