Visionary [Louis Tomlinson AU]

[06] What Meets the Eye

            So far, the three of them were people that definitely didn’t move in the same circles. If they were all in school, they would obviously been in cliques very far from one another.

            Now, he just had to figure out where Zayn fit in with them.

            Lost in his thoughts for a majority of the ride, it actually went by pretty quickly for Louis.

            Before he knew it, he was pulled up in front of a small, old looking flat in a pretty run down neighborhood. Most of the houses were worn and dirty looking, though that was in comparison to all the modern day, retro homes. Louis figured that in the world in his head, these homes would be considered just under the par of middle class, not terribly shabby, not terribly nice.

            His own neighborhood was so nice and well kept, as was Harry’s, and he assumed Niall’s and Liam’s. Needless to say, this was a bit of a shock, though it shouldn’t have been based on what he already knew.

            “It’s now or never,” he muttered to himself as he exited his car, taking deep breaths as he moved up the short steps to Zayn’s front door.

            Biting his lip, Louis hesitated only once before knocking three times, so intently focused that he didn’t even bother with the doorbell on the side.

            At first, he didn’t think anyone was going to answer. He didn’t really think about the fact that Zayn could be out somewhere and not return until the late hours of the night. The whole visit was kind of an impulse, and Louis internally cursed himself for not planning ahead better.

            Suddenly though, the slightly worn looking door swung open, revealing the one and only Zayn Malik.

            “What?” He snapped before Louis had barely any time to process the fact that it was actually him.

            Even in his head, Zayn sometimes wore that casual (possible drug dealer) look. Right then, that’s what he was, wearing faded, torn up jeans, a gray, paint splattered t-shirt, and his dark, square glasses. Dark stubble was grown all along his jaw line, his hair half up and wild, with a smoking cigarette hanging between his lips.

            All in all, he looked ragged… not like Zayn at all.

            “Hello?”

            Louis snapped back to reality when Zayn spoke again, looking more than annoyed.

            Sighing, the Bradford boy plucked the cigarette from his mouth and blew out a long trail of smoke, watching Louis with a narrowed gaze. “Do you want something?”

            “Uhm, this is all going to sound strange, I know, but… could I come in?” Louis said slowly. “Please,” he added. “It’s important.”

            He was a tad bit concerned that Zayn was going to punch him in the face, based on the way he was glaring at him. After a long moment though, where Louis thought he could hear his own heartbeat in his ears, Zayn grudgingly stepped aside.

            “I’m kind of in the middle of something, but sure,” he grumbled. “Make it quick though.”

            Louis nodded quickly, before stepping inside and glancing around.

            The place admittedly, didn’t look that much better on the inside. It had pale walls that seemed to be splattered sporadically with various paints and other unknown materials, and worn furniture that looked as if it had seen years of use. All of this was cluttered with paper and arts supplies and a many other number of things that Louis didn’t want to go through.