Strong [H.S] (Sequel to Demons) ✓

Chapter 31

This chapter was very difficult to write, guys. Seriously, I'm biting my nails right now. I really hope you like this. Let me know in the comments what you think. Please.

Louis' POV

Relief. That emotion is something that I've craved to feel ever since I was little, even whenever I didn't know the true meaning behind the word. The sensation the emotion gave me best compared to what it felt like to float on your back in the middle of a large open pool of water. Whenever you close your eyes, allow your limbs to stretch out or go where they want, then you almost fall asleep. That's what I felt right now. That and peaceful.

I'd just helped my sister, and that made me feel extremely relieved. Her eyes had sparked with hope and I was glad that I had been the one to force her to see it. Ever since seeing Harry in jail I couldn't help but feel guilt, but now that was gone and things were going to get better. My life would turn back to normal again, or at least the normal I'd been living with.

I took a deep breath and shrugged on my jacket. Minutes before I went to Jessie's flat I had texted Hannah and told her to meet me at the coffee shop, to which she had hesitantly agreed to. I needed to find out once and for all what was the matter with her. She helped me with my problems, so that didn't mean I couldn't help with hers too. She knew things about me that no one else did, and that was because she practically dragged it out of me. However, I was now thankful that she had. It was so much better to let out my emotions than to keep them bottled up, even if that seemed like the easiest path to take.

Sometimes you just have to take the route that no one else takes, no matter how tough it looks. At least if you tried and failed, you still tried and wouldn't regret not doing it. I didn't want to regret not helping Hannah, she was my friend and friends were there for each others. 

I didn't drive the car, I didn't feel like I needed to. It was a nice summer day and I needed the time to think. The coffee shop was only about three or four blocks away, that wouldn't kill me. I used to run down several blocks whenever the lads and I had a job that we couldn't take the van. This was nothing compared to running a miles distance in under ten minutes to get to safety. 

After a few minutes of mindless stepping, I finally reached the coffee shop. I slowly pushed my way inside, and was met instantly by an overly nervous Hannah. She fidgeted with her clothing and wouldn't stare at me, only small glances as I made my way over to her.

"Why did you want to call me here, Louis?" She asked getting straight to the point as soon as my butt had hit the chair.

I sighed. "I want you to tell me what's wrong with you."

"Nothing-," She began, but I cut her off by holding up my hand.

"Don't give me that bullshit, Hannah. We both know something is wrong with you. It seems like every time I see you or talk to you, it just gets worse. I don't like seeing you deteriorate by the hour, it's not fun to see your friend do things like that," I said softly and put my hand over hers. It was freezing, even colder than Jessie's had been earlier.

"Louis, with all due respect," Hannah paused for a moment and took her hand away from mine, "You don't know me. How could you possibly know something is wrong?"

"Call it a gift, or even common sense, but normally if someone is pale as a sheet of paper, their hair is messy, and they avoid eye contact at all costs, it usually means something is wrong with that person," I explained and crossed my arms.

She sighed and looked at me before running her fingers through her hair as if she hadn't noticed it was messy until I said something. Her eyes were dull and not as full of life as they had been whenever we first met. "Who says I even want to talk to you, Louis? What have you done to gain my trust?" She asked, sharply.