concealing ➸ tomlinson

xxvi

| " i'm just so far gone and nothing's going to change; i'll never be the same. "- 'never enough', five finger death punch |

"like i said, you work fucking quick."

harry watched louis pack a small bag from the doorway. they'd only had their conversation yesterday evening.

"well, i don't like waiting." louis answered.

"how'd you get another mission that quickly? i didn't know anything else was available."

"nothing is."

harry frowned. "pardon?"

"uh, there is no mission." louis admitted, facing him. "it's just going to be a sight-seeing trip."

"how did you get mr. hill to sign off on that?"

"he sort of didn't." louis smiled, "i found out that niall's parents are loaded, he put in a word for me, and we've got a luxury tour of the california coast."

"you're a genius." harry shook his head, legitimately impressed.

louis felt like one, oddly enough.

"how's he like with them?"

"hates them. but he said he'd do anything for a friend, so i just owe him something back."

harry smiled. "alright then. and we'll take care of jacob while you two are gone. and don't say no; we're kicking this problem in the ass once and for all."

and louis knew he couldn't really stop his friends if he weren't alongside them. "just be safe about it, okay?"

"deal. now have fun."

louis smiled at him, then hurried to the garage to meet up with kris. the sky was nice at that point in the day; a light blue at first, and darker as the sky met the horizon. for a while, it was just him, calmly waiting.

and then suddenly, the garage door opened. it wasn't kris. jacob. on instinct, louis felt his heart rate jump, but he had to stay put.

"evening." louis said, feeling his voice try to stick in his throat. the unsettling anxiety was forming in his stomach and he hated it.

"i thought you'd be staying for more than just a day." jacob said, flicking on and off his lighter. "you're taking that new girl with you too. kris, right?"

"that's right."

jacob lit a blunt. " 's too bad, i was hoping to get to talk to her a little more."

louis held his tongue as jacob exhaled smoke painfully slow. "i don't think she's particularly fond of you. can't imagine why."