Atmosphere in the cellar was anything but positive. Sure it was understandable that Gemma was in a shock and Harry and Louis were somewhat depressed. All that trouble just to get caught again? All their efforts were for nothing.
It sucked big time.
No one felt like chatting so Louis and Harry sat on the bed, staring nowhere particularly and Gemma was sitting in a corner, her eyes frozen wide open. She looked like she was one wrong word away from becoming psycho.
What Louis really wanted to do was cut Harry's tongue off. On the other hand, Gemma deserved the warning, yes, but there would have been at least ten better ways to break the news to her— Harry just didn't think about them.
"I can't fucking believe it", Harry muttered.
Louis glanced at Gemma but it seemed like she wasn't even there anymore. "I know."
"When you try your best and don't succeed at its best."
"This is not a time for lame jokes, Harry."
"Why not?"
"Because this is fucking serious", Louis whisper-yelled.
"That's why this is a perfect time for lame jokes", Harry shot back. "What else can we do than joke?"
He had a point, Louis had to give him that. "We're screwed. I thought that we were screwed earlier but I was wrong. Now we're seriously screwed."
"I guess it's, for me, better to die now", Harry said out of nowhere, "because I'd have never learned to live that so called normal life anymore."
Louis furrowed his eyebrows, glaring. "Don't say that. Just don't. You'd have get used to it."
"See? Even you speak like there's no more hope", Harry pointed out and then shook his head. "And you're wrong. I told you, I'm not the same person anymore. Perhaps it's better this way."
"How can you say that?" Louis felt deeply offended.
"I didn't say it's better for everyone", Harry said, looking into Louis' eyes. "I said it's better for me." Harry sighed and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. "Trust me, I'd do anything to get you and Gemma and everyone else out of this shit."
"Really?" Louis whispered. "You're not mad at me about that six month thing anymore?"
"I am", Harry said, "but it doesn't reduce my..." Harry's voice faded away, he opened his eyes and shook his head. "Never mind."
"Your what?" Louis asked, his curiosity waking up and his brains already forming theories.
"Nothing, forget it."
"Harry—"
The door opened so suddenly that Louis almost screamed. Gemma did, though, and stumbled up in a blink of an eye. Harry moved closer to Gemma, Louis following right behind. Malik and Mihail stepped inside. Louis locked his eyes with Mihail's and wanted to groan when Mihail gave him a face which reflected just how disappointed he was on Harry and Louis for getting caught. Or at least that's how Louis construed it.
"How's your ribs, Louis?" Malik mocked.
"They're fine, thank you for asking", Louis said. "How's your nose? Looks pretty bad."
"From hot to not", Harry added, nodding.
Malik narrowed his eyes at Harry. "You want broken ribs too?"
"You can always try."
"Maybe another time", Mihail said and nodded towards the door. "We came here for a reason."
"Really, never would've guessed."
Louis nudged Harry, not only because he wanted him to shut up but also because sass was his thing, not Harry's.
"I'd keep my mouth shut if I were you", Malik warned.
"I'd get a nose job if I were you."
Malik attempted to jump on Harry but Mihail held him back and this time Louis kicked Harry in the ankle. "Shut up, Harry. You're freaking out Gemma."
That made Harry acknowledge that his sister, indeed, was on a verge of panic. Harry shut his mouth and looked at Gemma. "Sorry."
No breathing instructions? No lies about how all's gonna be okay? It really dawned on Louis how much Harry has changed as a person.
"If y'all are quite done barking at each other", Mihail said, looking at Louis, Harry and Malik, "I suggest we get going. Troy wants to see you."
Before Harry could open his mouth and say something like, wow that's a shocker, Louis slammed his hand to cover Harry's mouth and said, "Us all?"
"You all minus Gemma."
It was hard to tell whether the look on Gemma's face was relief or anxiety but Louis didn't have time to figure it out because Malik grabbed Harry's arm and Mihail appeared next to Louis, reaching for his arm.
"I can walk by myself", Louis said and followed Malik and Harry out of the cellar. Mihail walked after him, closing the door and leaving Gemma alone in there. Louis felt a bit bad for her but frankly he had bigger things in his mind at the moment.
Way too soon they arrived to Troy's office and without a word Malik and Mihail knocked on the door and then pushed Louis and Harry inside, closing the door. They stood near the door, not knowing what to do. Troy was sitting behind his desk. He leaned back and stared at Harry and Louis.
"The prodigal sons have returned", he finally said, spreading his arms. "Please, sit down."
They didn't sit down. Instead, Louis crossed his arms and tilted his head. "Cut the pleasantries and get to the point."
"Rude as always", Troy hummed. "You shouldn't talk to your father like that."
"You're not my father."
"Ah", Troy let out a laugh, "but I am. Don't be so ungrateful."
Louis snorted. "There's nothing to be grateful for."
"Is that so?" Troy cocked an eyebrow. "Without me there would be no Harry, ever thought about that?"
Louis pressed his lips in a thin line and didn't answer.
"That's what I—"
"Enough already", Harry finally snapped. "Just kill us, okay? At least I don't have to listen this shit."
Louis shrugged. "Yeah, what Harry said."
"Kill you? Oh, no, no", Troy shook his head, "I won't kill you."
It took a long time but finally Louis and Harry understood what Troy had said.
"What?"
"Why not?"
"Harry!" Louis glared at him. "Never question why someone won't kill you."
"I wanna know."
"If you two can be silent for two seconds, I can explain", Troy said. "But sure, take your time."
"We're all ears", Harry said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
Troy eyed Louis and Harry for a moment and then he dropped the bomb, "I'm dying."
Harry's eyes widened slightly and then he sighed, "What is it with everyone dying lately?"
"What goes around, comes around", Louis said, raising an eyebrow at Troy. Frankly, he didn't feel bad. At all.
Troy frowned. "Excuse me?"
"Karma, bitch."
Troy looked at Louis in disbelief and then turned to Harry, "Did he call me a bitch?"
"He did and I wanted to do that myself but he was faster", Harry replied.
"I see." Troy looked amused. "Aren't you at all interested why you are here?"
"Maybe."
"A bit."
"When I'm gone, I need someone to take my place."
"You have Malik", Louis said. "Now when that's settled, you don't mind if we just pick up Gemma and get out of your way?"
"Not so quick, Louis."
Louis sighed. It was a good try.
"I want Harry to take my place", Troy revealed.
"What?" Harry exclaimed.
"Wait, why Harry?"
Harry looked at Louis in disbelief. "You serious right now?"
"I want to know!" Louis defended himself.
"Harry has more potential", Troy said, shrugging.
Louis couldn't believe his ears. "Are you fucking kidding me? You know I'm a lot smarter than he!"
"Here we go again", Harry muttered. Really he shouldn't even be surprised that Louis started arguing at the time like this.
Troy sighed, too. "Yes, I'm aware. But you never fit in, not really. Harry has much more potential— this is in his blood.
"We share that fucking blood!" Louis yelled, spreading his arms.
"I think it skipped yours", Troy sighed.
Louis shook his head. "Isn't there some kind of rules about these things? Oldest son gets everything or something like that?"
"I thought I'm not your father?" Troy said. "And in what time do you think we live in?"
Louis didn't answer because Harry decided to end their ridiculous conversation. "What if I say no?" Harry asked, ignoring Louis who yelled that of course he will say no.
"You won't", Troy said confidently. "You already missed your chance with your mother, do you really want that happen again?"
Harry didn't answer and Louis knew Troy was getting inside Harry's head. Now if ever Louis was struggling to find a way out.