❝NOT THERE❞
"I'll see you after school," Harry leans over the gear stick to peck Louis' lips, humming when Louis grips his face, deepening the kiss. "Lou... You need to go to school and I need to check out the campus," Harry chuckles, bringing his lips back to a whining Louis.
"I'll let you have your way with me right now if you don't go," Louis pouts at the man, fluttering his eyelashes. "I'll give you a show and lap dance," he giggles when seeing Harry seem to consider it.
"No," Harry finalises, sitting back in his seat, shaking his head a little. Louis goes to say something, but before he even begins, Harry interrupts him. "Your schooling is more important than sex, Lou."
"Eh," Louis shrugs and then he huffs, grabbing onto his backpack. "School doesn't make me feel good, but okay. I'll meet you here?" He questions when stepping out of the car, bending over a little to keep eye contact with Harry, his hand gripping at the car door.
"Yes. Here after school. I love you," Harry blows him a kiss, to which Louis catches and presses against his chest with a blush.
"Love you too," he tells him before closing the door and staring worriedly at the school. He hasn't been here in forever and he really, really did not want to come back. He walks up to the entrance of the office, making a left turn when getting inside, knowing he has to visit the principal first.
Today was going to be a long day.
-*-
"Hi, my name is Sam and I'll be taking you on a tour of the campus today," the hoodie cladded guy speaks. Harry continues to look down at the small brochure in hand, the same he has printed off at the house. He had read through it many times, pondering his decision. But, he knew he had to go back. When Louis was hurt, he had wanted nothing more than to know what was happening and he would have if he had finished his degree in nursing. And that's what he aims to do this time.
"I'm bored already," the guy next to Harry yawns, giggling a little afterwards. Harry glances over at him, eyeing the slightly shorter boy. The guy notices and smiles, holding out his hand. "I'm Beau," he grins. Harry takes it with a smile.
"'M Harry," he mumbles back. "Are you going here? Or just looking?" Harry whispers as Sam continues to speak about the building.
Beau flutters his eyelashes at Harry. "I'm going here... I hope you are too, cutie."
Harry nods a little, giving him a tight lip smile. "I am."
-*-
Louis glares at the back of Jamie's head, tapping his fingers against the table. Anger surges through him, it had been since the memories of what the guy did to him had resurfaced. The bell rings, breaking Louis' thoughts and he feels a tugging against his arm. Niall trying to pull him up. He was always impatient, especially when it was time to eat.
"I need to do something... I'll meet you in the canteen?" Niall throws him a strange look but nods slowly before ending in a shrug.
"Be careful," Niall says before leaving his best friend. Louis just nods and rushes off after Jamie. He has no idea what he is doing but can't seem to stop himself as he taps on the boy's shoulder in the middle of the deserted hall.
"Louis?" Jamie raises an eyebrow at the slightly smaller boy as he pushes his glasses further up his nose, one hand loosely holding books in front of him.
"Listen here, dipshit," Louis growls, pointing his dainty finger at him. "What you did to me in the bathroom that day was disgusting! You're lucky I didn't go to the cops! Being a person who has sexually assaulted someone is much worse than being a stripper! I'm not some worthless whore who will take that shit."
Jamie seems taken aback by Louis' yelling, his eyes slightly widened.
"People like you ruin lives. I've witnessed personally the effects on people that rapists have, even years later and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. I advise you to take a good look at yourself and get help." Louis concludes by knocking Jamie's books to the floor with a giggle. "Whoopsie," he mumbles sarcastically. "Be careful, Jamie. I can still go to the cops at any time and I will if I have to."
-*-
"Do you want to grab a coffee?" Beau asks Harry once the tour is over. Harry looks down at his phone, biting his lip in thought.
"I have somewhere to be soon... I don't want to be late." Beau visibly deflates, rubbing at his arm insecurely.
"I get it, you're not interested." He laughs mockingly at himself, pursing his lips awkwardly.
"No, sorry... I actually am in a relationship. A very serious one." Harry tells him and checks the time once more, tapping his foot against the ground. "But I am happy to go for a quick coffee as friends?"
-*-
"Hazza," Louis whines into the phone, a prominent pout on his face. The wind gushes against him, causing his teeth to chatter together and body to shiver. "Please pick up... Where are you? I'm so worried. You said you'd be here."
After around twenty minutes of standing in the cold wind, Louis comes to the conclusion that Harry isn't coming. He feels tears spring to his eyes and immediately starts wiping at them, willing himself to not be stupid. But Louis can't help but feel an emptiness. Harry was once again leaving him for bigger and better things. He would get caught up in his own life again, Louis can feel it.
Louis begins to walk in the opposite direction of his home, the same bravery he had earlier returning. He was going to quit. Properly this time. Even if Harry was moving on again, he didn't want to go back to that life. He didn't want to dance and sleep with people for money, just to forget about his own life for a while.
It begins to rain and Louis walks a little faster, the club becoming closer and closer the longer he walks. A while later, he is there, standing out the front of the place that was his life for months. He steps inside, hoodie covering his face and he rushes through the people to get to the back. He knocks on the door and when receiving the okay, walks into the office, this time to see his boss, not with his sister.
"Ah. Blue." The man tuts and rolls his eyes, immediately making a stand, his tall body hunching over his desk. "Heard what happened to you."
"I quit," Louis blurts out, eyes narrowed and lips pursing. The man laughs, loud, chilling and humourless. Sarcastic even.
"Oh, sweetheart. You've been replaced. By someone much prettier than you'll ever be, darling. I hate to say it, I know you thought you were special, but you aren't." Louis looks to the ground and swallows. He knows he is replaceable and that just worsens his fear about Harry starting a new life again.
Louis doesn't wait for another word, afraid he will cry. So, he walks out. Like a scene from a movie, everything seems blurry and in slow motion, he can't breathe. It's a good thing, he tells himself. He hated being a stripper. But why did it hurt so much that no one cared that he was gone?
"Louis!" The boy pauses and swings his body around. One of the strippers, Amber, stands there, a frown on her face. She plays with the tassels on her light blue, glitter-filled outfit. "I'm so sorry for your loss."
Louis merely shrugs. "It's fine, I guess," he whispers, wondering how the news of his lost job got around so quickly. Maybe his boss had blabbed to everyone about it, bragged even, glad Louis was gone.
"But it isn't, Lou. He was one of your closest friends."
Huh?
"Who?" Louis mumbles confused, narrowing his eyes at the blonde who stands before him, her own blue orbs wide.
"Luke... I'm so sorry he died in a car accident with you. I can't imagine your pain." Louis' heart sinks and his body immediately starts trembling. This couldn't be real. It couldn't have been Luke.
Please leave me some comments! I start school tomorrow and would love to wake up to some nice things so I am not completely miserable... 💖
Thoughts on this chapter? xo
Around 4-6 more chapters to go guys... Imma cry :'(
I love you all! Have a great day/night! xo