the nightingale

Chapter Twenty

Scott didn't come home until four days later.

Louis' mind went straight to it. Scott was cheating on him. He didn't have any proof, but he knew he was. He didn't need to be a psychic to figure it out.

Or maybe it's because he's so mad at Louis. Mad at the fact that he still goes to the bakery everyday, and still goes to Harry's house. Louis thought it was probably both.

Louis continued to go to the bakery, and went straight to Harry's house after. He'd stay there until about 10, and then went home. He didn't realize he was starting to get a little reckless.

Louis finally left Harry's house that night. It was dark out and he nearly stopped in the middle of the street when he saw Scott's car parked on the side of the road.

There was no other way to put it. Louis was screwed.

Louis decided to enter the house quietly. Maybe Scott was sleeping.

Louis went inside to find that the lights where still on. Scott was indeed not sleeping. He slowly walked into the kitchen to see him sitting at the kitchen table. The silence in the kitchen was scary. He knew something bad was going to happen to him.

"So," Scott said, glaring daggers at him. "So."

"So — so what?" Louis asked timidly, but instantly regretted it.

Scott stood up, his long legs stomping the floor on the way. "Where were you? And don't fucking lie to me and say you went for a walk or a jog. You never go for walks and you certainly don't jog. Even though you need too," Scott sneered, looking Louis up and down. "Explain yourself."

"I — I heard something outside," Louis stuttered, not making eye contact. He was a terrible liar. He knew it. "I thought it was a dog or a raccoon, so I wanted to go check."

"I came home at 8," Scott growled. "You're seriously gonna tell me you went looking for a raccoon for two hours?"

Louis teared up. He was busted. He didn't have any other excuse.

"You were at Harry's house, weren't you?" Scott asked roughly. "WEREN'T YOU?!"

Louis flinched and cried. "No!"

Scott slapped him. "Don't fucking lie to me!"

Louis held his cheek, trying not to cry. He didn't want to give Scott the satisfaction.

"Where were you?" Louis screeched. "Don't get mad at me when you weren't home for four days! Are you cheating on me?"

Scott backhanded him. "How dare you accuse me of cheating when you're the one spending the night at Harry's house!"

Louis broke down, starting to cry. "You don't love me anymore! That's why you hurt me! That's why you hit me! You don't love me and you never have! Not really. I hate you! I don't love you anymore. I wanna break up!"

Scott turned a shade of scarlet. Louis thought he was going to start beating on him, so he stepped back, curling into himself. Instead, Scott went over to his plants and swiped at his bonsai tree, it's vase shattering across the floor. Scott knew how much his plants meant to him. He wasn't going to destroy them. Louis wouldn't let him.