his reign and his fall | larry stylinson

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Rushing down the hallway, his black dress shoes clicking against the tiled floor, he makes his way to the lobby. Clara talks to a guest-a middle-aged man with a younger woman standing next to him. The three of them turn their heads as Louis dramatically folds himself over the receptionist counter.

"Zayn!" He exclaims. "Where is he?"

Clara sputters out some sounds, struggling to find words to say. She looks between the couple and Louis and clears her throat.

"Excuse me for just one second please, I'm sorry." She says sympathetically towards the couple, smiling as she speaks. She shakes her head as she moves from behind the desk, widening her eyes and furrowing her eyebrows at her boss. "What is it, Mr. Tomlinson?" She says, sounding annoyed.

"Clara, where is Zayn? I need to speak to him," Louis says urgently. Honestly, he doesn't need Zayn right this second, he knows he's just being overly dramatic. He taps his hands on the counter waiting for her reply.

"About what? Is there anything I can help you out with?" She asks eagerly.

"Nothing that important." He shrugs. "Just need to talk to him about the Prince."

"Can I help?" She repeats. Louis can tell she wants to help out as much as possible, and he suddenly remembers more of how much control and power she has over the way the hotel runs daily. Zayn wasn't lying when he said that without her, the place would plummet in an instant.

"Where is Zayn?" Louis says with a chuckle. "That's what you can help me with, by telling me where my lovely friend is at."

Clara frowns, her face changing into one that shows annoyance and defeat.

"The kitchen, I believe. He's talking to the head chef about the welcome party." She turns back to the couple, but back to Louis before she resumes her conversation. "You are aware I'm more than just the receptionist, right?"

Louis watches as she turns back to the couple, and the feeling of guilt rises into his chest. He wants to apologize, but apologize for what exactly? Zayn's the one that handles the employees and the majority of the hands-on events, and Louis is just the bookworm.

He needs to change that. He takes a mental note to do better, and be more involved in everything and everyone that he is ultimately in charge of. As he makes his way towards the kitchen, he keeps repeating in his head to just do better.

He finds Zayn talking with Niall, the head chef, a white-clothed hat wrapped around his head to keep his hair covered along with a white apron. He grabs his own little hat and apron before walking up to the table the other men are at. He's glad Niall is here. Niall has been in Zayn and Louis' life since they opened the hotel in Dublin. His talent in the kitchen was one of those they couldn't get anywhere else, and when they opened the grand Malison hotel in London, they knew they needed Niall there. They've grown close to the Irishman over the years, him now being a huge part of their personal lives. A friend.

"Louis!" Zayn calls. He's chopping fruit, Niall beside him showing him how to stick the little flower-shaped fruit on little wooden skewers. They seem to be making some sort of arrangement, and Louis immediately jumps in to help.

Do better.

"I'm helping," Louis announces, grabbing a knife from the cutting board. "I feel like I'm not doing enough here to help everyone out. I'm always in that office doing paperwork and I want to do more. So what do I do here? How do I do this?" He rambles, waving the knife around. Zayn and Niall lean back as he does, guarding themselves against the utensil.