Disappearance

6

The boys had left to check into a hotel. Louis had hoped that Harry would stay behind but he almost fled out of the house. At least he showed up. That must mean something, right?

The handler from Modest showed up the next morning with a statement they wanted Louis to say in front of a camera. Louis read it.
"I'm not saying this."

"You're saying exactly that. Word for word." The handler said.

"Come on, man! This makes me sound like a complete lunatic!" Louis argued and waved the paper in the air.

"Yes." The handler responded.

"You know what? Let me just try by meself at first." Louis pleaded.

"Fine." The handler sighed.

He had brought a cameraman with him and Louis took a seat on the couch and looked directly into the camera. He took a deep breath.
"Hi, I'm Louis Tomlinson. I know you all thought that I was dead and I just wanna be on here and explain what happened. First of all, me deepest apology for putting you all through that."

He looked down at his hands and tried to figure out how to form his words.
"In 2015 I was really depressed to the point that I just had to get away, you know what I mean? When I was at me lowest I only saw one option. I didn't want to die. I just wanted to be by meself and I made a stupid decision to live off the grid where no one would recognize me. I spent four years finding meself again. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I regret me decision and it has cost me a lot and that's something that I have to live with daily for the rest of me life. I was selfish. Me mum and me sister died without knowing what happened to me." Louis said and got emotional. The last part was nothing but the truth.

He dragged a hand through his way.
"Anyway, I'm gonna need some time with me family and again, so sorry. Bye."

The cameraman gave him a thumbs-up. He looked at the guy from Modest.
"Okay, we'll use that."

"Great. Now I wanna spend time with me family. Please leave." Louis said.

"Fine. I'm gonna give you today to move your family to a secure location then I'll release this statement." The handler said.

"What do you mean? They have school! Lives of their own." Louis protested.

"Well, you should have thought about that before you decided to return after your little disappearing act. Every newspaper and paparazzi will be outside this house minutes after this is released." The handler said.

Louis knew that he was right.
"Yeah, okay."

"Do I have to remind you that you still have certain contracts that you have signed that are still valid?" The handler asked with an annoying smirk.

"I know." Louis replied coldly.

As soon as they had left Louis found Lottie in the kitchen.
"We need to talk."

"How did it go?" Lottie asked.

"Fine, but we have a problem." Louis replied.

Lottie just looked at him. He was about to explain when he heard Niall's voice in the hallway.
"Kitchen!" He shouted back.

His four band members came into the kitchen and took a seat.
"I was just gonna explain to Lottie that when they release me statement tomorrow she and me siblings won't be safe here until this storm has blown over." Louis said.

"We'll be fine, Louis." Lottie protested.

"Every inch of this lawn will be filled with reporters, paparazzi, and curious or angry people. They will stalk you wherever you go. It's not safe." Louis said.

"We can handle it." Lottie said.

"No, he's right, Charlotte. You can't be here." Niall said.

"Where are we supposed to go?" Lottie questioned. She was upset.

"How about Jamaica? I spent some time there while I wrote my album. We can hire a private bungalow on a private beach and obviously make sure you have security as well." Harry suggested.

"For how long?" Lottie asked.

"A month to start with. I'm really sorry, Lotts. I'll go with you." Louis said.

"They will miss a month of school!" Lottie said upset.

"I'll hire a private tutor." Zayn offered.

"And I pay for a private jet." Liam added.

"We'll visit!" Niall smiled.

"Okay. I have to talk to Dan about this." Lottie said.

"Of course. Call him now." Louis said.

Lottie left the kitchen for a private conversation. Louis looked at his bandmates.
"Thanks, guys. I think I have to go to the bank today and open a new account. Lottie said she would give me me money back."

"You should do that right away. We have to leave tonight." Niall said.

"Yeah... Uhm, thanks Harry for suggesting Jamaica." Louis said and looked at his ex-boyfriend.

"No problem." Harry answered.

Louis wanted to talk to him alone but there was no time. Lottie returned and told them that Dan was trying to get his boss to grant him an acute vacation.
"I'm heading to the bank. Can I borrow your car?" Louis asked.

"Sure but I should go with you and transfer the money to your new account." Lottie said.

"Okay." Louis agreed.

"Unfortunately we can't go with you. Someone would recognize us immediately. Uhm, wear a cap?" Liam suggested.

"Yeah. I'll be back soon." Louis agreed.

"We'll take care of the reservations and all that." Niall said.

They spent an hour at the bank. Lottie returned his money but Louis gave all his siblings a million each so they would be taken care of.
"You don't have to do that." Lottie protested.

"Please, it's the least I can do. I bet you've gotten used to being able to buy whatever you want in these past four years." Louis teased.

"I'd rather have you back in my life than your money." Lottie replied.

"Now you can have both." Louis smiled.

When they returned to the house Lottie went to pack everyone's suitcase. The boys had made all the reservations needed. They had even located a former teacher who gladly accepted a vacation to Jamaica with short notice.
"Again, thank you." Louis said.

"We're just glad to have you back." Liam smiled.

Louis smiled and looked at them. His eyes got stuck on Harry.
"Can we talk in private?" Harry asked.

Louis gulped nervously.
"Yeah, me room?"

Harry nodded his head and they headed upstairs. Louis had no idea what Harry was about to say. Was he going to rip his heart out of his chest all over again?