Barricade Bunny

CHAPTER TWENTYSIX - CHANGES

Life goes on. Day by day. Sunrise after sunrise Louis lays in bed questioning every decision he made. Was it fair to Harry to run? Was it fair to himself? He feels numb, broken, and stupid. Dumb little runaway can't face the music. Instead, he isolates himself, turns his phone off and drinks himself to sleep every night. His rent is due, he needs to get up, he needs to work, he needs to do better. He knows he needs to get his shit together and remember who the fuck he is and why he ran. He needs to forget about stupid pop stars with nice dicks and a tour that's name is bullshit! Love on tour? It was anything but. Louis can't keep doing this to himself. He needs to forget.

Dragging himself out of bed on what feels like the one-hundredth day since running, Louis looks around his room and realises how deep into rotting he had been. He can barely see the floor of his room, there's a smell coming from somewhere, the air is stale, and he won't even comment on his stench. "Right dickhead, time to get yourself sorted. No more pop star woes!" After showering, shaving and after a huge cleanup of the house Louis is feeling much more stable. Now he needs a double shot of espresso to get to work so he can sort his finances before he ends up on his sister's sofa if she'll even talk to him. He hasn't checked his phone since he left, too scared for what Lottie will have to say not to mention Harry who is probably heartbroken and confused. Oh well, not Louis' problem anymore.

Arriving at the club Louis breathes a sigh of relief. This is what he knows, something he's good at and can distract his brain with. Approaching the club, he notices there is a bigger crowd than usual but doesn't think much of it since he's been away awhile. Maybe things have changed. Slightly skipping towards the front of the line Louis realises something is seriously different when it's Adam on the door and not some pimple-faced, school-age, kid who was paid minimum wage.

"Adam, what's up?" Louis chirps. Adam whips his head around so fast Louis is sure he just gave himself concussion. 

"Are you okay dude?" Louis tilts his head slightly confused at that reaction from someone he has known for years. 

"Lou, what are you doing here?" Adam whispers harshly. Louis feeling taken aback steps slightly away from Adam gripping the handle of his dance bag so tight he can feel the edges of the strap cutting into his palm. 

"I work here Adam. What the fuck do you mean what am I doing here? I could ask you the same. What are you doing here? Boss get sick of you inside?" Louis goes into instant defence mode and spits each word harshly at Adam. 

"Lou that's not what I meant. Just didn't expect you back here after the changes." Louis nods slowly, "Yeah, I've noticed. Oh well, got work to do. Will you be inside tonight?"

 Adam looks around and steps closer to Louis whispering, "You should go home L, enjoy your night. Just remember I warned you." 

Louis rolls his eyes before making his way inside, time for distraction and a fat stack of cash for his bills.

Walking into the changing room Louis feels the freeze before even raising his eyes. Everyone has stopped to stare at Louis like he's a stranger. Not one person moves a muscle, you could hear a pin drop. "Um, ladies, gents, what the fuck are you staring at me like that for? without cuddling me?" Louis pops his hip placing a delicate hand on said hip, glaring each of the other dancers down. No one moves towards him, he even clocks a few of the lads taking a shuffling step away from him. What the fuck is going on Louis thinks. 

"Okay, I've had enough of this shit show. Who the fuck is making you all act so fucken weird? I haven't seen you bitches in a hot minute, and this is how you treat me? Give me the name of the prick right the fuck now!" 

Alyssa a dancer with bright red hair and stunning green eyes steps forward glaring at Louis. "You don't get to walk out of here like nothing and then come back demanding answers Lewis. A lot has changed." Louis is shocked but also, he understands that you don't walk out on a family like this. 

"Alyssa I'm sorry. I got caught up with some things. I'm back now and I'm ready to kick whoever's ass is controlling you lot." Alyssa folds her arms, rolling her eyes, "Good luck with that. No one gets close to the boss. We don't even know who they are." 

Louis laughs, "With this ass, anything is possible!" That makes a few people snicker at him before returning to what they were doing previously. 

"Right. We got a fucken show to do, fuck the rules, fuck the boss, let's do this!!" Everyone cheers and Louis makes his way to his vanity and locker to start getting ready.

Upon opening his locker, he sees a letter, but he doesn't have time to read that right now. After the weirdness of his crew, he needs a distraction now more than ever. Louis knew he should have taken the time to read the letter, instead, he was concentrating on himself, his bills and shaking his ass. Everything is great.