The Bagman's Direction

Chapter 46

Months roll by like tumbleweed and before you know it you're standing in the presidential carpark waiting for your unlabelled boyfriend to pick you up on his motorbike and take you home to get some rest before you kidnap the actual President the next day... Well that's how I felt.

I had finished what I knew as my last real shift as the President's body-man. Of course, the President didn't know that. He had no idea what his fate held in store for him. He didn't know somebody he had accumulated a supposed friendship with would stab him in the back, not literally but metaphorically. He had no idea that his trust and faith in me was a horrible mistake and that I'd abuse the privilege. He had no idea I was working with the enemy. The suspense, the concern, the not-knowing of the outcome of this elaborate plot to take him away for ransom was almost salivating. I was becoming too much like Harry.

So I waited at the gate, my jacket draped over my arms as I looked around. There was no sight of motorbikes, just sad and lonesome motorcars. Some passed by me with no sympathy but there was one that inched closer until coming to a stop not too far from me. They rolled the window down and I froze when I made eye contact with the purple eyes.

"Need a ride?"

"No, thanks"

"I think you do" Sparrow laughed.

He leant over and awkwardly opened the passenger door.

"I'm waiting for Harry" I snarled.

"He went home sick"

"How do you know that?" I frowned.

"'Cause I saw him leaving as I strolled passed the secretary office on my way to see the President this morning. He said he was worried about how you'd get home and that he'd call a taxi and you'd know exactly which taxi it was because he'd taint it somehow or something like that, I don't know. Anyway I called the taxi company and cancelled your taxi so I could take you home" Sparrow explained.

Bile crept into my throat. There were so many problems that could arise here. I had no idea where the base was even located, not that I needed to know because I knew him going there would be a violation of One Direction. I was stranded. He stranded me... Once again...

"So, need a ride?"

"No, thanks" I repeated

Tears were starting to swell in my eyes but I quickly brushed them away. He didn't leave, staring at me like I was insane. I pulled out my phone and hoped Liam could come get me.

"Louis Tomlinson, get in the car. I won't take you home if that's what you want, I'll drop you off at a diner or something so someone can come collect you but I want to talk to you
so get in the damned car" Sparrow demanded.

I hesitated, looking around once more as if there'd magically be more options for me to take. I surrendered. I couldn't see what harm having a chat with an ex could bring. Well, he could kill me but I'd take the chance. If I knew Sparrow, he wouldn't hurt me... Not physically anyway.

I hopped in the car and his greasy grin left me uneasy. I hated that he won but I needed to get out of the grounds, I needed to escape for a while. It wouldn't be that bad, it'd be a nice change of pace to my usual afternoons. Different face, voice, topics and if he was taking me to a diner, different food. Suddenly I was excited. It had been so long since I had broken out of my One Direction mould and was myself for a while. My true self that only a couple of people knew me as, one of them being Sparrow. I wondered if he remembered what I was like. I remembered him.

I buckled my seatbelt and he took off out of the carpark and onto the road. It was silent for a little while. I enjoyed  the trip with the window rolled down and the cool air hitting my face. It was peaceful. Trees rushed past, boys on bikes, sun going down, on the day of stress I found myself unwinding.

"I know what you plan on doing tomorrow"

I had spoken too soon. I retracted from my leaning position and stared at him in horror.

"I know you're involved with One Direction" Sparrow continued.

I felt sick. How come anything remotely bad happened to me I wanted to throw up?

"I can't say it's as bad as the mafia but-"

"What do you care? What do you want?" I interrupted.

"I don't want a goddamn thing" He growled and I shutup pretty quickly, "I'm just looking out for you"

"So you're not going to rat me in?" I scoffed, finding it hard to believe.

"Something is going to go wrong"

He avoided answering the question, cutting it off with some ridiculed hypothesis. I could only say that now because I used to believe in it before I realised how well handled we were as a movement and how everything just felt so right. I had to trust my instincts, not Sparrow.

"The President knows who Harry is, he knows he's Vincent the secretary. He's not stupid"

"He sure had me fooled"  I groaned.

"Louis, this isn't the time for jokes. You're going to get hurt. I don't want you to get hurt. I thought I did but then I saw you in the bathroom and I thought 'oh wow, I skipped out on this?'. You're the only person I've ever loved. I know that you love Harry but I'm telling you, he's going to ruin you"

"What's that have to do with the President?"

"They're working together to hurt you"

"You're full of shit" I spat.

"Something will go wrong and Harry will die and that'll destroy you"

"Sparrow, shut the fuck up" I roared.

My aggression grew, my cheeks became hot and red and my hands balled into fists. I couldn't take another word.

"You think Harry's working for the President just to hurt me? And to hurt me his grand plan is to die? Wow, that sounds ridiculous no matter how you put it"

"He won't really die" Sparrow rolled his eyes.

"You're not making any sense" I muttered, "If something goes wrong tomorrow it's not because Harry is a rat it's because you are. You're probably saying all these things to distract me. You're putting ideas in my head so I can blame Harry and run away from him and maybe fall into your arms again. Well it's not going to happen, Harry is the love of my life. I thought you were but he kissed me and everything changed. I trust him with my life. He wouldn't hurt me like this especially since he hadn't even met me when he started planning this Game"

"Suit yourself but just be careful tomorrow, okay?" Sparrow sighed, admitting defeat.

"Yes, mum" I mocked. "How do you even know about this? Not that it's true..."

"I'm the President's Bagman"

Oh, of course he was. How did I not see it coming? His job description was so shady and there were no files of his. He was an illegal worker. He left me because of my job and then ran off to get my job.

I leant back against the car door, trying to unwind again. It wasn't long until we were pulling into another carpark. We were at some sort of retro cafe and he wasn't getting out of the car.

"Are we going in?" I asked.

"You are. Call Harry, tell him to get you. I'll be on my way... So I guess this is goodbye. I get to say it this time"

"How long for?"

"Forever"

I paused, biting my lip and contemplating what to say.

"If it's goodbye forever I think we deserve milkshakes" I smiled and nudged him.

"You sure?"

I nodded and he smiled back. Crane, Sparrow or whatever bird he really was, as much as I hated him and was mad at his accusations, I was glad to see him one last time.