Surviving The Anderson's

Chapter 6

The next morning Louis woke to Josiah watching cartoons in his shared room. Louis let a four letter word, that started with S, slip from his mouth while he stretched.

 "Momma says only adults allowed to say that word." Josiah said, wide eyed.

 "I am an adult." Louis said. 

"Are not." Josiah argued, thinking he knew best. 

"Am too. She just thinks you're too little to say it. Like you're too little for matches. I used to say it all the time when I was your age." Louis said it three more times. 

Josiah sat for a moment and then said it too. Slowly, as if he were tasting the sound as he said it. Then he nodded, smiling victoriously. And said it again. 

"I said it!" He giggled and said it again. "Just like you." Louis only nodded. 

"Did you burn down your school?" Josiah said quietly. 

"That's what they say." he snickered. 

"With matches?" Louis sat up in his bed, adjusting. When he was perched on the edge of the bed, with his feet on the floor he spoke up. 

"Nope. I used a lighter." he then pulled a lighter out of his pocket and showed it to the boy. "This one. And gasoline, in a bottle. It's called a Molotov cocktail. The school went up in flames." 

He was telling the really bad kid story. It wasn't true of course, but it was more of an exaggeration. Nobody had ever believed that if had all been an accident. Josiah reached out for the lighter, and Louis put it back on his nightstand. 

"Oh no. Lighters aren't for kids." he chuckled. 

"You're a kid." Josiah said.

 "I'm actually a teenager." Louis corrected. 

As Josiah opened his mouth to answer, the door burst open behind them and Biddie came into the room.  Biddie, wearing black jean shorts and a purple tank top, probably heading to  her bed, not before she ruffled both of the boys hair. 

"Good morning boys." she was saying. Louis stopped staring, and Biddie collided with the bed as he swung around to answer her.

 "Uh good morning." he replied, watching as she laid, sprawled out on her own bed. 

"Why's this happening so fast?" Josiah broke the silence, pointing at the TV. The screen showed images, flashing by quickly. 

"It's on fast forward." Biddie answered, pressing a button on the remote before the tv returned to a normal speed.

 "Later today I want to go shopping, want to come Louis?" Biddie said, not looking up from her phone. 

"But what about my baseball game?" Josiah whined. 

"This will only be for a while baby, I'll be back." Biddie joked. 

Louis stumped his foot when stood, sending pain up the leg.

 "Uh yeah I'd love too." He said as a headache started forming. As he quickly left the room, he snatched up his baby blue towel from a hook on the door, making his way right to the bathroom where he took a shower to clear his mind from any unwanted thoughts. 

Biddie slid out of bed, searching for her leather studded jacket. She shuffled through dresser drawers, on the hunt. She pushed a stray hair aside, pulling the clothing from her dresser. When Biddie turned to slide on the jacket, Louis was sitting on his bed, staring at her wide eyed. 

"LOUIS!" she squealed. 

Biddie clutched her heart, emphasising fear. Louis slouched on his bed, a pair of skinny jeans hanging off his waist. 

"Nice bum." He laughed out, Biddie's cheeks heating instantly. 

Pulling the jacket on, Biddie avoided eye contact. She decided to leave  the room since Louis returned from the showers early. Before any snide comments could be said, she grabbed her phone and bolted out the room. 

"Mom! I'm going shopping for awhile." Biddie called out, ignoring Louis' presence behind her. 

The keys jingled in her hand, the car only a few more feet away. When comfy inside the car, Biddie started the engine. Louis fell into the car only a few seconds after, and the air grew tense. I hope he doesn't decide to make this experience unpleasant, Biddie thought as she pulled out of the driveway. 

"Are we here?" were the first and last words Louis spoke, right when they pulled into the mall's parking lot. 

"Yeah, we're here." Biddie said, stepping out onto the asphalt. 

Inside, the mall was almost vacant. Their footsteps could be heard echoing throughout the lonely building. The floors were shining under the bright lights, but Biddie was trying to focus on anything but Louis. 

The first half an hour they were in the mall, silence. Then as they entered the shoe shop and he finally spoke. 

"Biddie. Why do I feel like you don't want to talk to me?" his voice was low and pleading. 

"It's not that I don't want to talk to you, I just feel a bit awkward." she admitted, scratching the back of her head and looking away from his gaze. 

"I'm going to go check out some shoes." he twiddled his thumbs, "I'll be over here." He said already walking away. 

She only nodded, paying no mind to him. Her eyes scanned the rows of shoes. Time to get to work. 

These are cute, she thought. Biddie picked them up, examining them furthermore. But dropped them almost immediately when noticing the price. Ha ha no thanks, she thought rolling her eyes. Just then Louis appeared directly behind her, his breath fanning over the back of her neck. 

"Hey." she said breathlessly, continuing to search the shoes but truly bothered by Louis' closeness. 

"Hi." he whispered back, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "You ready to go yet? My feet are killing me." 

Laughing, she walked away, shrugging when she reached the end of the aisle. 

"It depends Tomlinson. If you can catch me!" with that she ran, dodging the looks of grumpy old women and longing looks from the young mothers.

When Biddie reached the back of the store, she knew he had caught her, she was cornered. Pausing, she put her hand on her chin, stroking the imaginary beard. 

"You got me." she exclaimed, throwing hands up in defeat. 

Surrounding her, shoe boxes stretched from the floor to the ceiling. Louis inched closer, they almost stood toe to toe when he reached his hands out. Slowly, they trailed up and down her sides, softly applying pressure. Then she realised what was happening, he was trying to tickle her. 

"I'm not ticklish.." she spoke bluntly, snickering when he muttered a 'whatever' and walked towards the stores' exit. 

 A/N Sorry I couldn't update Sunday, there's been a storm that hasn't given me steady internet connection. But two days late, sorrrrryyy (: Enjoy it? I hope so. I'll update on Saturday. 

~ swiggity swag ~