Detached [h.s au]

Chapter 49: Decision

Elizabeth's POV

I had a long, frustrating, sleepless night. I couldn't stop thinking about Harry and his written words, the truth he told me, Zayn's explanation. My feet carry me through the endless maze of corridors, my footsteps echoing with each step I take. The whole hideout is confusing, corridor after corridor, lines and lines of doors everywhere I turn. I'm definitely lost. I'm not even sure where am I going, I just know I had to leave the room.

"Careful," a voice says behind me. "You never know what kind of creep lurks around the corner."

I spin around, meeting Louis' blue eyes as he stands leaned against the wall, watching me with an amused expression. He raises his eyebrow, tilting his head aside. "You look...well, not good," he runs his eyes down the length of my body. "So...what's up? I figure you didn't take the truth very well, eh?"

"Since when are you interested in making a small talk with me?" I cross my arms. 

"Look, I know you don't like me, and honestly, you're not my favourite person, either," he counters. "But you have two options. You can either continue wandering around like a lost animal or you can answer me."

"He allowed me to read his notebook," I suddenly say, my back leaning against the wall and I slide down on the cold floor. "I still can't believe he did that. But telling me the truth was something else, that was a really huge step. But it wouldn't have happened if it hadn't been for my father. He would never tell me the truth otherwise."

"So what?" Louis says, my eyes flitting to him. "It doesn't matter how or why, it matters the truth is out. This isn't about you and Harry, it's about much bigger, and may I say, more important cause. We have to know if you'll stay here with us or leave with your father. If it happens to be the second option, you better keep your mouth shut about all this or so help me--"

"Calm down, Louis," I interrupt him. "I would never tell on you. Let me remind you not even the truth serum could make me reveal anything." 

"Oh," he states blankly. "Just making sure. You never know if you decide to have a change of a heart and betray us." 

I huff in frustration. "Why don't you trust me? Why are you constantly against me? I never did anything to you that could make you dislike me so much." 

My words seem to surprise him and he is quiet for a few moments. "It's...it's not that I dislike you, but you're so..." he pauses, searching for right words. "You remind me of her in a way."

"Of who?" I inquire, my eyebrows wrinkling in confusion. "Of Jenna?"

"Yes," he says. "You even kind of look like her. I mean, she was much more determined than you are, much stronger in my opinion, but... I don't know, when I talked to you for the first time, I just knew you're resistant. The way you talked, that look in your eyes... you seemed curious yet cautious, afraid but strong willed. So it's not that I dislike you, I just dislike the resemblance to her." I watch as his face slightly falls, his eyes turning gloomy. 

I'm at a loss for words because there's not much you can say when someone is sad for losing someone they cared about. However, there is something I've been wondering about Louis for a long time, and since we're being honest, I hope he's in the mood for answering. "Can I ask you something? It's going to be very personal, so it's alright if you choose to ignore it."

His eyebrows furrow curiously. "Fine, shoot."

"You've been off the shot for two years if I'm not mistaken," I start and he nods. "And naturally, you got all these feelings...and you had Jenna- I- I mean, it's obvious you cared about her, but-"