Beneath Your Beautiful

Chapter 17

Louis' POV:

Her lips press against mine and I miss her desperately.

“Cass…” I whisper and she doesn’t respond.

“Cass…”

“Louis” she finally says and I smile at her groggy voice.

“I think you’re too far away”

“I think you’re ridiculous” she says laughing.

“Come closer” I whine and she obliges by sliding her body close against mine. I wrap my arms around her and she nods into my chest lightly.

“Comfy then?” I say laughing.

“Yeah” she replies and places her head on my chest.

“I’m sorry about everything – I know I’m a jerk”

“Louis…shut up and be quiet” she says and I laugh a little.

“Okay”

“Shh” she says quickly and I hear soft snores begin to escape her mouth and I smile.

Cassie’s POV:

I wake up with Louis’ body pressed against mine and my head placed on his chest. Small snores escape his open mouth and his hair is a mess against my white pillows.

I stare at him asleep and smile before pressing my lips against his soft pink ones smiling awake he stares at me and I blush before sitting up and fixing my hair. His hand wraps around my arm pulling me down to lay next to him again.

“You talk a lot” I say laughing and he nods – resting his arm against me and I stare at it. I work my eyes from his fingers to his wrist to the middle of his arm where a small red and black bruise has started to form. Small holes surround it and blemish his perfect skin. I run my hand over the bruise and he stares at me intently.

“What happened?”

I was expecting the worst.

“Nothing” he says far too quickly.

“Louis – tell me please” I continue on the subject and he stares at my hand tracing the small circle.

“I tried something new”

“What?” I say sitting up a little.

He doesn’t reply and I nod.

“Louis please” I practically beg him and he nods before pulling my hand away from his arm.

“It was heroin” he states finally and I don’t reply I stare at him and he stares at me waiting for me to answer.

“Oh”

“Say something”

“What? What do you want me to say?”

“Anything please”

“I don’t have anything to say” I say staring at the scar. He rolls over and tucks his arm under the blanket and I sit still.

“Are you trying to ruin your fucking life?” I cover my mouth but accepting the short confidence I had for a second.

“What?”

“You heard me! That drug will kill you Louis! No more of it please – just stop this all of this” I plead and he turns over to stare at me.

“Cass…it’s not that easy”

“So you can get help; I’ll help you”

“It’s not how it works” he continues to deny the help but I press on.

“Please” I sigh out and he nods a little before sitting up and opening his arms which I melt into and kiss his cheek.

“Thank you” I breathe out a sigh of relief while he stares at me.

“Yeah”

…

..

.

“Bye” I say smiling at him and his small body dangling over my window.

“Bye see you tomorrow morning?”

“Okay” I smile “don’t forget to park down the road a little”

“I won’t, bye baby” he says climbing the rest of the way down and sprinting across my backyard. I close my window and check the time on my phone then head downstairs.

“Morning Cassandra” my hums looking up from her work paper quickly then looking back down.

“Hi” I say weakly before pouring myself a bowl of cereal.

“Mom…” Kara shouted throughout the house and I nodded while she quickly stood to leave.

“Hey Cass” Jared said lowly walking in replacing my mom’s seat.

“Hey”

“How’d you sleep?”

“Fine you?”

“Good”

“Did you sleep?” I say pushing my bowl forward.

“Yes” he said laughing.

“Good”

“Yup”

“Plans for today?”

“None of your business?” he says stepping back and leaning against the counter.

“Right” I nod and bite the already chewed up skin on my lip.

“Do you want to do something maybe?”

“Oh…um sure?” I say awkwardly.

“Cool”