This Road Has Been Putting Miles On My Heart

4

Chapter 4:

Louis was in trouble.

The days got easier the more time he was spending with Sebastian. He was dangerous, a little flirty, and a dork in the mix as well. All of Louis' traits in his dream guy. He usually wasn't one for breaking promises but the next day he was supposed to tell Sebastian about Harry, he was swept away in a game of Cards Against Humanity. Louis was a fool for cynicism. Of course, Zayn found out he didn't tell him and swore off their friendship until Louis confessed. He didn't because he was honestly getting tired of Zayn pestering him all the time and so he decided to humor him instead. Besides, Sebastian made for some good company anyway. He hardly missed Zayn.

Soon a few days turned into a few months and he and Harry were heading into their third month of their long distance relationship. They hardly talked since Louis was so busy with the first term and Harry as well, both boys bombarded with work and marking and studying and having a social life. They still called each other and sometimes sexted when they were feeling spontaneous, but Louis felt like Harry was his pen pal more than anything. Harry promised he would visit him soon, but soon never came and Louis stopped waiting.

He was sitting around a table with Sebastian playing cards during their lunch break. They marked the teacher's lounge closest to their classrooms as theirs, the other teachers respecting their wishes. Sebastian soon became the second hottest teacher after Louis, but the students saw him as dorky than anything else. Zayn would have been furious if he realized he was replaced by Sebastian not only by Louis but the school too.

"Are you going to the October festival?" Sebastian asked, throwing him a King.

"Probably." Louis shuffled his cards in order. "I think I'm chaperoning again this year."

"Cool. I might come with you."

"Alright." Louis offered him a nine where Sebastian asked him for it. "It's a date."

Sebastian flickered his eyes up, his gaze intense. Louis bit his top lip as he saw the words settle behind his eyes. He didn't mean it like that. He didn't mean it at all. It was just a stupid thing Louis did with everybody. Harmless flirting.

Before he could open his mouth to apologize or take the words back, Sebastian said, "Don't worry about it. I'm planning to get to know all of you before you ask me out on a date."

Stunned, Louis' mouth was agape. He shut it closed, narrowing his eyes in a challenge. "Is that so? Didn't peg you as the type that liked to be swoon over."

Sebastian smirked, his green eyes alight. He bit the corner of his mouth, his eyes flitting down to Louis' lips and back up again. "You don't know many things about me Tomlinson."

Louis laughed breathily, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. He handed over a Jack that Sebastian had previously requested, puffy breaths of air exhaling out of his mouth and nose. Sebastian giggled quietly beside him, the cards on the table fluttering with their breaths.

At that moment, Zayn walked in warily, eyeing them from the corner of his eye. He went to the vending machine and slipped in a note, clicking the buttons. He waited for his drink while Louis and Sebastian sobered up. Sebastian lilted his head towards him, Louis rolling his eyes and shaking his head. He mouthed, "Ah," and ducked his head low, understanding Louis and Zayn were not on speaking terms.

Zayn's blue Gatorade dropped. He grabbed it and turned around, twisting the cap open. He watched Louis and Sebastian exchange cards. The air in the room was stiff and quiet. He gulped, a drop of blue liquid glistening on the corner of his mouth. Usually Louis would thumb it off and lick it clean. But as it is, they were not friends as far as he was concerned.