Dumpster Diver • L.S

help

"Officer Styles." I blurted out as he got in the front seat, facing forward. His hair was in a bun and thats all I could see besides his broad shoulders. Maybe a bit of his jawline too but nothing major. "Please just let me go. Please." Why the hell wasn't he listening?

With a sigh, I leaned back against the seat, shaking a bit, my eyes going to the window to see what was happening. Maybe I should have followed Ivy after all.

"Whats your name and age?" He asked once stopping at a red light, looking to the monitor in the middle of the seats. "Full name." He spoke slowly as if I were some dumb kid who didn't understand anything. Of course.

Looking back over to him, I gulped. "Louis Tomlinson, sixteen years old-" Once I saw him typing my name into the little keypad thing, my eyes widened. "I don't have a family- Well I do but they kicked me out a year ago. Please don't contact them, please." I'd rather be anywhere then back home.

Home.

It wasn't even my home anymore yet I still call it that. It didn't even feel like one so why do I still think of it as that?

"A year ago? So you were fifteen?" and this time he turned around to stare at me dead in the eye, his face no longer hard but more so sympathy. "Nobody ever tried looking for you?" The light was green now but he wasn't moving. Nobody was behind us either so there was no need to.

"No, sir.."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, turning back in his seat and leaning back against it. What was going to happen now? Was I going to be put in an orphanage? Probably. Only this could happen to me.

Bad luck follows me everywhere.

"Okay. You don't have a home and you've been out here for a year.. We're gonna take you back to the station, bring someone in who can decide where you can go. You have choices. Group homes, orphanage, temporary homes. Whatever." He blew out a breath and rubbed his legs.

- Harry -

Did I feel bad? Of course I did. It wasn't like I didn't have a heart. Sometimes though you just have to act hard on some kids but in this case he, Louis, was only trying to survive out here. Hopefully, if he wasn't lying. Kids tend to do that and then people would be up my ass about it.

"Can't I just stay out here?" He asked, his voice wavering only slightly. It was like he was afraid to even be with anybody. Probably was.

Starting to drive again, I looked through the mirror in the front to look at his face. He looked scared and lost while staring at me. It annoyed it. It's like he was depending on me just letting him go like that.

"Kid. Just be quiet." He shrunk in his seat a tad at my tone now. The rest of the ride was quiet as I made my way to the station, glaring ahead and gripping the wheel now.

- At the station -

It's been about two hours since I put the kid in a room with a social worker named Jenn. She was a nice lady, about in her fifties, brown hair tinted with grey all over and blue eyes. It wasn't my problem anymore, the boy but for some reason my eyes kept going to the door and my stomach was clenched, a bad feeling swirling around it.

Once Jenn had came out, she walked over to me with a tired and defeated look on her face. "I contacted his real family. The father is coming up here now.." her tone was off as she spoke to me, her brows furrowed.

"You what? Didn't he tell you about them? They're the ones who kicked him out-"

"Harry. I know that and he looks like he's telling the truth but you never know. People are good liars and if that was the case, don't you think the family would've hung up right away?" Even though Jenn was accusing him of lying she still looked like she felt guilty. When I didn't say anything, she continued on. "Even if he wasn't lying, there's nothing I can do. He's not legal. I can't just let him go like that."

All I did was nod and look behind her through the glass window at the boy. He was staring at us with tears falling down his cheeks, fists balled up. My heart hurt at the sight. I forced myself to look away and down at my papers, eyebrows furrowed.

Was there something I could do? Probably not. I don't have much power over anything. Louis reminded me of me when I was his age. Trying to run away from home but his reasons are more valid. I ran away because I didn't feel wanted and I felt like a second choice. He's running away because he's hurt and he has to. It makes me feel like sh*t that I had to do this and take him in but maybe it'll be safer than out there on the streets. Well, I sure hope it is anyway.

"Where is he?" A mans voice caught my attention and it made me snap my head up. A dark haired man with blue eyes glared down at me then Jenn. He looked more annoyed than relieved and it made me angry. His child has been missing for a year or more and he doesn't even miss him. I guess all families are different. Why did they kick him out though?

Jenn gave me a look before standing and leading the man to the room. Just as they were about to walk in, I stood and stopped them. "Hold on. Let me talk to him for a moment before you go in there, sir." He glared my way but stepped back anyway.

He knew his boundaries. Good.

Opening the door, my eyes found the boy who now had his face in his hands, shoulders shaking. "Louis." I spoke softly while closing the door behind me, walking closer and placing a hand on his shoulder. "It'll be okay. When you get home just go to your room if it's that bad." Bad advice but what was I supposed to do?

"They hate me. They're gonna do everything to make me wanna kill myself."

Biting my lip, I looked back out to see Jenn speaking to his father. "Okay.. uh.. I'll see what I can do with Jenn if it's really that bad. Stay here." I ruffled his hair and then walked back out. "Can I speak to you? Alone?"

- Later -

And that's how I ended up taking a sixteen year old boy in my home later that night.