Uncovered

Chapter 21

"Louis, I..what are you doing here?" I spluttered, my eyes wide and my mouth open forming an 'o' shape.

"I was just in the neighbourhood, thought I'd pop in to say hello" he replied cooly, the corner of his mouth turned up into a smile. He was enjoying this.

His eyes passed over the pure shock on my face and began to rake down my body, which was when I remembered that I was still in my wet suit. I cleared my throat awkwardly and his eyes sprung back up to meet mine. Despite my embarrassment, his smile had grown into a fully broad grin that made my cheeks flush even more.

"Why don't you go and talk upstairs and me and your father will stay down here" my mum said eagerly, shooing us out of the room.

"Actually, Louis was just going" I replied giving her my sternest look.

"Don't be silly, he just got here. Go on, off you go you two". She practically dragged Louis off of his seat and pushed us into the hall and watched us ascend the stairs.

"Upstairs? Together? Alone?" I heard my father hiss before I closed my bedroom door with a huff. I turned around to find myself eye level with his mouth, not somewhere I felt like being right now.

I side stepped around him and sat crossed-legged on my old bed. To my surprise, Louis quietly came to sit opposite me, no sarcastic comments or anything. Why was he being so out of character? 

"Why are you here, Louis?" I asked slightly above a whisper, not wanting to destroy the peaceful mood.

"I...I don't know" he replied, his gaze dropping to his hands perched on his knees.

"That's not an answer" I sighed, leaning my back against the head rest and firm pillows.

Silence filled the room temporarily, and I enjoyed it. I closed my eyes and could sense Louis' nearness making my pulse quicken ever so slightly. It was just one of the regretful affects that he had on me.

"Why did you leave? I told you to stay and you ignored me" he finally said. The tone of his voice made my eyes snap open. 

"You can't tell me what to do". I narrowed my eyes at him suddenly felt more hostile. He seemed to think he had some kind of claim on me. 

"Please, Sophia. Just come back with me. I just want to-" he stopped as if he were choking on the next words.

"Want to what?" I asked curiously.

"I just want to keep you safe" he whispered softly. His eyes were pleading like a small child, lost and afraid. 

I didn't know what to say. I wasn't sure of what the end of his sentence would be but I certainly wasn't expecting that. I pursed my lips and held his gaze on me trying to read his expression. Was this a joke or did he really mean it?

"Why though?"

"I don't know" he replied, his look never faltering.

"What are you trying to keep me safe from?"

"I don't know"

"I don't understand. Why me?" I questioned, unable to wrap my head around all of it.

He slowly inched closer to me, "Because". He was now just inches away from me. I could see every detail of his perfectly sculpted face. The miniature creases in the corner of his eyes, the slight angle of his nose, and the dry lines on his defined lips.

"You're beautiful" he whispered as he leaned in to kiss the patch of skin by my ear. "And smart", he then planted another one on the centre of my cheek. "And just extraordinary" he finished, then gently kissed the corner of my mouth, leaving me wanting for more. I too leaned forward, and rested my forehead on his.

"But i'm just me" I suddenly said.

"And just you is all I want" he chuckled, making me smile in return. I pulled back and leaned my head back again with my eyes closed.

"What are you doing?" He questioned.

"I'm trying to savour the moment before one of us says something stupid"

He laughed again, this time more heartily. "Good idea" he said and mimicked my position. I tilted my head so that it was rested on his shoulder and breathed deeply, taking in his warm and comforting scent.

"You know i'm still mad at you right?" I said casually.

"Yeh, I know. And I'm sorry" he sighed.

"You're gonna have to answer my questions eventually" I pointed out.

His body tensed next to me and he didn't reply. I knew he'd be reluctant but I didn't get what the big deal was. 

"Please?" I said as I opened my eyes and looked up into his face. He had a half-scowl kind of expression that was actually rather intimidating.

"I will" He said aggressively. 

I decided that dropping the subject for now was probably for the best. "I'm just going to get dressed" I told him as I once again remembered that I was still in a wet suit. Slipping off the bed, I crouched down to pick up my clothes from the floor and walked out of my room into the bathroom leaving Louis looking half asleep on my bed.

Louis' POV

I hadn't realised that Sophia had left the room until I reached out my hand only to find an empty space next to me. I wasn't sure where she had gone but the pile of clothes that I had noticed on my way in was now missing so I could make a pretty good guess.

She had said that I had to answer her questions, but I saw no reason to. If I lied she would get pissed off with me, and if I told her the truth then she'd leave me. I wasn't even sure what 'the truth' was anymore. I clearly wasn't going to tell her who I am, no, what I am. As if she would believe me anyway, and she can't know. She can't ever know. 

So what are you doing here? I asked myself. It's not like I can ever be with her, I'm a monster, I'll only hurt her. Just like I did with the last one. An image of a wide smile and soft brown eyes suddenly came to the front of my mind but I pushed it back, the memory was too painful. 

I began to panic. I had to get out before anything happened, before her grip on me was so tight that I could never leave. I heard the lock on the bathroom door click from down the hall and looked around the room frantically. If I went out the door she would see me, so I went for the next best thing.

Before I knew it, I had pushed open the window and leapt out into the street below. I was still for only a fraction of a second once I had landed before I was running as fast as I could as far away from her and the house as possible. And I didn't look back once.