Animal

Chapter 48

You must understand that when you are writing a novel you are not making anything up. It's all there and you just need to find it.

*NARRATOR'S POV*

"I have two and a half minutes." Louis says, regarding the person behind the professor's table apprehensively. "Make it fast, Liam."

Liam looks up from where he's snapping a line of HB pencils like they aren't worth cash at all. His gaze borders on amused but he's not taunting Louis, just basking in the emotional reward he gets for getting Louis here.
"You came." Liam smiles. It's a sadistic sort of smile that would make Louis shiver if it was on Harry, and now frown because it isn't.

Louis keeps a distance of a few meters between them, standing close to the door that just swings shut and the big table with the brooding presence.

"Two minutes." He says snippily. He's not here to waste time, having already risked Harry's wrath by even sniffing in Liam's direction.

"Fine." Liam stands and drops the thirteenth - unbroken - pencil from his hand.

He comes forward, pushing the boundary, until Louis extends his arm and his palm hits Liam's chest. "That's enough."

Nodding stiffly and restraining something formidable in his eye, Liam stops moving. He combs his hair back with his long but chubby fingers and sighs.

"I imagine you know Dylan Archer?" Liam abruptly walks away just when Louis got used to craning his neck at the man's height.

"Yes." Louis crosses his arms and rubs his fingers over his elbows.

"What do you know about him?"

"Why do you want to know if we both know the same thing?"

An amused chuckle forcing its way onto Liam's visage, he offers Louis a once-over. "You don't look like you've just had a baby."

Louis works up his best glare. "You're easily distracted."

"Dylan's picked up an interest in Harry." Liam picks up a pack of cigarettes with no brand name and lights one up. "He hired me to get some stuff done."

"What kind of stuff?" Louis looks at his watch. One minute. "Hurry."

"Are you afraid of him?" Liam raises an eyebrow at the boy's appearance. "Afraid he'll- Louis!"

Liam called after Louis when the latter grabbed the door handle and dashed outside like he was being chased. Inadvertently, he was but Liam really didn't expect him to be so ready to leave. Louis knew his time was up and he'd rather be caught by Harry in the hallways amongst hundreds of other unfamiliar faces than a deserted lecture hall with one known identity.

"Louis!" He jerkily grabs the door and flings it open, standing halfway out in the hallway and calling down it to the boy.

Louis' gone as fast as he came and Liam sighs, resigning to his previous occupation as he comes up with another way to get Louis around again, to tell him the whole truth in bits and pieces so he has to keep coming back.

Harry's leaning against the Jeep with his phone in hand, brows furrowed in deep concentration and fingers tapping away at the screen. Louis pauses at the top of all the narrow stairs to catch his breath and glance over his shoulder to ensure Liam isn't right behind him. He bites his lip and starts to descend the outside concrete staircase, his foot just managing to cover the width of the step.

Unfortunately for him and his lack of a railing to support him, a bustling student rushes past him and knocks him off his feet.

"Sorry, excuse me." The inconsiderate individual says carelessly before bumping shoulders with Louis.