Picture Perfect - COMPLETE - Clouis (high school AU)

Chapter 21 - The Folder

Louis hadn't even realized he fell asleep...

But only to be awaken by an intruder.

Clementine was still deeply sleeping next to him. He carefully stood up, pulling the blanket up more to Clem for warmth. And then:

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

Was repeated in his head.

He had a hangover.

But he wasn't gonna let that stop him from getting this person out of his house. There was noise from the kitchen. Louis quietly walked to the kitchen, only to freeze in place when he saw who it was.

"Ugh. Really, Charles? You scared the shit out of me!" Louis whispered, trying not to wake up his sleeping beauty.

"Sorry." Charles freezes doing... Whatever he's doing.

"What are you doing?" Louis asks.

Charles hesitates, "Putting away the groceries."

"Wha- groceries?" Louis shoves past him to look at the fridge. And sure enough, the fridge was packed with new, expensive stuff.

"Woah..." Is all Louis can say. He hadn't seen a fridge packed like this in years...

"'Woah'?" Charles asks.

"Well... Umm... Yeah..." Louis stutters. "Mom has never had the money to do... This."

"Well, good thing I'll be helping out your mom for now on..." Charles said with his hands on his hips.

"Da- I mean, Charles. I don't know what to say..."

"You... Kinda did just say something. And that's all I need!"Charles says that a bit to loud for Louis' liking...

Louis quickly shushes him, "Shhhh! Clem's asleep!" He whispers.

"Clem's here? I didn't see her when I got in..." Charles now changes his voice to a whisper.

"Me and my friends kinda got... Hammered, last night..." Louis confesses.

Charles hums in response, "Coffee."

"What?"

"Coffee. It's good for a hangover. That, or tea."

"Oh... Thanks. I'll- make some for her right now."

"'For her'?" Charles questions his words again.

"Yeah! She can have the whole pot to herself... As much as she needs."

"What about you?"

"Me? Only thing that matters is her. Once she's okay, then I'll take care of myself. But she always comes first." Louis said as he started making the coffee.

Charles smiled, "Your mom really did raise you good, didn't she?"

"Ehh." He shrugs. "After spending years in Ericson, I changed... Like, really changed. Made friends... Met my- practically sister, Violet. I didn't want to be that kid anymore: The rich kid, who got anything he wanted, when he wanted it.
So, I changed. And after I did, I realized the sorta person I was, selfish, annoying, stubborn. People only liked me before, cause I was rich. I had fake friends, cause I was rich.
And for so long... So fucking long. I thought, 'This is it, this is what life is. Just the same thing every day.' But then I met her."