Impulse

Chapter 47

We all wear masks, illusions of what we want the world to see. But when we hide our true selves from the ones we love, what price do we pay for that deception?

*NARRATOR'S POV*

Six Months Later....

Louis scribbled the final answer to his written examination three hours after his dissertation in front of a board of qualified doctors. He felt like his arm was going to give out under the intensity of the fluid penmanship his fingers were attempting. In the end, his handwriting turned to fowl-scratch and it couldn't be helped.

His final exam was done and he could finally pop open a bottled of aged wine to celebrate the end of his academic road, and Hell if it hasn't been a long one.

He gave in his paper that felt crumpled at the corners and walked out of the hall with his pencil, feeling both lighter and further burdened. As much as he was confident about the paper, he knew that none of his answers came from the textbook he was supposed to study.

Louis didn't study one bit because everytime he picked up a volume to read, his mind floated away to all the memories he had developed and gathered. Every answer, every explanation and each circle on that answer booklet came from the last year of experience.

A whole year.

His phone was ringing with the dial tone after he dialled Edward's number from Harry's phone - he had a new phone that never got any attention from him.

"Petal?" Edward answered after Louis counted to four, seated on the staircase outside his main campus building with his bag on his lap.

"Hi." Louis knocked his knees together and leaned against the line of potted plants to his left. "I'm done with my exam."

"Yeah? How was it?" He could hear Edward's signature smile.

"Easy, I would say." Louis scraped his nails over his pants. "I wanna come home now though."

"On my way, darlin'." Edward chuckled, already on his way out to the parking lot. "Are you hungry, petal?"

"Yes." Louis squinted against the sun's rays. His tummy growled just in time with the answer. "Are you going to cook for me, Daddy?"

"My baby just completed his studies. He can have me cook or order extravagant food for him."

Louis giggled into his sweater paw and turns his shoes inward so the toes face each other. "Can we go out tonight? Where's Harry?"

"My brother is occupied in the guestroom." Edward replies. "We can go out wherever you want."

"Nevermind actually." Louis yawns into that same sweater paw, frowning when he sees someone jog up the stairs in his direction. "I want to stay at home."

"Petal." Edward sighs but doesn't argue further on the matter. He will do whatever his petal asks of him, anything at all. "Anything you want, darlin'. We'll cook you a meal that will-"

"Hi." Says this new individual with red pants and a black shirt.

He stood up tall in front of Louis with a sparkling smile and easily managed quiff. The stranger was easily in the upper class of a one to ten scale of attractiveness, but Louis only found himself growing uncomfortable. He shielded his eyes from the sun and looked up at him with a hesitant smile.

"Yes?" He listened to Edward pause and spoke to this person.

"Petal?" Edward was less than thirty seconds away from the campus grounds he had to reach, frowning at his speedometer when Louis spoke to someone else.