Innocent (Louis Tomlinson)

Chapter 9

"Let's go back to your room, yeah?" Louis suggested, as he still held my hands. He was probably trying to comfort me, because it was working. I nodded and he let go of one of my hands and led me to my bedroom. We both sat on my unmade bed, and his hand finally let go of mine.
"So..." Louis started, "Do you wanna talk about all this?"
"Uh... sure." I answered. There was no doubt he was very confused about this whole situation, especially the stuff Sarah was threatening me with. And yet, he still made me feel better, even though he had no clue what was going on.
"Well uh... basically, I moved here from Richmond. I didn't have any money, but I had a scholarship and my college tuition was already paid for." I explained, "I didn't have anywhere to live, and this girl named Megan offered for me to room with her and her sorority, since they had 2 extra rooms."
"Megan isn't here right now, she's still at college I think." I told him, "She was nice to me at the beginning, but now she's just like everyone else."
"Of coarse when Megan told that to Sarah, she didn't agree and she didn't want to help me out." I continued, "So to work off my rent, we made a deal. I'm like this sorority's maid. I clean everyday after school."
"That's the stuff that I have to do." I explained, "That's why Sarah was bossing me around and telling me to do my job. That's basically how I pay my rent."
Louis didn't say anything, and his blue eyes were focused on mine, he was expecting me to say more. "It's not really that bad because since I clean every day, it stays clean. Unless there's a party, but that doesn't happen that often so it's fine I guess." I finished.
"I know you don't like living here, Kathryn." Louis told me, "You need to get out of here."
"I know, but I don't have anywhere I could go." I informed him, "I don't have much money either. I mean, I have a job but I don't have enough money to get my own flat."
"Where do you work?" Louis questioned.
"At this bar called 'Big Hands'." I replied.
"Yeah I've been there before. it's a good place. It seems like they would pay pretty well though..." He started.
"No, they don't. Not for me anyways. I'm just the useless bartender that drunk guys flirt with." I responded with a small smile. Louis didn't say anything so I continued, "It is enough to buy nice clothes though. Since I have nothing to spend it on but clothes and make-up and stuff, I get to spoil myself." Louis still didn't say anything, his gaze was focused on the floor. He was probably tuning me out, seeing that he was in deep thought about something. I didn't say anything and just simply looked at him. His chin was rested on his fist, and his blue-gray eyes flickered from place to place. It seemed like whatever he was thinking about was really bothering him. "Louis, are you okay?" I asked him.
"Yeah, I'm just thinking." He replied, not making any eye contact. I nodded and looked down, wondering what he could possibly be thinking about. It stayed silent, as Louis remained in his own mind... he let whatever thoughts he had continue to bother him.
"Hey Louis..." I started.
"Yeah?" He questioned, his eyes finally looking into mine.
"Uh..." I started, "Did you know that... I wear glasses?" I was trying to change the subject so it wouldn't be as awkward.
"No..." He said with a confused look sketched across his lovely features.
"Well I do." I said getting up. I walked over to my backpack, and grabbed my black leather glasses case. Once I sat next to him on my bed, he grabbed the glasses case from my hand and opened it. He held the glasses up in his hands and simply looked at them.

*LOUIS' POV*

Her glasses looked like they could possibly be fake, but they weren't. They were black Ray-bans, and they looked like they were pretty expensive. I put them on her, and as I did she flashed me a smile.
"How come I've never seen you wear these?" I asked her.
"Because I'm nearsighted, which means I can't see stuff that's far away. There's nothing in music where we have to look at the board usually so I don't put them on that often." She replied.
"Well you should wear them more often, 'cause you look great." I complimented her.
"Thanks..." She said softly. I took the glasses off her and I put them on myself. Everything was immensely blurry.
"Wow you are really shit at seeing, Kathryn." I commented.
"Yeah that's why I have glasses." She responded in a sarcastic tone.
"I used to wear glasses when I was younger, but they didn't look like this." I told her, "How do I look?" I put my hands behind my head and lied down, trying to look like a model of some sort. "Do I look hot?" I questioned, with a smirk on my lips.
"No, you look average." She replied. I gasped in exaggeration to her response. She just laughed and gave in, "Fine, you look pretty cute." I smiled and took them off. I stretched from the position I was in and put the glasses on her the best I could. I realized how terribly crooked the glasses were because of me, and I burst into laughter.
We continued to talk about useless subjects, and Kathryn's eyes that were filled with sadness just mere minutes ago were sparkling with happiness as she babbled on. We had started to talk about our favorite bands, and now she had gone on about herself. We both liked The Fray and Coldplay, but she had lots of other favorite bands. "... Pierce The Veil, Blink 182, Sleeping with Sirens, Arctic Monkeys, NeverShoutNever, My Chemical Romance, Twenty One Pilots, Green Day, The Narrative, Death Cab for Cutie... oh my god there's so many." She started.
"I can see that." I said with a laugh. Her facial expression was just so excited, like a child on Christmas. Her brilliant hazel eyes held so much enthusiasm, as she spoke. I sorta tuned her out, seeing as this subject wasn't too interesting to me. I simply watched her, instead of listening. I watched the way her lips moved when she talked, how the entire time she spoke, there was a smile on her face because of whatever bands she was talking about. "Louis?" Kathryn asked, interrupting my own thoughts, "Are you listening?"
"Um yeah." I answered.
And she kept going on about these bands.
"They're pretty much the reason I'm sorta ok in this hellhole." She explained. I nodded, truly listening to her now.
"All I need is my phone, my headphones, social media, and my..." She stopped herself and then said, "Uh... that's it."
I didn't say anything, not knowing what I could say.
"I know you probably don't care-"
"I do care Kathryn." I interrupted her, "I'm glad you have something to fall back on. I have that too, with Jessica."
"Yeah... if you don't have anything... you don't really have anything to live for..." She said, her voice slightly trailing off as she spoke.
"Exactly." I agreed. She sighed and lied down next to me. I turned my head to look at her, and she was just staring at the ceiling. Then she turned her head, to look at me. Our faces were mere centimeters apart. She didn't look away like I thought she would, but she stared into my eyes for what seemed like forever.
She had such beautiful eyes. I loved how her eyes weren't ordinary, like mine. I've haven't seen quite a few people around with eyes like hers. Her eyes were somehow different. Sure hazel eyes weren't that common, but that's not what made them special. I couldn't quite put my finger on why Kathryn's eyes were so interesting to me.

My thoughts were interrupted by Kathryn herself. She broke our eye contact and stared back at the ceiling. I did the same, and there was silence. That was something I was getting used to from being around Kathryn. It wasn't an awkward silence, but more of a comfortable silence. Like we didn't really need to talk, we just lied there, and that was enough. Neither of us needed to say a word; we simply enjoyed being around each other, and that's it.
Or at least I was hoping it was that way.
"I can't believe it's only been a measly 3 days." I thought. I felt like we've known each other for years. I felt like I really knew her, but I didn't at the same time.
"Hey Louis...?" Kathryn questioned.
"Yeah?"
"Are you actually my friend?" Kathryn asked, "Or are you just gonna leave?"
"I'm not gonna leave, Kathryn." I told her, "Yes we are friends. I'm going to try to keep it like that."
I looked over at her and saw her smile. "Thanks Louis." She stated.
I didn't say anything, and I continued to look at the ceiling. I looked at my phone an saw that it was almost 6, so it was already dark. Jessica was already home. "You should get back to your flat soon." Kathryn spoke, as if she was reading my mind.
"Yeah, I should." I responded. But I didn't move, I just continued to lie down and stare at the ceiling with Kathryn.

I sighed and turned my head towards Kathryn. She turned her head too, figuring that I probably had something to say. I did.
"I'm really sorry you have to go through all this shit Kathryn, you don't deserve any of this." I started, "I wish I could tell her off and beat her ass, but I can't."
Kathryn didn't say anything, but her big bright eyes continued to stare into mine, and I continued.

"Call me if you need anything, or if anything goes wrong okay?" I asked her, "Promise me you will...?"

Silence filled the air, and I was beginning to get nervous.
"I promise." She spoke softly.
I didn't say anything, and I continued to look into her eyes like before. My eyes ventured down to her lips, and back to her eyes as she continued to gaze right back at me.

I got up, and grabbed my backpack which was placed at the foot of her bed. She was standing next to me as I began to turn the door handle. I stopped myself, and turned to face Kathryn.
I wrapped my arms around her, like I had done before. I sighed into her shoulder and pulled away, looking her straight in the eye as I said, "I mean it, you have to call me if-"
"I know, I know I will." She interrupted me.
"Ok, well I'll see you later then Kathryn." I told her as I opened her bedroom door.
"Bye." She said as I began to close it.
.
.
.

I walked down the dark staircases, to the drive way. None of the girls who I had seen earlier were in sight. I guess they were all in their rooms by now. As I started the ignition to my car, I looked up to the highest window with the familiar curtains - Kathryn's room. The curtains remained untouched, and completely still. It made it seem like the room was empty, but it wasn't. My car drove away in the dark, off to -no doubt- an angry Jessica.