~A/N~

As you know, I've gotten rid of my update schedule because of school, for which I am really sorry, ok? This is like a formal apology of some sort, and I hope you understand c: Anyways, here's chapter 33, finally :D
You're probably gonna hate me for what happens in this chapter, but.. enjoy!

*******

"I need you to know that... I-I've never slept with anyone but Flynn. I trust you."

I had been replaying those couple of sentences—especially the last one—for over an hour, ever since we made it to Lorena's dorm. I just couldn't get them out of my head. I also hoped I had fulfilled her expectations; those of trusting me.

I'd been gentle with her. Caring. Selfless. Not too talkative. Basically, something I was never with other girls.

I couldn't believe how much she'd managed to change me, in such a short amount of time. Just two months before, all I'd wanted was to get her into my bed, and then get her out of it. Now? I've never wanted to stay in bed as much as now. Just lying next to her, not talking, not doing anything. Just being there.

She was clutching the duvet to her chest, so only her arms and shoulders were exposed. I had no idea how she could still be so shy, even after what we'd done just 20 minutes ago. Maybe that's exactly the reason for her bashfulness, I don't know. I've never known.

We were both lying sideways, so we could face each other, though she wasn't really looking at me. She was staring at something behind me, actually, no, she was staring right through me. Probably thinking about stuff. Like the end of the school year, and how we would see each other after that. That's what I was thinking about, anyways.

I wasn't sure how I'd feel about her being in Torpoint, and me being in Doncaster over the summer. We literally lived on opposite sides of England, and as far as I knew, it takes at least seven hours to get from one town to the other. Which is just too much. Too large of a distance.

That didn't mean I would give up on her though; not even close. I just had to find a way to spend some more time with her over the summer, before distance separated us. She's the first girl I've really, truly cared for in a long while. And I mean, long. And I wasn't going to let something silly, such as a few hundreds of kilometers, stand in our way.

I brushed my finger over her arm, and that's all it took to make goosebumps appear. As they did, Lorena shivered and shifted closer to me, wrapping her arm around my waist and practically clinging onto me. Was touching her arm what made her do that? If so, why didn't I think of it earlier?

I brought my own arm around her, and kissed her forehead. Sleeping alone is going to be so lame from now on, I thought as she tangled her legs with mine.

"I'm going to miss you this summer," She mumbled, basically putting all of my thoughts into one short sentence.

I shook my head, and tilted my head backwards so I'd see her face. Her sad face. "No," I said, shaking my head again. "I'm gonna find a way for us to stay together. At least for a while."

Lorena looked up at me, surprise and excitement written all over her face. Aw. "You'd do that? You'd stay here for me?"

"Well, not here, since you live in Torpo-"

"No, no." She sat up a little, not loosening her grip on the duvet around her. Dammit. "Caitlyn and I have a flat here, you could stay with us."

I don't think I've ever seen a more vivid look in someone's eyes, even though it was pretty damn dark in her dorm. "W-With you? Where would I sleep though?"

As the vivid look in Lorena's eyes was replaced with mischief, I knew exactly what was on her mind. "With me," She muttered, shifting closer to me. "Both ways."

I grinned, though I wasn't really sure she could see me. "I like that idea," I said and pulled her down next to me. When I did though, she yawned.

"Let's go to sleep, alright?"

I smiled. "Alright, beautiful."

*******

As soon as I woke up, I got out of bed. Which, surprisingly, felt completely normal.

I put on some clothes. Hm, a suit? Really Louis? Are you going to prom or something?

Though when I walked over to the full length mirror in the unfamiliar room, I screamed on the inside; I was most definitely not going to prom. Not unless I was a teacher.

A, seeminly, 40 year old teacher.

I looked tired, and my expression was more vacant than ever before. I had a stubble, even a freaking mustache. Along with a few grey hairs, and untight skin. It was unreal how it didn't seem to affect me one bit. Like I was used to that.

I spent a few minutes at the bathroom, before walking downstairs in a house that I don't think I've ever gone through. And yet, it seemed as if I knew every inch of the place. And even though it was a very nice looking one, I didn't seem to like it. It was... Missing something. Something crucial.

Ah, now I see it; it didn't feel like home. And also that I was dreaming. Yay.

What am I doing in a house like this one, though? Do I live here, or something? Am I visiting a friend, or a family member...? I don't recall knowing someone who lives in a place like this though.

As I reached the ground floor of the house, I saw a couple of pictures on a dresser of some sort. It wasn't the white polished wood of the commode that caught my eye however; the pictures did. There was a family on them. I couldn't quite catch the faces, as I only glanced at them, but one of the faces seemed freakishly familiar. There were two girls on the photo; I definitely knew the older looking one.

I dragged myself to another room, and recognized it as a kitchen. A fairly clean one, too; it was just a little cluttered. Nothing a few hungry rottweilers couldn't solve.

I looked up from the two jumbo packs of chips, and my eyes fell upon a girl, woman in fact, whose back was facing me. She had her hair puller up in a messy bun, and was wearing a beige sweater. I couldn't see the rest of her clothes because of the counter that separated us.

She was looking outside the window, leaning herself on the sink in front of her, with one hand. Seconds later, her other hand came down to do the same as the other; though it wasn't the same. Because the woman was holding a cigarette in her other hand.

If I had to name one thing, just one thing that I absolutely despised, it would be cigarettes. Smoking. Smokers. Whatever. I just hated smoke, and the smell of a lit cigarette. Girls that smoke had never been appealing to me, ever.

And yet, the fact that I had woken up in an unknown house and that I most likely live with a woman who smokes, wasn't bothering me one bit. One fucking bit.

"Lorena?" I said in a voice that sounded like my dad's. I didn't quite know how to feel; mortified, because of my own voice, or shocked, because I'd just called Lorena, like she's the woman who's smoking. Ha. As if.

The woman jumped in her spot, pulling me out of my thoughts in the process, and made me focus on her. She quickly stubbed out her cigarette, seeming a little scared, and tried taming the strands of hair that had escaped her bun, before turning around to face me.

And I swear I died in that moment, because... It was Lorena. The woman from the pictures in the hallway, it's her. Lorena, Lorena Cloe. My Lorena.

It wasn't exactly her, however; at least not the one I knew.

This Lorena, didn't only look at least 15 years older, she also looked tired. Exhausted. Beyond that in fact; she looked like she was going to collapse any moment now. Her skin was white pale, she had dark bags under her eyes, and was skinny. Unhealthily skinny. She couldn't have weighed over 45 kilos. It was quite a sad sight.

"M-Morning." She wiped her lips with the sleeve of her sweater, and leaned her back on the sink, looking at me. What's with the look in her eyes though? She looked so... Terrified. Like she was afraid of me.

For the fiftieth time, why? Why?

"Is there something to eat?" I asked, ignoring her 'morning', slowly walking further into the kitchen, and slumping onto a barstool at the counter. Lorena tiptoed for a second, before nervously looking around.

"U-Um..." She stuttered, which, for some reason, angered me. I didn't seem to like not being talked to properly, even if I was talking to my wife.

Wait, wife? Lorena's my wife?

And, more importantly, why was thinking of this making me feel even more down? Why wasn't I excited, or happy at least? I had Lorena as my wife!

There's that feeling again, the one of sheer disappointment at the thought of being married to Lorena. I said it a few millions of times, and I'm gonna say it again, and then probably again; why?!

"There's, um, chicken wings from last night?" She suggested, gripping the edge of the sink behind her.

I huffed. "From KFC?"

Lorena pressed her lips together before speaking, looking as if she was about to start crying. "Y-Yes."

I huffed again, this time with a bitter smile on my face. "I'm really never gonna eat something from that oven, am I?" I said harshly as I stood up abruptly, making the stool produce loud, creaky noise, and Lorena squeal in fear.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She exclaimed, almost sitting up in the sink from trying to get as far away from me as possible. I just shook my head, and walked over to the fridge to start rummaging through it.

Why the hell was I flipping out about not having a homemade meal for breakfast? For God's sake, I've never liked having anything for breakfast except a coffee! Where is all of this nonsense coming from?!

I shut the fridge hastily, feeling like I could break something. There was nothing to eat.

So fucking what?! Just buy something on your way to work, stupid!

Wait, so now I have a job too?

What am I saying, of course I do, I'm freaking forty years old.

"I-I'll make scrambled eggs or something, just, just please sit down? Please? Will you?" Lorena said, hesitantly making steps toward me. And while the normal Louis would have apologized for acting like some sort of a lunatic, this Louis wanted to throw a rock at someone.

Lorena's hand touched my arm, and surprisingly, I didn't slap it away or anything. For the first time, I was behaving like some sort of a normal human being.

I slowly turned to her; she still looked scared, like a kid on their first day of school, and like she was on the edge of tears. It really bothered me to see her like that, but it seemed as if that feeling was pushed into the very back of my brain, and only anger and bitterness were on the surface. I couldn't wait to find out about the reason.

I nodded curtly and, without saying anything or looking at her again, sat down on my previous seat. With trembling hands, Lorena pulled out a pan, and two eggs out of the fridge, working on my breakfast as quickly as she could, while I just sat there, and did nothing but read the morning newspapers. Hmpf. Some husband I am.

A few minutes later, she'd left the eggs on the burner to be made, and slowly walked over so she was standing right across from me. As she blocked out the light that was coming from the window she was looking out of, I looked up at her, annoyed.

"What?" I snapped.

"T-There's something I need to tell you."

I rolled my eyes, and dropped the papers in front of me. "What?" I repeated.

Lorena blinked, and walked over to the other side of the kitchen, where a table was put, and started rummaging through a handbag that was most likely hers. Eventually, she pulled out a piece of paper.

"Um..." She started, walking back toward me. "Clint got in a fight with a student yesterday. The principal wants us there, today."

I snatched the small piece of paper from her hand, to take a look at it, and felt my blood boil as I read out Lorena's words in a more sophisticated way.

"That little fucker," I muttered under my breath.

"Oh, and..." Lorena started, but stopped to gulp as soon as I snapped my head up to look at her. "T-Tania tried stealing a bottle of tequila from that liquor store down the street, but got caught," She said as quickly as possible, and scurried backwards to get away from me as soon as possible.

I stood up the same way as before, and walked over to the door frame. "Clinton! Tatiana!" I yelled, almost punching a hole through the door. What is going on? Who the hell are Clinton and Tatiana?!

Within a minute, two teenagers, a boy and a girl, walked into the kitchen. They looked the same age, and very alike; they were probably twins.

"You." I pointed at the boy. "The hell is this?!" I waved the paper in his face, making the boy become a little pissed off, obviously.

"I beat up a kid that called me Cliton. Clit-on! And it's all your fault! If you hadn't given me this stupid name, where everyone calls me either Hilary, or Bush, none of this would be happening! I swear, as soon as I turn 18, I'm out of here!" He exclaimed, shaking his head in the end, and marching out of the room.

I turned to the girl, Tatiana, who tried looking tough by crossing her arms over her chest, but I could see that she was scared. Don't do something stupid, Loui-

"You tried robbing a fucking store, what the hell is wrong with you?!" God dammit.

"M-My friends dared me to." She shrugged, looking around the room.

"Look me in the eyes when I'm talking to you," I snapped, and Tatiana sighed shakily, before meeting my eyes. "What kind of friends do you even have?"

Uh oh. I was again about to make another girl cry. "Well look at me, dad! Who, in their right mind, would want to hang out with me? I'm fat and ugly and no one is ever going to love me!" She screamed, already crying. I scanned her from head to toe; body-wise, she could be a model. I could only imagine what a beautiful girl she really was underneath all of that make-up.

I promised myself I would never let my little girl cry or think she's not beautiful; and yet, there I was, standing in front of my daughter, looking like I was enjoying the fact that she was crying because of something I'd said.

"Why did you tell him, mum?" Tatiana shouted at her mother. "We agreed that I'll just be grounded for a month!"

I glanced at Lorena, who was apparently too busy with my scrambled eggs to pay attention to me and our daughter. "I decide about your punishment, I'm the head of this house!"

"Oh, really?" Tatiana yelled, turning to me. "That's not what mum was screaming last night while you were at 'work'!" She said and sprinted out of the kitchen, while I stood there frozen.

Lorena...? My Lorena? No, she wouldn't do that. She wouldn't cheat on me.

"Tatiana!" Lorena yelled, making me look at her. "Why would you... She... I... Louis, it's not true, it didn't happen, I swear!"

Ignoring her cracking voice, I marched over to her and pinned her against the counter next to the stove. "No, Louis," She breathed out, desperately trying to escape me, looking like she was about to have a heart attack.

My hands were gripping her arms tightly, and I harshly shook her once to stop her from wriggling. Lorena stopped and looked down, a barely audible sob escaping her lips.

"You do know what happened the last time I caught you, right?" I said quietly. "You remember, don't you?" I added, and Lorena gave me a few quick nods.

Wait, what happened? Did I do something? Did I hit her?

"We wouldn't want that to happen again, would we?" I let go of one of her arms, and lifted her head up so she'd look at me. She gulped and shook her head. "N-No."

"Good." I nodded, and let go of her completely. I walked over to the table on the other side of the room, and grabbed my briefcase, before heading out of the kitchen.

"Wait, Louis?" Lorena called, her voice more firm than it was while I was talking to her. "Aren't you going to eat?"

I glanced at the kitchen over my shoulder. "Nah, I'll buy something in the bakery," I said, and walked out of the house.

Way to be an asshole, Louis.

There really was a bakery, just across from the house we lived in. After buying myself a pastry, I walked back to my car and started driving to work.

In all honesty, I thought I was going to get in a car accident. Because that's what happens to dirtbags like me, in dreams like this one. But nope, I stopped my car in front of a building ten minutes later, making it to work safely. I was almost disappointed that I'd stayed alive.

I walked inside the building, and immediately I knew I was a teacher at a secondary school. Well, that's one good thing. At least I became what I'd wanted to.

I made my way upstairs, and to the staff room, which was pretty much empty. There were only two people there, a middle aged man, like myself, and a younger girl. Not young enough to be a student, though. She was probably a professor, a new one, as well.

I sat on one end of the long table, quite far from the man and the girl, and pretended to be busy. Although, it seemed as if I was excited about something. Knowing me, it wasn't anything good.

A few minutes later, the man walked out of the staff room, and the girl immediately stood up and started walking toward me. For some reason, I had to start suppressing a smile because of that.

"Hi babe," The girl whispered in my ear, and I turned to face her. And even though I started grinning upon seeing her, I was screaming yet again on the inside. Blonde curly hair, green eyes, not a day older from the last time I saw her when we were 21; Monique.

"Hi yourself," I said as my hand went behind her neck, to pull her down toward me. We slowly closed our eyes, and I knew what was coming; I was going to kiss her.

No. Louis, don't. Don't do it. No. No! NO!

"No!" I yelled as I sat up, covered in sweat, my breathing ragged and my heart pounding faster than I've ever had it beat before. It was just a dream, I told myself, trying to calm my heart down. Just a really, really bad dream.

I tried looking around, but it was dark. Slowly, I started remembering where I was and what had happened the night before... Lorena. I was with Lorena, and we had-

My head turned so I could look at the spot next to me; sure enough, my girlfriend was lying there.

That's right, my girlfriend. Not my wife, whom I had teenage twins with, and lived in a large house. It was my girlfriend, who shared my disliking for children and smoking, and wasn't living with me. None of that is true. It was just a bad, bad nightmare.

On the other side though... It was so real. I swear if I'd reached out, I would have been able to touch something.

What if I'd predicted something? What if I'd predicted my life if I stayed with Lorena, and married her? Would I really be like that? Bitter, and full of hate, even for my own kids?

No, it couldn't be. My kids' names were Clinton and Tatiana, and I'd never give those names to my children. Not after this, anyway. And M-Monique was there also, looking like she was in her twenties, while I was in my forties. Not to mention I was cheating on Lorena with her. No. No, it couldn't be, I repeated to myself.

But...

What if that was just a hint of what my life could be like? I had the job that I'd wanted, but also a wife that cheated on me, and whom I cheated on as well. A violent son and a suicidal daughter. All because I'd stayed with the girl that was currently lying next to me.

I need to leave, I thought. Right now.

*******

~A/N~

That's a bad way to end it, I know.. but do you think he's really going to leave? Being the Louis that he is? :/
Vote and comment pleeeeaase, I'm probably going to update next week but you guys keep me motivated :D love you! xx