A Life for A Life

*Louis’s POV*

What the fuck? The hell was I supposed to react to this situation? What I thought was an obsessive fan hiding on the bus – which I will not deny has happened before – was a girl trying to run away from her parents. Parents that were trying to kill her at that! How the hell was I supposed to believe that? Yet staring at her sweat-drenched body and smelling a slight foul odor, I found myself believing her.

I took out a bottled water from the mini fridge, walking over to where she was seated on the couch. I offered her the water, where she took it gratefully, chugging the liquid down. She must’ve been dying from dehydration and heat exhaustion. But I had to ask first. “How long?” I asked.

She looked at me, confused. “How long have you been hiding on the bus?”

“Since… last night.” She breathed. “During the DC concert.”

Yet none of us took a notice to it. “Where at?”

“Luggage cab.”

No fucking way. “Seriously? That long?” I asked. My tone shot up a few decimals as I realized just how hot it had to be down there. “You could’ve died!”

She shrugged, taking another drink of the water. Judging from her expression, she looked as if she was saying she’s been through much, much worse. I rubbed my chin, not knowing what to do. I couldn’t just kick her out. I wasn’t sure if her parents were really out to kill her, but I didn’t want to risk it. I didn’t want her blood on my hands. I knew I couldn’t stay away from the guys too long either, otherwise they’ll wonder what was going on.

Maybe I should talk to them. “I should tell the guys-“

“No!” She said, interrupting me. “I didn’t want you guys knowing in the first place. I was just trying to get out of DC and as far away and as fast as I could. The fact that you know I’m here is dangerous…”

She rubbed a hand on the back of her neck, thinking. I was confused. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that the mere fact that you know me could be reason enough for them to kill you.”

I jumped up to my feet. “What!?” This was getting ridiculous. “What exactly is going on here?”

I stared down at her. Was she crazy? There was no way humanly possible that this could happen. I was just Louis Tomlinson that was travelling for gigs across the states. How the hell could I be targeted to get killed? “My parents are a part of the CIA.” She answered, staring down at her bottle. “They can do just about anything and get away with it. Listen, you have to help me. If you do, I’ll do whatever in my power to keep you alive.”

She looked up at me. “If I don’t?” I asked.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you if they come after you.” She said. “If you have as much as any contact with me, they’ll want to know where I am and they’ll do whatever they can to get the answers out of you. If you don’t want to be involved in that and want to stay alive, I suggest you take up to my offer.”

I ran a hand through my hair, my beanie coming off in the process. How could I accept this? This stranger before me was here yet she somehow turned the tables on me to where I had no choice but to help out. I needed to think. She needed my help and if her words were true, I needed her to make sure I stayed alive.

That was something I didn’t want to think about: dying.

I finally decided right then. “You got half an hour.”

She blinked, looking at me. “I’ll distract the guys at least until then. Shower and find a hiding spot in here… can you handle that?”

“I wouldn’t doubt my skill.” She said, standing up. “Thank you.”

I couldn’t help but take in her appearance again. “Do you have anything?”

I didn’t even need her to answer the question, I was pretty sure I already knew. I scratched the back of my head. I would have to figure something out. “Oh…” I said, looking straight at her.

She questioned my look. I pointed at the door. “Don’t you dare take a step out of this bus. You may have miraculously gotten in here unnoticed, but I can’t say the same thing would happen while heading out. The pap are everywhere.”

“I understand.” She said.

I let out a breath, already feeling the stress settling in. I started out of the bus. “Wait.”

I stopped and turned. She tossed something at me. I caught it, feeling the hard case against my chest. “You were looking for that earlier.”

The retainer. She offered a small smile before making her way into the bathroom. I clutched the hard case in my hand, shaking my head as I started out the bus. Somehow I felt she was more than she let on. Such a little detail as in knowing I was looking for Niall’s retainer through that whole situation we were in, how did she know where it was?

Either way, I had a new job. This mysterious girl relied on me. I had to keep her alive. That meant holding the biggest secret toward my best mates. Instead of five of us – six, counting the driver – there was an extra rider. It was a girl I knew could keep very well to herself. If we didn’t notice her in the underbelly of the bus, I was sure she could keep to herself on the bus too.

“What took you so long, mate!?” Niall exclaimed.

I tossed the retainer case at him and he caught it mid-air. “Couldn’t find the cursive thing.”

“Did he leave it in the shower again?” Liam asked, curious.

I shrugged. I wasn’t even sure and I didn’t really care. My thoughts were wrapped around that girl and how I would act like my usual self around the guys with her in the bus with us. Half an hour, I gave her. I had to distract the guys until then.

Hopefully her hiding skills were as good as she says they were.