If Walls Could Talk

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Louis knew that he would have to make himself dinner if he wanted to eat. He could only imagine what state his aunt was going to be in when she woke from her alcoholic coma, but he decided not to worry about that right now. It was still early, and he had some other things he had to do first. He sat up on his mattress and reached for his bag, unzipping it and pulling out his homework. While he didn't actively listen in class or do the work during the class, Louis always did his homework, as he saw it as another way to self-teach.

Louis laid his math and English homework out on the bed in front of him. Two easy subjects for Louis. Before he got started, he decided to pull out his old laptop from underneath his bed and put some music on while he worked. He had to wait some ten minutes before it started. He always found it easier to concentrate with music on in the background, even if it was from a fossil of a laptop.

It didn't take long before Louis lost track of time. His homework, now finished, was back in his school bag, which was hanging on at the end of his bed. Louis sprawled out on his bed, his arms and legs swinging carelessly over the edges. He was definitely too big for it. He was lying on his back with his eyes closed, letting the music wash over him, serenading him. Some people would say that the music he listened to was depressing; which, in all fairness, it was. But Louis loved it. To him, the songs weren't always sad. They were just stories being told in a certain way, and they didn't have to be sad if you didn't want them to be. They could just be music. Something to connect with.

Sadly, Louis' relaxed state was suddenly interrupted by ringing from his laptop, cutting his music off. Slightly disgruntled, he opened his eyes and slowly sat up, looking down at the screen. A small image was flashing at him; a picture of a pretty girl. Her hair was dark brown and filled with tight curls. Her calm brown eyes looked back at him, crinkled, and perfectly complementing her bright smile, showing off her perfect teeth.

"Kara," Louis said to himself, and his mood shifted from disgruntled to elated as he smiled and sat upright with his legs crossed.

"Lou-Lou!" Kara's excitable voice exploded through Louis' laptop speakers almost instantly. It was a warm and welcome sound.

"Hey, Kara!" Louis offered a small wave. "How's it hanging?"

"A little to the left, as per usual, you know?" Kara replied, after returning Louis' wave. "What about you?"

"It's alright. The usual, I suppose," Louis responded before they sat in a comfortable silence.

One of the things Louis loved most about talking with Kara was that there was never an awkward moment between them. The quiet that fell always seemed to fit perfectly, and for a few moments, they bathed in each other's company before Kara eventually broke the silence.

"So, how's your aunt?"

"She's... alive," Louis replied cautiously.

He was always hesitant to talk about his aunt with people, and while Kara knew more about Louis and his family than anyone else, he still found himself being cautious, as though he was walking through a minefield.

"At least I think she is. She's still drinking more alcohol than there is blood in her body, but that's out of my hands at this point."

"I'm sorry, Lou," Kara responded with sympathy coating her voice.

She never tried to understand how Louis was feeling or tried to pretend she knew. But she was never bare of sympathy, and right now, that was what Louis needed.

"I'm sure she'll get better," Kara muttered, and Louis sighed.

"Who knows... I've tried helping but... I don't know. I've just got to live with it for the time being."