From: Theo: Scarlett, what's going on?

From: Theo: Where are you?

From: Theo: You left??

His messages from last night were haunting me.

Instead of texting him back when he'd been sending them to me, I had been texting my brother.

To: Louis: Would you like to come for tea and biscuits and mine? Tomorrow?

From: Louis: yeah, sure! I just need to ask Lucy!

To: Louis: Could it be just you coming over, please? Lucy could come another time...

__

I handed Louis a cup of tea and sat down next to him on the living room couch the next day.

"How was Russia?" He asked me with a gentle smile, "the photo of Theo and you posing outside of the restaurant is so cute."

I let out an unamused and small laugh, "yes... anyway, Louis, I'm just going to get to the point."

He waited quietly for me to continue, moving a small spoon around in his tea.

"I want you to kick Lucy out of your life and go back to rehab."

Louis' eyes widened, clearly not having expected for me to be saying that.

"What? I—"

"Theo's told me more than I need to know. You do know she's been blackmailing Theo for money with her older sister?" I felt terrible, especially after how happy Louis had seemed when telling me about her at my father's.

I was dealing with this situation as if removing a plaster. The quicker I did it, the less painful it would be.

"Lucy having met you at rehab and then pursuing you was all apart of it. She's using you to get to Theo through me."

His eyes shifted down to his lap, shoulders visibly lowering in defeat.

"She told me she knew what she was doing. Giving me those pills..." Louis spoke up quietly, "she said it was an easier way to stop using, to slowly lead myself out of it with smaller dosages a day, and—"

"She was giving you drugs, Louis," I frowned, "she's not a doctor, she can't give you anything for withdrawal symptoms."

"I know."

"Louis, I need you to get her out of your life as soon as you can. I'll help with anything you need," I was offering, "you could come stay here for a bit, before you return to rehab..."

He nodded weakly, eyes still not meeting mine.

"I want my brother back, Louis."

"Sorry, this is just a lot to take in, I—" 

The doorbell rang a couple of times. Then there were a few knocks. I sighed and placed my tea onto the coffee table.

"Wait here, I'll be right back," I told Louis while getting up from the couch. He murmured something in reply while I left the living room and made my way towards the front door.

It might just be a neighbour needing something, or it might be what a pressuring gut feeling was warningly telling me.

I arrived at the door and opened it a little. Through the opening, my eyes landed on Theo. My heart rate jumped through the roof and I felt frozen in my place.

"Theo..."

He didn't look happy at all. He slipped inside even though I hadn't invited him.

"This is not a good time, Theo," I breathed out, turning to find him standing in the entrance hall, dark and intense eyes trained on me, "could you come back later?"

"No. I'm here now, we're talking shit through," he was mad at me, it was so obvious.

I ran a hand through my hair and shook my head, "I'm having tea with Louis right now. It'll be another hour, still..."

"I'll wait. Do you have any food, I haven't eaten anything since before the game," he was turning around to walk towards my kitchen with a mutter.

My brows furrowed and I closed the front door behind me, before dashing to catch up with him.

"Theo, you're not thinking properly," I grabbed his wrist to stop him, and he actually did before turning around to watch me.

His eyes looked so tired, I had a bad feeling that he hadn't slept at all during his flight back last night.

"Please, go home and sleep," I was telling him gently, "let me help my brother."

"I'm not going to lose you, Scarlett, " he shook his head, determination clear in his strained voice.

I frowned, "then why come barging in here like a complete lunatic?"

I realised I was still holding his wrist, so I let it go unwillingly. I cleared my throat, his eyes so focused on mine with the close proximity of our bodies, causing me to have trouble concentrating.

"Theo. Leave," I told him with finality, "you're only worsening the situation by acting like this, I—"

"Theo! Hey," Louis' voice came from behind me.

"Louis, what's up?" Theo sent him a smile over me.

"Not much... we won the World Cup, I can't believe it!" I could hear him nearing us, and I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Fantastic, isn't it?" Theo replied, eyes no longer meeting mine.

"Theo was just leaving," I cleared my throat and turned around to face Louis.

"Really?" His eyes were moving between the two of us.

"Louis, I'll be right with you. I need to talk to Theo alone for a minute," I gave him a tight lipped smile.

"Okay, alright," he nodded and excused himself.

Once I was sure he had returned back into the living room, I turned back to Theo, intent on getting him to leave.

Before I had the chance to even open my mouth or realise what was going on, he had cupped my jaw and kissed me.

I was quick to step away from him, breaking his lips from mine.

"Scarlett..."

"No, Theo. I asked you to leave. Would you be mature and smart enough to do that?" I folded my arms over my chest.

"If you promise you'll let me come over tonight. To talk," he replied.

"Don't start manipulating and blackmailing me. You'll leave now, we'll see later if I want to talk," I shook my head at him, "I need room to breathe. I don't feel like myself anymore, and it's scaring me. Please, just go?"

I was exhausted and overwhelmed, and it was very evident in my voice. He watched me for a moment, standing my ground and not falling back into his arms like he may have expected me to.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he told me, "I need us to be together. I need you in my life."

I didn't reply. Instead, I walked over to the front door and opened it for him.