The List

Chapter One

"Louis William Tomlinson, keep your eyes on the road! Are you trying to kill us?” she shouted as he tried to grab her waist where he knew it tickled the most. That’s just one of those things you know about your girlfriend.

“If you hate it so much, then why are you laughing?” he asked cheekily, watching her try and squirm away from his hands.  After a few car horns were directed towards them, Louis finally released his attacks and focused his attention on the wheel. He had already gotten in trouble with his driving in America once and he didn’t want it to happen again, especially since this was one of the few times he got to spend full time with his girlfriend of 10 months.

“Sometimes I wonder about your sanity, you know that?” Elle Taylor snuck a slight gaze at her gorgeous, pop teen idol of a boyfriend and laughed. “I only said that Harry is the only one who can actually drive in America, which you know is true!”

“Harry couldn’t be a better driver than me if he tried!” Louis defended himself. 

“Really? So, is that why you got pulled over twice while driving for the first time over here?” she raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for a sarcastic response.

“Have you ever seen Harry try to drive an old, beat-up van on an American street for the first time while a camera crew is surrounding him with expensive equipment? No? Then I think your argument is invalid, love.”

Elle rolled her eyes and stared out the window at her hometown. Louis had been through her town before, but only to meet her parents before he had to leave again. Now, it was the first time he’d actually have time to stay and explore it with her. He’d somehow managed to get his hands on one of her favorite old cars for the day; a 1963 Austin Healey 3000 BJ7. Now, they were riding through some of the streets she’d walked on as a kid. Louis wanted to know everything about Elle and she was more than willing to tell him. She’d been waiting so long for someone to share everything with and now she’d found him.

Since Elle lived in America, she almost never got to see Louis. It was by pure fate that they had met at a book signing in New Jersey. She had taken her younger sister to go meet the boys. But, the moment that Louis and Elle saw each other, well, fate took its course.

“Oooh, turn in there!” she pointed to an old street with lots of small buildings that looked like they had been renovated. “Just find a place to park along this street.”

He did as she said and they hopped out of the car, took each other’s hand, and began walking down what looked like a main street of an extremely small town. Louis looked around and down the street. “Won’t people recognize me?” he asked.

Elle shrugged. “Probably. But, this isn’t New York, Lou. They’re not going to form a mob on you, I promise.” She winked at him and led him to a place called ‘Salem Street Pub’. A waitress sat them down and they ordered sodas and burgers, one of Louis’ favorite things about America.

“So, what is this place exactly?” Louis asked as he smiled at Elle.

“Well, I use to come here with my dad all the time. It was a little place called the ‘Salem Street Soda Shop’. It was like a little diner where everybody knew each other and the owner was always there, cooking, taking orders, you name it. But, a few years ago, it changed to the pub. I was really upset because I felt like that part of my childhood was being taken away from me, since it wouldn’t be the same place anymore. But, the more I came back, the more I realized that it’s the same building with the same memories. I just love to come back and reminisce.” She smiled at him. “Is that stupid?”

“No. That’s awesome that you have your own little corner of the world with so many memories. I wish I had that sometimes.” He smiled back at her and looked around the restaurant. “This town is really special to you, huh?”

“Of course it is. I love this town more than any place else. Its home. I always have a place here.”

Louis smiled at her love and pride for her small hometown of Apex, North Carolina. He wished he could say he had a small diner he went to or a main street he use to walk on.  He loved the fact that she was a small town girl. It’s what made her who she was.

“Ready?” He asked as they finished their meal. She smiled and stood as they walked out the door and back to the cute, calm street she knew so well. They hopped in the car and started toward their next destination, the church she had grown up in.