"She's late," Lou huffs, checking the invisible watch on her wrist and continuously pacing back and forth across the dressing room.
I glance around the room, and she seems to be the only one bothered by this stranger's tardiness. The rest of the boy's and I are too busy fiddling with our phones to really care.
"Who, Lou?" I ask, since none one else seems to care.
"My new assistant. It's her first day and she's already late."
"What do you need an assistant for? I think the fans forgot you cut our hair anyway," Louis chimes in with a snort.
"I'll remember that the next time I have a pair of scissors next to your head," Lou fires back, and Louis raises his arms defensively.
"So sorry I'm late," a voice calls from the door and we all turn to find the source of the noise.
My eyes leave my phone for a second and move to the door, and a new feeling washes over me that I don't recognize. Suddenly, my palms feel sweating, I feel like I can't breathe properly and I can barely hear anything over the pounding in my chest.
I've heard this feeling described a few times before, but it can't possibly be happening to me.
Love at first sight?
I never really believed in love at first sight, because it one of those things that only happens in books and movies - but something about this girl is striking because I can't seem to tear my eyes away from her.
A slight smile plays across her features as Lou accepts her apology, and I find myself wanting to make her smile more - not just a slight smile, but a real, genuine smile.
Get a grip Harry, I think to myself. You don't even know her name.
"Boys, this is (Y/N)," Lou announces.
(Y/N). What a beautiful name.
Harry and (Y/N). That sounds nice.
I mentally slap myself and force my eyes back to my phone, hoping these thoughts will go away if I don't look at her - but like a magnet to metal, my eyes are drawn back to her.
"And this is Harry," Lou's voice brings me out of my daze and I look up to see (Y/N) looking back at me with a friendly smile.
I smile back at her nervously before giving her a small wave and mumbling, "Hi."
"Hi," she says before Lou takes her by the arm and leads her away.
I watch as (Y/N) listens intently to everything Lou says, nodding every once in a while to let her know that she's listening. I wonder if she'd look at me like that if I talked to her.
"Mate, take a picture, it'll last longer," Louis whispers, buts it's not very quiet. I tear my eyes away from (Y/N) to see Louis smirking at me.
"What?" I ask nonchalantly, trying to play off the fact that I was just caught staring at (Y/N).
Louis doesn't respond; he just nods his head in (Y/N)'s direction as a silent cue to go over and talk to her.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I defend, even though I know it's useless.
Louis nods his head in (Y/N)'s direction again and mouths go. I shake my head, because even if I wanted to talk to her (which I do), she's still talking to Lou and I have no idea what I would even say. I'm pretty sure saying, Hey, (Y/N), I think I'm in love with you wouldn't go over too well with her.
Lou disappears from the room, and (Y/N) looks around nervously. Louis picks up on this, if the smirk on his lips and mischievous look in his eyes is anything to go by.
"So, (Y/N), Louis says. "Where are you from?"
"California."
"Really? Harry lives in California," Louis says, glancing at me.
"You do?" she says, a smile lighting up her face, and it's so contagious I find myself smiling, too.
"Yeah," I say. "So, are you gonna be with us the entire tour?"
"Yeah, I am," she say with a coy smile and I can't help but smile back.
I may not believe in love at first sight, but I do believe in soul mates, and I think I just found mine.
