The Story of Us // L.S

Forty One.

Songs for this chapter are:

*I Met Her on a Train // Jake Quickenden

*I Want // One Direction

*Autumn Leaves // Ed Sheeran

*Remembering Sunday // All Time Low

*

My key twisted in the lock making the normal crunching noise and I stepped through the threshold quietly, hoping Isobel was still asleep. But when I turned around after locking the door I was met with her sulky stare leaning against the wall with crossed arms.

"And where have you been?" I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding and shrugged, walking past her and into the kitchen. "Louis'." I filled up a glass with water and swilled it around a bit before sipping from it. "You filthy little stop out." She had dropped the annoyed act and was laughing so I chuckled with her as I emptied the glass into the sink and turned to face her. I rested my hands on the counter behind me as I spoke. "I am a grown adult, I can do what I want without your permission."

"Do I not even deserve a call or a text?"

"My phone died."

"I see I see, you don't have time to think about your daughter while you're getting laid." She sniffed dramatically and I burst out laughing before repeating Louis' words to her. "No funny business." She nodded at me in a way that implied she did not agree at all before sitting down at the table.

"I wanted to talk to you about something." I gulped and her face brightened, probably trying to show me it wasn't serious. "It's only about my birthday." I followed her lead and walked to the table to sit down opposite her. "I'm not hiring out a club for you again if that's what this is." She shook her head but kept her gaze on the table in front of her. "No, I was just thinking, this is my first birthday with Louis in my life and I'd like him to be there."

My eyes bulged out of my head and I tapped the table trying to think of a reply. "You...you want Louis there?"  She nodded at me and her hair bobbed up and down with her. "Do you think he'd come?"

"I'm positive he would, you just try and keep him away." She smiled a small smile at me and started to pick at her nails. "How do I ask him?"

"Yo dawg, I'm having this shindig and it'll be totally lit, come down and pop a few or someting." She laughed at me in a way that was similar to Louis as little creases formed at the sides of her eyes. "Kids still talk like that right?"

"No, no please never say any of those words ever again."

*******

Louis had given me the key to his house so I could come and go as I pleased. I was sure this was his way of tricking me to move in but in all honesty, I didn't care. It was only a matter of time before I caved and agreed anyway.

I was also pretty sure the key was Sam's and after he'd collected all his things and given it back, Louis had passed it straight on to me.

I let myself in his house and just stood in his hallway, admiring everything he had. It already felt like home.

I could hear the clinking of cutlery and knew Louis was up, probably eating breakfast so I padded quietly into the kitchen and popped my head round the door. He was sat with his back to me, holding a tea in one had and the paper in the other. I tip-toed up to him and threw my hands over his face, covering his eyes.

"Guess who!"

He practically jumped right out of his skin causing his nearly full mug of tea to splash on to the counter and over himself. "Harry!" His tone was angry and I giggled to myself before moving round the counter and sitting down. "Correct!" He scowled at me and I offered him a cheesy grin before picking up his slice of toast and biting the corner off. He mumbled something under his breath before scowling at me again.

"Good morning to you too Boobear."

"That key was for emergencies Haz."

"It was an emergency, I was outside but I wanted to come inside." He rolled his eyes at me and took a deep breath before picking up his newspaper again to carry on reading. "There was something I wanted to talk to you about." He looked at me over the top of his paper. "I probably shouldn't tell you this because Isobel wanted to do it first buuuut, she would like to invite you to her birthday this year."

The paper crinkled as Louis gripped it too hard and it started to fall, creating the only sound in the room. Louis was frozen on the spot with his mouth hanging open but his eyes were dancing from surface to surface. "I...I..I'm invited to her birthday?" I nodded frantically at him, trying to smile as wide as I could. "Mhmm....say something?"

"I just....I....I don't know what to say? Where is she having it? We should have it here! Invite everyone here and we'll get caterers and oh.." He stood up and started to walk round the kitchen, "We'll open up the french doors so everyone can go outside and we'd have a bar in the next room and balloons and...and a dj!" I walked up behind him and laced my arms round his shoulders, nuzzling our cheeks together. "She won't want a fuss Lou."

"So don't tell her, make it a surprise. Bring her here and tell her I have a present for her and that we're going someplace afterwards." I could feel his heart beating underneath my fingers even though they were barely resting against his chest. I thought he was just excited but when he turned to face me I could see the tears dripping down his cheeks. This was only the third time I had ever seen him crying in my whole life and I didn't know how to react.

"Lou...What's wrong?" I cupped my hands round his cheeks and swiped under his eyes delicately but more tears continued to fall. He didn't say anything as he stood sniffling and I felt my heart sink to my feet. "Lou? Don't be sad, don't cry."

"I'm..I'm not...sad Haz...I'm just..so..happy." He kept having to take breaths as he spoke and my eyebrows knitted together in confusion. I didn't say anything and let him have his time to think. "When I...came back I thought....you'd never let me back in...let alone Belle...and now...I'm so close to having every....everything and being...happy." He squeezed his eyes together and took another breath before breaking away from my grip and moving to sit back down again. He swiped at his face furiously trying to dry every last teardrop and let out a strangled laugh that cracked in the middle. "Wow, that was stupid, sorry."

I scratched my head, wondering what had just happened, and perched back down opposite him. "You're allowed to cry sometimes Lou, you don't have to apologise for your feelings." He chuckled again, but this time to himself as he picked up his slice of toast. "You sound like my Counsellor." I watched him take a bite before he put the toast back down on the plate and dusted his hands off of crumbs. "Speaking of which, I have an appointment today, would you like to come with me?" He looked up at me with so much innocence I felt like I was looking back at the 20 year old Louis I once knew and I couldn't say no to his fearful stare.

"I would love to, if you want me there of course."