Enhance

Prologue - Tomlinson

Prologue - Tomlinson

I still remember the exact moment I first saw her. You know like in movies when it’s like the whole world stops and nothing else matters? Well, not exactly like that but close.

I was walking and laughing with Harry, my best friend. Enjoying our first weeks in Uni. I was ecstatic, part of the team, got a scholarship to be in Manchester University, a whole new world, so different from what I had lived until then. I was happy and ready for the adventure.

I remember Harry said something stupid, typical for him. I can’t remember what, though, I just remember I laughed out loud and I had to stop for a moment. I was probably laughing at how stupid my friend can be sometimes, that’s the most likely option. He’s not exactly funny, if you ask me.

When I looked up I didn’t only see Harry looking at me with a satisfied grin, I saw past him the girl with short brown curly hair, walking, holding the arm of another girl with light brown hair pulled in a long braid falling down her back. Both looked so happy and both were gorgeous, but only the one with short hair caught my eye. I could only see her, her smile, the way her eyes looked so small because she was laughing so heart-warmingly, the way her hips swung with every step she took.

I remember that all I could think in that moment was “beautiful. She’s so beautiful.” But it was weird because if you ask me today and I’m objective, I’ve seen prettier girls. Her friend is prettier, yet I could only see her, the girl with the short hair. And it wasn’t only short, it was shorter at one side, just a few centimetres from her scalp, and longer at the other side, touching her shoulder.

I don’t know what it was exactly that made me react that way, but something clicked. I know I even held my breath as I kept watching her walk away, completely oblivious to the rest, until Harry hit me.

“Oi! What was that for?” I demanded, my hand on my head on the sore spot.

“You were drooling,” he answered, shrugging. “I had to.”

I rolled my eyes and looked for the girl again, but she was nowhere to be seen and I felt my heart sinking. I hit Harry back not because he hit me first, but because I lost sight of her due to his stupidity.

After that day I carried on with my life, but the girl with the uneven hairstyle was always in my mind. I would usually ask myself if I was going to see her again, but she never crossed my way.

I remember that from the moment classes started I would read the Uni’s newspaper and that the sport section was my favourite. There was this writer, Robin Summers, who wrote the best columns. I thought it was a him, you know, Robin is a name for guys, as well. Imagine my surprise when I was in practice one day and I saw her, only her, talking to the coach and Johnny, one of my teammates told me she was Robin Summers, the star to the newspaper, the one in charge of the whole sport section.

During that practice I stared at her for so long, not once she looked in my direction. She kept her eyes on Connor, the star of the team.

Since then I observed her, like a little creeper. Harry used to make fun of me, of how lame I had become, but I couldn’t help it. There was something about her from the very beginning and I just wanted her to notice me, but she never did. A whole year passed and not once she looked back at me.

Is it possible for a guy to be so love-struck with someone who hasn’t even paid attention to him? Well, you have me.

So that’s how my little crush began and that’s how I end up in this situation. Celebrating New Year with my friends and teammates, on top of the bar, with my glass raised up in the air, screaming my lungs out.

“This year I’ll make it!” I scream and everyone cheers, although no one knows what I’m saying.

“You will!” They scream, raising their own glasses as the music blasts around us.

“This year she will notice me!” I shout and they shout back, even louder. “I’ll improve, I’ll be the best out there and she’ll notice me! She’ll even want to write about me!”

“You teach her who’s the man!” One of my teammates screams and so do I.

“It’s all about enhancing what I can do. It’s all about that!” I shout one more time because I found out why she didn’t pay me attention: because I am not the best player. Because there are better ones out there and those get her attention. I am going to become one of those.

“FOR A BETTER YEAR!” Harry screams, raising his glass even higher and I do the same.

“For a better me!” I shout and I hear the screams above the countdown. “To enhance!” I shout one more time.

“TO ENHANCE!” Shout the rest, not because they understand what I’m saying, but because they are all wasted and they just follow the idiot on top of the bar.

Three, two… one! I’ve got my New Year’s resolution.

“Happy New Year!” Everyone screams and I drink my whole glass content. Bottoms up to enhance for myself, for Robin Summers.

-:-:-:-

Dedication to @weirdchicknextdoor because I loved the way you put how I've written about Louis in all my stories: 

"The sweetheart that's afraid of hurting.
The idiot who only thought of himself.
And now, the lovesick boy wanting to be noticed."

Bel, xx

PS: Picture of Robin at the sidebar (actress: Jane Levy)