Love Can Conquer All

chapter 75

Chapter 75

The warm mug warmed my hands as I stood in front of the window and watched the snow fall silently over the city. The moon was high in the sky, illuminating the streets and causing the snow to glisten and sparkle. The lights from the Christmas tree were reflecting in the window and the smell of the meal Harry was cooking wafted in from the other room.

I felt a warm pair of arms slide around my waist and a set of lips rest on the back of my neck. I took one hand off my mug and linked my fingers with those of the hand on my waist. The lips softly kissed my neck before the arms pulled away and my back went cold as the warmth from the body behind me disappeared. I smiled as I watched Louis' reflection in the window as he left me and entered the kitchen.

While I knew he was in the kitchen I snuck into our bedroom and crouched down at the bottom of the bed. I reached under and felt around until my hands came in contact with the box I'd hidden there a few weeks ago. I slid it out and pushed it into the living room as it was so heavy I couldn't carry it. I could hear Louis and Harry laughing loudly as I knew I could do it sneakily. The large tree was in the corner of the room next to the window leading onto the balcony. I'd decorated it with Louis three weeks earlier and it still made me smile as I remember him hanging the One Direction baubles on it. 'The boys will be spending Christmas with us this way.' He'd said as he looked at the 5 baubles spread out on the tree with pride. Louis' face kf course sitting the highest on the tree.

I slid the box under it, amongst the few other present that were there. This one definitely stood out, it was so much bigger than the other and was wrapped in white paper covered in birthday cakes. I stood back and made sure it looked okay where it was. Satisfied, I followed the sound of chatting into the kitchen.

'There she is.' Harry called. 'I was just about to call you in Ri Ri. The grand birthday meal is ready!' He nudged me over to the table where I sat next to Louis. Bo, in front of me was chatting away to Louis about how she was meant to be going home for Christmas but got stuck in London due to the snow. Harry appeared at the edge of the table with a steaming bowl of lasagne which smelt amazing. He placed it on the edge of the table before disappearing again.

'Aria, where are you getting your dress from?' Bo asked me.

Harry returned with a massive bowl of salad and a tray of sliced up, freshly baked Garlic bread as I looked at her. 'What dress?' I poured myself a glass of water.

She looked at me as if I were nuts. 'The wedding dress!'

'Oh, that one.' I laughed. 'I decided on the final one last week. I've got a few fittings in the New Year and then I'm all ready.'

'You've decided already? You were so secretive.' She gasped.

'Yeah.' I smiled. 'I went with my mum when she came up last weekend and we found it straight away.'

'Really?' Louis asked, looking at me surprised.

'Yes.' I laughed. 'You all looked so shocked.' I took the spoon handed to me by Harry and started to add salad to my plate.

'That's because... we are.' I looked up at Louis. 'Babe, you're so indecisive I thought it would have taken you months.' Louis said as he poured the bottle of beer he was drinking from into a glass.

'Well, when I was with my mum and I saw that dress, I loved it straight away... that's all I'm saying'

'So, what's it look like?' Louis asked.

'Well, it's really really short and it's green and blue with puffy sleeves and everything.' I said.

'Oh' He said.

'No! I'm not telling you anything!' Louis sighed in relief and then shot me a cheeky grin. 'Do what you want but you ain't getting nothing out of me.' I put a forkful of lasagne in my mouth to emphasize that I wasn't going to be saying any more about it.

Madi, Harry and Louis all laughed. And I heard Louis mumble 'I'll take you up on that.' I threw a piece of my garlic bread at his face to show him I had heard what he'd said.

We chatted for a while before Bo and I cleared the table, leaving Harry and Louis to chat about the performance they were doing on New Year's Eve.

'Seriously, what's the dress like?' Bo whispered after checking to see if Louis was looking. He wasn't looking technically but I saw his head lean towards me slighty so he was able to hear better.

'Well,' I leaned in close to her and saw Louis lean in further. 'You'll just have to wait and see.' With a wink I flipped the dishwasher shut and turned it on, I began to walk out to the living room and as I did I lightly slapped Louis on the back of the head, silently telling him to quit eavesdropping on what the dress looks like. I heard him start laughing and him, Harry and Bo all followed me out into the living room.

The three of tgem sat down and I went to the tree and pushed the box over the Louis. He didn't notice as he was so absorbed in the conversation he was having with Harry, so I left it in front of him and went and sat next to Bo on the other side of the sofa and chatted to her about the snow.

Eventually Louis noticed. 'What's this?' He asked, his eyes on the box.

'An Easter present.' I said sarcastically.

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and a grin.

'Open it then.' I laughed, I wanted him to, I was dying to see his reaction.

He slowly began to rip the paper off, clearly milking the attention. The white box under the paper eventually began to come into view. It was a brand new iMac. He'd been desperate for one for ages but never got round to buying one, so I did it for him.

Louis gasped when he saw what it was.

'You bought me one?'

I nodded and smiled at his reaction.

He looked at the computer, then up at me, and then back down at the computer before getting off the chair and walking straight over to me. He put both of his hands on my neck and pulled my face towards his and kissed me.

'Thank you, thank you, thank you. This is amazing.' He kissed me again then let me go and went back to his present, which was being admired by Harry.

Louis crouched down next to Harry as they both looked at it. Louis gave in to the temptation and popped the box open. 'Harry, shall we set it up now?' He asked, he was so excited.

'Yes! This is so cool!' They slid the box over to the desk against the wall, moved Louis' laptop off it and started to empty the box. 'It'll look great here.'

Harry nodded, approvingly at where Louis planned to put it.

'That must have cost heaps.' Bo said to me. I nodded as I turned to her.

'It did. I don't mind though. Look how happy he is.' I looked over to Louis who had just lifted the computer out of its box and was now admiring it as it sat on the desk. 'That's all that matters to me. So how are things with you and Harry?'

'Amazing!' Bo said excitedly. 'I can't believe we've been together for almost a year now! He's the most amazing guy in the world. I really love him.' She took a sip of the glass of wine she was holding and blushed as she admitted her feelings to me.

'He's a genuinely wonderful person. You guys are perfect together.'

We both sat and watched my fiancée and Bo's boyfriend set up the computer and laughed at the curses Harry exploded with as he cut his thumb on the corner of the box.

They were our boys. Crazy, wonderful, amazing boys.