Louis please...you know this won't help you..."Dorothea said as she desperately followed the boy out of the room, trying to stop him from fulfilling his plan"If anything it will make things worse"
"Relax...everything is going to be fine...it's just one cigarette"Louis said as he put his hand in his right pocket, taking out a cigarette and waving it in front of the girl.
"That's what you said the last time and look where that got you"Dorothea stated as she grabbed the cigarette out
of his hand, Louis going more down the hall, while the girl followed two steps behind.
"And look...I'm still alive" Louis said as he turned, now walking backwards just so he could face the girl and wave towards her a whole packet of cigarettes that was hidden in his left pocket.
"Don't you dare and play that card with me...you know we ALL care about you, we care about you so much, yet you still go out and do reckless shit like this"Dorothea glared at the boy, shaking her head disapprovingly, more and more furious at him by each word
"We can keep doing this forever Louis, fighting for you, but if you don't actually do something...it's worthless"
"Here's a tip for you then...stop caring and let me live my life" Louis said as he entered the elevator, while the girl stood outside trying to get some sense into the boy, before once again, it was too late.
"Louis...I beg of you...don't do this"
"It's too late...the damage has already been made" Louis wouldn't listen, the elevator door started closing. The boy gave the girl a teasing wave before he was out of her sight completely.
...
Louis ran out of the building and down the streets of winter wonderland that New York held at this time of year.
Truth be told, Louis was never a fan of this time of the year, all this commotion, rush, craze, all for a holiday that would just like many days in our lives, come and go.
Louis was a simple guy, he never asked for much, nor felt like he needed much to live his life just fine.
He was always seen in his denim jacket that his uncle Richard...or as he called him Richie, gave him for his sixteenth birthday, alongside red converse that Clementine and Alexander loved making fun of. His hair was held back by gel, but you could tell that it was barely holding on due to all of the wind that was came with this weather.
He wasn't the smartest kid in school, but he got through just fine. His heart was set out for music and people could see just how passionate he was about it.
His guardians as the state called them...or how Louis loved to have a poke at...guardian angels, but most importantly, mother and father got him into a music school, always being his biggest supporters when it came to him and his dreams.
However, his need for cigarettes, they could never understand why a seventeen year old like him would need it...To be honest, Louis didn't see it either, until the night of his sixteenth birthday.
When asked later, Louis would state "I smoke for the feeling", people tried to decode, to get him to explain. When nothing worked, the pushed it away, going along the lines of "He got addicted and feels ashamed to admit it"
"Shit" Louis went through all of his pockets only to realise that he had forgotten his lighter...he repeated the action once again, only to notice that his wallet also wasn't there.
The boy looked back, glancing at the building he had just left, before turning around and continuing his stroll down the streets of Manhattan.
Louis knew that there was no way of him getting back inside for that lighter, especially after the argument he and Dorothea had, not to mention that others could've easily came back, joining the blonde that was left upstairs.
However...deep down, Louis knew, that the girl wasn't going to say a word about it, to Theodore, to his parents, to anybody for that matter, as much as it pained her to, she would've stayed quiet.
Still, there was something about Louis and his pride that couldn't let him cross the line and go back inside (he also remembered that he taunted the girl before leaving).
So he did what any rational seventeen year old teenage boy would do, he started asking random strangers for a lighter.
As he went more down the streets, he noticed a guy, by the looks, he seemed to be around his age, he was fairly built, curly hair sticking all over the place, his focus stood on the wall in front of him and camera in his hands that capture the view.
Louis thought it was worth a shot, I mean at this point, what did he have to lose?
"Hey" Louis said as he approached the boy, getting a better look at him, he had a couple of freckles on his nose and his eyes were this light shade of green, same shade you would see when you looked at a beautiful fields in Italy, his attention only on the camera and the view in front of it.
The unknown boy looked up to see Louis, looking him in a bit of an observing way, before he gave him a light smile. He then proceeded to take him by the hand and place him in front of the wall, talking some shots. Louis was shocked to say the least, out of all the things that could've happened, he most definitely didn't see this one
"Who does stuff like that...oh yeah, this is New York...at least you didn't try to mug me"
but nevertheless, he followed along, even flashing him a smile here and there.
"How may I help you?" the boy asked as he moved the camera from his face, going through the shots, not even trying to acknowledge Louis in front of him.
"Do you have a lighter?" Louis asked, finally remembering why he approached the brunette in the first place.
"No, but I do have a tip...this is a no smoking zone" The boy said, his attention still on the camera, answer coming off short and dry.
"Ouch, do you treat all of your models like this?" Louis asked, as he placed a hand on his heart, acting hurt by the boys answer. All causing the unknown boy to look up from his camera, rolling his eyes and chuckling with a bitter tone to it
"Only the spikey ones"
"I'm really hurt...and to think I was going to recommend you to my agent" Louis continued this sort of messing around game, after all, he was the best at,
having the boy roll his eyes once again, yet playing along
"My apologies sir, I just don't look to work with models that have trouble with the law" The boy placed a hand on his heart, looking down at the ground and back at Louis, he sighed as he took a step towards him.
"Oh please, trouble with law, I'm pretty sure the man that walked pass robbed the apartment above us...does my cigarette bother you that much?" Louis said as he took out the cigarette, playing with it in front of the boy, who sighed, much sarcasm in his tone
"Extremely sir"
"Well I will put it in my pocket...under one condition" Louis said as he looked between the cigarette and brunette in front of him.
"You really need a condition to follow the law and protect you health, the two just don't seem to be working for you?"
"No, but I will put it away if you tell me your name" Louis states, catching the boy i for the first time in their 'interestingly intence' argument.
"Oh...well in that case...Harry, Harry Styles" The boy now known as Harry said, a bit shocked to say the least,
before he gave out his hand to shake. Louis took it as a huge dorky grin formed across his face.
"Styles?"
"It's sure as hell better than Styleless" Harry spat out, obviously flustered by the boys reaction, which Louis caught onto.
Louis smirked to himself, before taking Hayden's hand,looking him straight in the eyes,not being able to hold in his laughter
"Nonsense, I love the name Styles...it's quite unlike anything I've heard before"
"You are flattering me" Harry sarcastically stated as he playfully hit Louis' chest, taking a step backwards.
"Only for my favourite photographer" Louis said, a serious look on his face, before him and Harry started laughing.
However the sweet fun of the two teens that have just met was cut off by Louis' phone buzzing loudly.
"Oh shit...I have to go...it was a pleasure meeting the up and coming photographer"
"The pleasure was all mine"
...
"Hey, there you are" Lennon said as she saw her son, getting out of her seat and going over to pull him in for a hug.
"Where else would I be?" Louis asked as his mother was still holding him, smirking over her shoulder.
...
"Oh hey there...do you know where we could find the birthday boy...we've heard he's around here" Vincent walked pass Louis' bedroom, standing now at his door frame as he pretended to look around.
"Are you sure honey, I think he might be in the other room" Lennon said as she joined in, standing behind Vincent, both of them trying to hold in their laughter.
"You think?" Vincent asked as he turned to Lennon, making a "i'm thinking really hard about this face" while Louis watched the two, rolling his eyes, but not being able to hold in his laughter, joining in on the game
"I'm here!"
"Oh there he is!" Vincent said as he pointed at Louis while Lennon pulled out the balloons from the hallway, both running into the room.
"Happy birthday Louis!" The married couple shouted as they hugged the boy tightly, each kissing him on the cheek and not letting go.
"Oh gosh, you're so over the top" Louis statted out, trying to catch some air from all of the love and affection he was getting on this morning when...
Clementine and Alexander jumped into the room "In da club by 50 cent" playing from the speaker that Clementine carried into the room, Alexander following behind with the balloons.
"Come on oldies...not this again!"
Alexander said as he saw the married couple also holding balloons, making him drop his. Alexander shook his head, while Clementine joined him in, both crossing their arms and glaring at the couple.
Let me explain this better...this birthday war (Vincent came up with the name) between the Bishop's and Tomlinson's started a long time ago...Louis' eleventh birthday party to be more specific. Lennon and Vincent planned on getting their son the Playshion Freestyle Pro Stunt Scooter for beginners, it was something he talked about the entire year, dropping not so subtle hints to them. So they got the scooter and were ready to give it to him, when the Bishop twins walked in, giving him THE SCOOTER...ever since then, it was war...the two pairs competing who will get Louis a better present, Louis never wanting to take part of this nor state who gave him the better present.
"We were here first!" Vincent said as he turned to Lennon, the two high-fiving, before he turned back to the kids giving them a "Suck it face"...not being able to say it to them...because his an adult...and they are kids...and that's just wrong.
"You're such dorks" Louis who was checking between his phone and the four people said, before placing the phone down and getting out of the bed.
"Dorks that you love" Clementine stated proudly, all eyes on Louis who went into his closet, just before getting out of the frame.
"Ehh..."
"Louis!" all four shouted, hearing laughter come from the boys closet, making them all exchange a look. Smiling from pure happiness at each other
"I'm kidding, I...love you guys"
"Well we love you too" Alexander said when Louis walked out of the closet, all dressed and ready for the great day that was ahead of them. He started looking around, observing, thinking, as if something was missing, that is until he realised something
"Where are Dora and Theo?"
"Well we are leaving you to it...don't forget 7pm!" Vincent said as he checked his phone while Lennon nodded, adding "Don't be late!" to it.
"I won't...see you later guys" Louis said smiling at his parents ,the two exchanging a look, nodding their heads, as if they had a telepathic conversation, agreeing on something
"See you later birthday boy, we love you!" Vincent added as the two stepped out of the room and disappearing with their tasks for the day.
"Love you more" Louis shouted back not even looking up because he knew that Alexander was going to tease him about it, even though it was his birthday...just on cue
"Look at our momma and dadda's boy!"
"Alexander...not now...as I was saying" Clementine slapped her brother's arm, trying to get him to shut up, giving him the look as she was trying to telepathically tell him not to be an idiot...that is until Louis' phone rang.
"Happy birthday Louis!" Theodore said as John answered the FaceTime, a huge smile on covered his face while Dorothea's head stuck out from the corner of the screen, some background sounds could be heard.
"Hey guys, I was just wondering where you were" Louis said as he smiled at the pair, genuinely excited to hear from both of them as he seemed to get worried, however Theodore's expression gave him enough reason to start to worry, the boy now explaining.
"Dorothea and I feel so horrible for not being able to make it, but some things happened last minute and we are currently on our way to our dad's in Maryland"
"I...don't worry about it...I'm just happy you called"
Louis was a bit disappointed to say the least. Those were his friends and of course he wanted to share this big day with them, but he also had to understand where they were coming from. It hasn't be the easiest year for them either and sometimes, just sometimes, stuff likes this happens. So the boy put on a smile, trying to reassure the siblings that everything was okay.
"Happy birthday Lou" Dorothea popped in, giving him a light smile...sure they haven't talked after the cigarette incident, but they were Lou and Dora, they could never stay mad at each other for longer than a few hours.
"Thank you...I'll see you next week?" Louis asked, observing the two. They looked between each other, smiling at the birthday boy, Dorothea replying.
"Of course!"
Louis and the Kadley's said their goodbyes before the boy focused on the pair of twins in front of him. Clementine clapping her hands, excitement could be written all over her face
"Well nevertheless, us three are going to have an amazing day!"
...
"Hey Louis!" Alexa, your friendly local coffee shop girl said, as the boy had entered the coffee shot, greeting him with a simple wave and a bright smile.
"Alexa, hey, how are you?" Louis stuttered a bit, obviously caught off guard by Alexa, which came odd to the twins, since they have known Alexa for what seemed to be two very...very long years.
"Well same old same old, what about you, how you've been feeling?"Alexa shrugged, as she turned around to grab a coffee, handing it to the customer that was next in line. The person thanking her while she smiled lightly, nodding her head.
"You could say decent" Louis said as he was the next person to approach the register, looking around the shop as if he was trying to come up with an order, even though he came in here almost every day for the last two years and never once had he changed his order.
"It's his birthday!" Clementine shouted out excitedly, giving a slight wink to Alexa, who rolled her eyes playfully, laughing lightly. Alexander however rolled his eyes from pure annoyance of his sister and this shipping tale...Clementine has secretly...well not so secretly...shipped the two ever since they first came to this coffee shop and Alexa gave Louis a free coffee because he told her that his favourite band was Chase Atlantic...While Alexander could not understand how his sister could be so...oblivious.
"Clementine shut up!" Louis shouted out, it wasn't because he minded his birthday or simply didn't want Alexa to know, he thought Alexa was cool, but it was just the fact that all of that attention, this once in a year day just dedicated to him and his existence wasn't something he liked to showcase so much...he was just one year older, right?
"Wow...happy birthday man...you know what let me get this for you, on the house" Alexa was surprised by Clementine's words. The two were never really friends. They followed each other on instagram, from time to time replied to each other's stories and had friendly encounters at the coffee shop, but that would be right about it...however that didn't stop Alexa from doing this. She did find him cool as well and hey...everybody loves free coffee...while Clementine who was in the background could not stop grinning, already planning wedding seating arrangements.
"There's no need for that, really" Louis said as he took the money out of his denim jacket, trying to push it across the counter, but Alexa refused to take it, shaking her head
"Don't be silly, it's your birthday, plus you're like my favourite customer"
"Well, if you insist" Louis blushed a bit, taking back the money and placing it in his jacket pocket. All while making sure to leave a 10 dollar tip for Alexa, who playfully rolled her eyes, pretending to take his order, even though she knew exactly what he was going to order. Louis noticed, laughing a bit to himself, however not stopping the fun game.
"Cold brew, half/half?"
"Yeah...that could work"
"Excellent choice..I'll call you when it's ready"Alexa said as she wrote it down on her note, laughing down at the pad before going off to make it.
"Yeah...thanks" Louis awkwardly called out, not seeing how hard Alexander facepalmed at this whole interaction...it was really hard.
"Clementine!" Louis shouted out as he approached the twins, Alexander holding in his laughter, while Clementine sat across from him, acting as she was the most innocent person in the world...or at least this coffee shop. She gave him that perfect little smile followed with a fake questioning look, even though all of them knew way to well what was going on.
"What are you talking about my dearest friend?"
"Oh, just the fact that my best friend was...what the hell was that back there?" Louis shouted out, a bit louder as two tables turned around to see what was going on only to turn back around and continue on with their day. Louis sighed, crossing his arms, eyes of the two boys on Clementine trying to see what smart thing she was going to come up with.
"Oh what, I see how you look at her, why not help you out a bit? Stir the ship into the right direction" Clementine huffed, obviously quitting on the "I have no idea what is going on game", while Louis and Alexander exchanged a look. This time Alexander not being able to hold in his laughter, while Louis turned around, ready to defend his honor.
He just couldn't understand how Clementine saw him and Alexa as something more...I mean sure, she was a nice girl, she treated him kindness and had a great music taste...but still...Louis couldn't picture it...there...there was something missing in her eyes.
"Clementine...how many times have I told you-"
"Grande cappuccino for Harry" Alexa called out, grabbing attention of the freshly turned 18 year old, who started looking around the coffee shop, as if he was trying to find something or more like somebody...could it possibly be?
"Hold on a second" Louis said, not even looking back at his friends or waiting for them to respond rather just walking of in the direction of Alexa's voice, causing the duo to exchanged a look, before jumping out of their seats, carefully observing their best friend, trying to figure out what was going through the boy's head.
"Hey" the boy approached the counter, ready to take out the wallet and pay for the cup of coffee that Alexa held, while the girl just smiled at him, checking the price
"Here is your order...that would be 4.30"
"Thank you...here you-" Harry smiled, ready to hand the girl money, when Louis waved, grabbing Alexa's attention, as he simply called.
"Hey Alexa, that one is on me"
"Hey stranger" Harry turned around, honestly confused on what was going on and why some random person wanted to buy him coffee, but that is when he saw the familiar caramel brown fringe. He could not help, but smile at himself, before rolling his eyes a bit.
"Hey Harry" Louis said as he approached his favourite street artist...this wonderful curly haired boy going around city in the hopes of finding and capturing beauty. In all honesty Louis could not stop thinking about the day they've met, how does stuff like that happen to people?
Was it like how Vincent and Lennon told him, was it fate that they have met...bullshit...there is no such thing as fate, there is life and how you choose to act with it...or at least that is how Louis saw it.
It has been a week since it and he still could not help but wonder, would they ever run into each other again?
Looks like somebody's birthday wish came true.
"You really didn't have to" Harry said as he was ready to take out his wallet. Louis grabbing his hand and pushing it back, this dorky grin now covering his face, while Harry sighed, raising his hands in surrender.
"And not get coffee for my favourite photographer...especially after our respectful of law shoot"
"So what brings you around this neighborhood?" Louis asked as he played with the edge of his denim jacket, a habit of his that his friends earlier caught on. They knew he only did this when he was nervous...like really nervous...but you needed to know, that Louis was rarely nervous or at least his was good at hiding it.
Alexander and Clementine noticed, both gasping in shock, before daring to take a step further towards the two...they now need to know what was going on.
"Adventure, thrills and to be quite boring...this is my favourite coffee shop" Harry stated out, looking down at his cup of coffee, before taking a sip while Louis tilted his head a bit. He observed the younger boy in front of him, simply not pleased with the given answer
"I could never picture you as the boring type"
"You don't say...and how do you picture me?" Harry choked on his coffee a bit, before placing it down, giving Louis a curious smile, as he simply dared to ask this question.
"Hey, sorry to bother you, but your mom and dad called to tell you that they'll meet you at 8pm for your birthday dinner" Clementine said as she approached the two, while Alexander facepalmed, seriously, how oblivious could this girl be.
However Clementine took this as a moment to observe the two, especially this new and mysterious boy that was talking to her best friend. Who was obviously making him nervous...way too nervous judging by the poor jacket that was Louis currently grabbing on way too hard.
"Yeah, great, I'll call them back" Louis blurred out, as if he was trying to end this conversation as fast as possible, so he could go back to giving his attention to the boy that was in front of him, I mean...you can't blame a boy for trying...
"It's your birthday?" Harry asked, surprised by the new revelation while Louis once again wished that Clementine could stay silent, just for five minutes, was it so hard?
"Yeah, I guess it is" Louis said as he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, while Harry's smile widened, causing Louis to smile as well.
"Happy birthday..."
"I just realised I never caught your name" Harry said, both of them exchanging a look as that realization hit them. It was true, in all of the rush and haze of that day, Louis managed to catch his name, but he never told him his
"It's because I didn't throw it"
"Dad humour, I see" Harry tried to stay serious, but could not help but laugh at this very bad dad joke, something about the excitement that Louis held when he blurred it out, made him want to laugh a bit.
"Got to break the ice" Louis stated, playfully winking at him, which lead to a moment of silence before the two of them bursted into a fit of laughter ,causing a few people that were looking to smile too, Clementine and Alexander being some.
"Oh...it think it was already broken" Harry stated, at this point a smile could not leave his face and Louis did not mind it one bit, in fact, he liked being a reason why the boy smiled and wouldn't mind doing that forever...forever, huh?
"Also my name is Louis" Louis said, feeling as if it was really his turn to introduce himself.
"Louis, it's a pleasure to properly meet you" Harry said as he placed his hand out, making Louis look between the boy and the hand, a smile curling out.
"No, the pleasure is all..." Louis was about to say, when just like that, he started coughing and it wasn't a little cough where you have something stuck in your throat or when a teacher is trying to grab students attention. This one was pretty bad, it seemed as if Louis was having trouble coming back to himself, gasping for air as if he had been underwater all this time.
"Hey, hey...are you okay?" Harry said as he grabbed onto the boy, trying to help in anyway he could really and to be honest...it was scary, his heart practically stopped at the sight of it.
"Yeah, yeah...just a bit sick...the weather and all" Louis said as he finally got to himself, trying to give Harry a reassuring smile, only to notice something on his arm...blood.
"Louis, are you sure? Can I get you a glass of water or call your friends?" Harry's voice was filled with worry and Louis hated it. He hated that he made this boy who he had just met worry like this. He hated that he did it to his friends, to his family...
"Alexa, a napkin please" Louis said and Alexa gave him a sympathetic smile, before she nodded her head, handing him the requested napkin.
"Here you go Louis"
"I am fine, I really am, I just need to get some air. Can you maybe take this coffee to my friends, I'll be right back" Louis said, his eyes pleading for Harry to just listen without asking more questions, which he did, nodding while Louis smiled lightly, going straight out off the coffee shop.
...
"Sometimes your complete obliviousness surprises me" Alexander said as he took a sip of his coffee. His eyes still on the two boys that were talking, it made him happy seeing his best friend like that.
"What are you talking about?" Clementine asked, not understanding what her brother was implying, but she tried following where his attention went to in the hopes of figuring and that is when she saw it.
"Look at him...has he ever been this excited to talk to a girl before" Alexander simply stated, as if it was the most ordinary thing to say to somebody, like greeting a friend on the street or asking you grandparents how their day was. The expression on his face softened when he looked back at the two and then at his sister, who was looking down at her coffee, playing with the metal straw in the cup.
"I...just thought after everything he's been through he just wanted to close that chapter"
"He's just scared...scared of hurting-" Alexander tried, but ended up being cut off by a boy that was standing in front of his sister and him...it wasn't Louis...hello Harry.
"Hey...sorry to bother you, but Louis asked me to bring this to your table"
"Where did he-" Alexander was about to ask, a bit of panic ready to take over him, while Clementine cut him of, this huge peachy smile covered her face as she placed a hand in front of Harry...oh boy.
"Clementine...pleasure to meet you...now that we're talking..."