but the wait will be worth it

chapter forty five

January 4th, 2011
About two years ago

Our little tradition of taking night walks started around New Years, when the city had fallen asleep.

I was sitting on the couch in our hotel room, and Louis was laying across my lap with only his grey and plaid pajama pants on. It was around nine at night when Louis sat up randomly, rising off of me like he had just forgotten something. With a blatant 'I'm cold' he sat up and rushed into the other room.

We had moved out of The X Factor house a few months ago, leaving me and the rest of the boys to check out hotel rooms every single night instead of actually buying a house. The band was going places, our label said, but I didn't quite have the money yet to buy my own place. I couldn't move back with my mum, as it was too far to travel to London.

So, I had just been staying in my own hotel room, Louis down the hall. Although, he was always in my bed at night anyways. Liam had gone out and bought a place, but Zayn and Liam remained in our hotel, a few floors up. It was nice being independent for once.

Bringing my hand near my mouth, I chewed slightly at my fingernail while trying to hold back a smile. He waddled back in wearing like three jackets, a beanie, and still, his pajama pants.

"What's with all the coats?" I giggled. Louis came over to the couch with a grin as he took my hand and pulled me up.

"We're going out," he said, smirk on his face.

I shot an eyebrow up. "To where?"

It wasn't long before Louis was sitting on my lap again, with a gentle hand around my waist and the other slipped into my shirt on the small of my back. Placing his face to mine, he grinned in between kisses while moving at my lips.

After a few minutes, Louis pulled back but kept his face only inches from mine. He gave a fake pout, staring at my face and running his eyes up and down it. When he wouldn't lose eye contact, I burst out laughing and Louis pursed his lips trying desperately not to.

His eyes lit up when I kissed him one more time, before pressing my forehead back to his with a giggle.

"So, where are we going?" I mumbled with a smile. Louis bit his lip before tightening his grip around my waist. Hopping up, he pulled me with him and began to walk us to the door.

"For a walk," he grinned and grabbed a beanie from the hat rack. Louis pulled it over my head, and began finding tuffs of hair to stick out of my hat. 'Show some curls,' he would say.

"Lou, it's almost ten," I groaned as he got a long sleeved shirt and brown coat from the closet. I rolled my eyes as Louis tugged the shirt over my head. He gave me a light kiss on the cheek before setting the coat around my shoulders.

"There's snow. We're going," he said while dragging me out the door.

We drove into the city, endless blankets of snow patching up the ground along the sidewalks and on top of all the stores. Icicles hung from trees, as their branches were lightly sprinkled with winter snowflakes. Lights hung across the rooftops of the small buildings, crossing over to the opposite side. It was beautiful.

I gazed out of the window before pulling into a parking spot along the road.

"We don't come here as often as we should," I said, astonished, while getting out of the car. It was pitch black outside, as no one roamed the streets and all of the shops had closed up about an hour ago. London wasn't a very 'up all night' city this time of the year.