Under Coloured Trees || Larry Stylinson

11

He's been leafing through the pages of the book for a few minutes, reading a few of the notes in the margins, some of the parts marked by post-its. He opens it at the beginning and starts reading the first page, it's the preface. Now some people like to always skip this part and get to the actual story. But Louis doesn't. In his humble opinion, when you read a book, you need to read the whole thing. Every page, every word counts. If you are interested enough to read the story, you are interested enough to read what the author has to say at the beginning or end. You never know what you might find.

He reads through the preface until a particular sentence catches his eye.

Perhaps it is no coincidence that you're holding this book; perhaps there's something about these adventures that you came here to remember.

Louis reads it over and over again. He reads it and rereads it. From left to right, from right to left. He turns the book around and reads it upside down. But it doesn't matter what he does, he can't figure out the feeling that quote has awakened in him. But it itches. It tickles his brain and his insides and his chest, especially his chest. Because he doesn't agree. He doesn't want to remember anything. He didn't come here to remember, he came here to forget.

He finally chooses to ignore it and turns the page to the first chapter.

And that's when his phone rings.

He is still so confused about the magical -maybe not so magical- appearance of this mystery book that he answers without even looking at the caller ID.

"Yeah?"

"Tommo!! Mate! Did you arrive?" an Irish voice yells in his ear so hard Louis has to get the phone away from his face for a second. He suspects Niall wants to go to some New Year's party or something. And Louis is honestly not in the mood. He's tired and sweaty from the trip. And sad. He's in all honesty very sad and he just wants to shower and lie in bed and be miserable. 

And maybe read the book.

"Ermm... Why do you ask?" Louis asks tentatively. If he says that he's already in his room, Niall will drag him with him to the end of the world and he can't allow that right now.

"Because there is this sick party one of the drama guys is throwing for New Year and I want to go so bad and you're coming with me" Niall answers confirming Louis' suspicions. Called it.

"Oh. Well, I would love to but see, I haven't got there yet. I'm still on the bus, I don't think I'm going to make it in time" he says (and it sounds very convincing, he must say. Louis is going to give that point to himself) as he hears a knock in the door.

He goes to answer as Niall says "Oh, such a shame, mate. That blows"

"Oh, yes. I wish I could-" he stops himself as he opens the door to find Niall standing there, phone on his hear, the widest smile Louis has ever seen in his life spread across his face. Louis' eyes widen in surprise and embarrassment and the two boys keep staring at each other without lowering either of their phones.

"Nice try" Niall finally says, hanging up.

"I- How-" he starts.

"Oh, I know when someone is lying to me, I'm an expert" Niall steps into Louis' room as he embraces the boy, clapping his back. "Also, I knew you would try to get out of it so I may or may not have been hiding behind the rubbish bin at the door of the building until you arrived" he frees Louis from his hug and stares at him, smirking. Seriously, he was the one hiding behind a rubbish bin and he's still the one smirking? How does the world work? And why does it hate Louis?

"You have problems," Louis says giving the sunshine-haired boy a funny look. Niall only shrugs as his gaze falls in Louis' newly acquired book, which he's still holding. Niall's eyes widen slightly.