the night we met, louis partridge

January 6th, 2018

Louis disliked winter. It was as simple as that.

The cold and frosty air around him was dreadful, and the pattering rain that was all too frequent made it all too dim. Of course, the rain wasn't scarce any other time of year–he did live in London, after all–but it seemed like a valid point in his argument.

The only thing that seemed to partially make up for any darkness that blanketed the city was the bright lights illuminating the sky. It was an illusion–a trick to mask winter's true cruelty and tenebrosity. That was why he preferred summer and all the warmth that dripped from each and every corner of it.

Despite his blatant dislike for winter, Louis found himself skating amidst the coldness. He should have been compelled to stay indoors, where the fireplace was lit up and the euphonious hum of Christmas music still floated through the air. Strangely, however, Louis felt the urge to wander through the city for a breath of crisp air.

The wheels of his skateboard rolled over the damp roads, and his brown eyes swayed across the landscape of his hometown. Parts of the city seemed boisterous, with loud parades of chatter and angry honks of vehicles, but the little area he'd found himself in was filled with serene quietude. Louis almost wished he'd found this part of town earlier.

For a few minutes, it remained that way. There were faint echoes of youthful people enjoying a night out with their friends, their laughter fading into the background, and that seemed to be it.

It wasn't until he crossed a road, the River Thames making itself known with the soft crashing of its frigid waters hitting the peripheries, did a flicker of interest ignite within him. Louis nearly laughed at himself for how boyish he seemed.

A girl, her dark blonde hair flapping through the breeze, sat on the railing that lined the river. Her back was angled at him, but he came to a gradual halt, fixated on the girl whose face was still a mystery. He was almost certain she was staring at the dark sky. Somewhere, up high, stars twinkled and the moon shone, but down there, they were obscured by the veil of smog.

Louis almost wanted to go up and ask her what she found fascinating about the clouded sky, but a part of his mind told him to leave her be. The girl didn't look like she wanted to be disturbed. So, he continued skating, glancing over his shoulder briefly until he spotted how close she was to tipping over the edge and falling into the river.

Inhaling deeply, he hopped off his skateboard, popping it into the air and gripped the board. His steps were slow and cautious, and with each closing distance, he captured a better look of the girl.

She didn't seem that much older than him. She had violet crescent moons that hung lowly from her eyes and her sickly pale complexion shimmered under whatever light the river reflected. Her plump lips were cracked and dry, not uncommon for winter, and her body was nearly swallowed up by her black puffer jacket.

A cloud of wistful and morose air orbited her like Earth did the Sun. Louis could feel it radiating off of her.

"Er–" Louis stammered, breaking the peaceful reticence, "excuse me."

His voice sent a jolt of shock through the girl. She flinched from her spot with a squeak, and Louis panicked. His eyes widened as he dropped his skateboard. His stiff fingers curled around the sleeves of her jacket, and he tugged her back onto stable ground.

The girl wasted little time once her feet had touched the ground. She detached herself from Louis' grip, stumbling away until she found her footing. She stared wide-eyed at the boy who seemingly snuck up on her as laboured breaths heaved through her lungs. Her hand clutched her chest.