Stranded

Chapter 50: Revelations

Louis' POV

"To the spectators utter disappointment, famous cruise ship SS Destiny's comeback was just announced withheld because of a few safety issues it failed to comply with. The British government has demanded the cruise line to stop using the ship for the sake of cruisers, so as to stop it from putting people's lives at risk, as it did during the 2005 sea terror..."

My eyes were fixed on the telly, and so was Harry's. I was cooking us breakfast when I heard something about the cruise come up, making me rush into the living room at once. I found Harry there, scurrying to find the remote so he could turn the volume up.

"So no cruise?" He asks me, his eyes not leaving the TV coverage of the inspection of SS Destiny.

"Seems like it." I frowned. I do not exactly know what to feel about it, especially that owning the tickets alone brought us into a huge, life-changing mystery-- the dream.

Harry propped his feet up the couch, trying to get his mind off what he just watched. He switched the telly off and stared at me.

"You're dressed up." He said, raising an eyebrow. "Going somewhere?"

"Oh, yeah. Actually, I am kind of taking Rae somewhere." My cheeks blushed as I admitted my whereabout. Man, I think I'm whipped.

"You mean, like on a date?" The curly-haired lad speculated, but I could only answer him with a shrug.

"I'm not sure if I could really call it a date. What about you? Aren't you going to see Erin at the hospital?" I tried to brush off his nosiness by turning the conversation around.

"Perhaps later. They are discharging her in a bit." He smiled at me proudly.

"That's great news, mate!" I beamed. We went on and on in this conversation wherein we discussed how much the possession of a cruise ticket each has changed our lives, adding more people to add color to it until I decided it was time to go.

I rented the same van we used in the What Makes You Beautiful music video. I do know I could rent something fancier, like the car I used in Night Changes, but I'm afraid Rae might be intimidated.

One thing more, this van is symbolic. It symbolizes the start of everything-- her fangirling and our career as the biggest boy band in the planet.

The grin plastered on my face grew wider as I pulled over in front of Vicky's place. Rae was already standing in front of the door waiting for me. She looks gorgeous in her peach sundress. I turned off the engine and rushed out of the car at once to open the passenger door for her.

The ride was quite, but it was not awkward. She was smiling as she looked out the window as I was grinning whilst driving.

She doesn't know where we're headed, but she is not doubting anything at all. Seemingly, she trusts my sense of direction. She does not know me much for we haven't spent years together, but she looks rather confident of the little knowledge she has about me.

We arrived at a small, quiet lake a little after noon. I was planning to take her to a beach, but since summer is already almost over, I've decided to take her here instead.

We strolled, just the two of us occupying the vicinity. We talked about life. For all the right reasons, it felt perfect. I was not one to talk about life in the middle of the day with a girl I fancy, I'm an in the moment kind of person, but I didn't find it hard to open up to her.

She listened to me rant about how much my career took over my life in the click of Simon Cowell's fingers. I listened to her talk about how unfair it was to be dictated on what to do with her life. I learned from her, just as she learned from me, and I found myself falling for her deeper.