GAP year |l.s

16. butterflies and first dates

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Louis woke up the next morning with a nervous energy buzzing through him. He had his first full day at the Opera House, and despite the excitement from last night, there was a tiny voice in the back of his mind that whispered doubts. What if yesterday had been a fluke? What if he couldn't keep up with the others? What if he tripped and fell flat on his face?

But then he remembered Harry's words, the way he'd looked at him, like Louis was the most brilliant thing in the world. And that gave him the confidence he needed.

By the time he arrived at the Opera House, he was ready to take on the world. Claire greeted him with a warm smile, clearly pleased to see him back.

"Good to see you again, Louis. Ready for your first full day?" she asked, her tone both encouraging and a little teasing.

"Absolutely," Louis replied, trying to sound as confident as possible.

The day was intense. The team moved through rigorous exercises and complex routines that pushed Louis to his limits, but he thrived under the pressure. There was something exhilarating about dancing alongside such talented individuals, each of them driven by the same passion for ballet.

During a break, Louis found himself chatting with a few of the other dancers. They were curious about his background, especially when they learned he was from London.

"So, you used to dance at that fancy school in London?" one of the dancers, a tall girl named Amélie, asked, her French accent thick and charming.

Louis nodded, taking a sip of water. "Yeah, the Royal Ballet School. It was intense, but I loved it."

"That explains why you're so good," another dancer, Julien, chimed in. "We don't usually see newcomers with your level of skill."

Louis blushed at the compliment, but before he could respond, Claire clapped her hands, calling everyone back to the studio.

The rest of the day flew by, a blur of music, movement, and a deepening sense of belonging. By the time they wrapped up for the day, Louis was exhausted but exhilarated. As the other dancers left, Claire approached him with a smile.

"You did great today, Louis. I can see you're going to be a valuable addition to the team."

"Thank you, Claire," Louis replied, beaming. "It means a lot to hear that."

As he was packing up to leave, he checked his phone and found a message from Harry.

**Harry**: *Hey, love. How was your first full day? Want to grab dinner tonight?*

Louis couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. He quickly typed out a reply.

**Louis**: *Exhausting but amazing. Dinner sounds perfect. Where should we go?*

**Harry**: *I've got a place in mind. Meet me at the hotel in an hour?*

**Louis**: *Can't wait. See you then!*

With that, Louis finished packing up and headed back to the hotel. He felt a mix of excitement and nerves bubbling up inside him. This was technically their first official date, and Louis wanted everything to be perfect.

He spent a little extra time getting ready, choosing an outfit that was casual but still showed he'd put in some effort. He checked his reflection in the mirror, running a hand through his hair to make sure it looked just the right amount of messy.

When he was satisfied, he headed down to the lobby, where he found Harry waiting for him. Harry looked effortlessly handsome in a fitted shirt and jeans, his curls framing his face perfectly.