𝓣𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐌𝐎𝐊𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐔𝐒, ˡᵒᵘⁱˢ ᵗᵒᵐˡⁱˢᵒⁿ

𝐗𝐗. 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓 𝐒𝐎𝐅𝐓𝐈𝐄

louis' pov

the night had been one of the best in a long time. as the four of us squeezed into the backseat of the uber, the excitement still buzzed in the air.

imogen sat next to me, her eyes sparkling, and i could still feel the warmth of her hand on my arm from earlier. i stole a glance at her as she chatted animatedly with phoebe and dais, her enthusiasm infectious. it was hard not to smile.

"so, imogen," phoebe began, her voice teasing. "what did you think of our boy louis here?"

i rolled my eyes, feeling a flush creeping up my neck. "oh, come on, not this again," i muttered, but a small part of me was curious about what imogen would say.

"he was a lot of fun," she replied, her smile radiant. "who knew he could actually smile?"

"look at that, you made him blush!" dais exclaimed, her tone playful as she elbowed me in the ribs.

"shut up!" i shot back, trying to sound annoyed, but i could feel my defenses crumbling. "i'm not blushing."

imogen giggled, her laughter like music to my ears. "you're adorable when you're flustered, you know that?"

"adorable?" i repeated, incredulous. "i'm a rock star, not a bloody teddy bear!"

"sure, a rock star with a soft spot for sunshine," phoebe quipped, and i shot her a glare that only made her laugh harder.

"you're all ridiculous," i muttered, crossing my arms over my chest defensively, but inside, i couldn't deny how much i enjoyed the banter.

the uber glided through the streets, the city lights blurring past us. imogen leaned against the window, a soft smile playing on her lips as she stared outside. she seemed lost in thought, and i found myself studying her features—the way her hair fell softly over her shoulder, the little freckles on her nose, and the way her lips curled slightly, as if she was savoring some private joke.

"what are you thinking about?" i asked, genuinely curious.

"just how much fun tonight was," she replied, turning her gaze back to me. her eyes sparkled, and for a moment, it felt like we were the only two people in the world.

"yeah? even with the circus over here?" i gestured toward phoebe and dais, who were pretending to play air guitars and sing at the top of their lungs.

"absolutely!" imogen said, her voice bright. "i love how you all are just so... real. it's refreshing."

"real?" i raised an eyebrow. "is that what you call us? a bunch of idiots?"

"you say that like it's a bad thing," she shot back, a playful smirk on her face.

"trust me, it's not," i said, unable to keep the smile off my face.

the uber pulled up in front of her apartment, and the driver announced that we had arrived. i felt a pang of disappointment—i didn't want the night to end.

"thanks for the ride!" imogen said, unbuckling her seatbelt and leaning forward to thank the driver. as she turned back to us, her smile lit up the dimly lit car. "this was so much fun, guys! let's do it again soon."

"definitely!" phoebe agreed, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "we'll plan something. maybe a proper girls' night? you're part of the crew now, imogen!"

"i'd love that!" imogen beamed, and my heart did a little flip.

we all climbed out of the car, and as imogen turned to say goodbye, i felt a surge of courage. "hey, imogen," i called out, "thanks for tonight. really."

she paused, her gaze meeting mine, and for a moment, it felt like the world around us faded away. "thank you, louis. it was really special."

just as i opened my mouth to say more, phoebe and dais broke in, wiggling their eyebrows. "ooooh, louis just thanked you! someone's in trouble!" dais sang, her tone dripping with playful mockery.

"shut up! it's not like that!" i retorted, my cheeks heating again. "i'm just being polite, alright?"

"sure, whatever you say," phoebe teased, nudging me with her elbow. "you've got it bad, don't you?"

"what? no! she's just—she's nice, okay?"

"you're saying it like you've got a crush or something," dais chimed in, clearly enjoying this way too much.

"i do not have a crush! for fuck's sake!" i exclaimed, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "she's just... different."

"different how?" phoebe pressed, leaning closer as if she were genuinely intrigued.

"like, she's just... she's not like the others, alright?" i tried to explain, but it felt like a losing battle. "she doesn't care about the fame or the drama. she's just real."

"is that code for 'he's definitely into her'?" dais said with a knowing grin.

"no! it's just—she's pretty! end of story!" i insisted, feeling my frustration bubble over. "can't a guy just appreciate someone without it being some big romantic deal?"

"well, the way you were looking at her, it definitely seemed like there was something," phoebe remarked, crossing her arms and smirking.

"you lot are impossible," i grumbled, turning away to hide the smile tugging at my lips. "just because i'm not a complete arsehole doesn't mean i'm in love or anything."

"oh, come on, louis!" dais laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "we know you're a big softie. admit it—you like her."

"maybe," i said, rolling my eyes but unable to suppress the grin that broke through.

"look, if you do, just don't fuck it up. she's too sweet for that," phoebe advised, her tone suddenly serious.

"i know that!" i snapped, feeling a rush of protectiveness. "that's why i'm trying to figure this out."

"just don't overthink it," dais added, patting my shoulder. "you might end up missing out on something amazing."

"yeah, yeah," i replied, brushing them off, but deep down, their words resonated with me.

after a few more minutes of teasing, we finally said our goodbyes to imogen as she waved and disappeared into her building.

as the uber pulled away, the excitement in the air faded into a comfortable silence. the warmth from the night lingered in my chest, and i couldn't help but think about how much i looked forward to seeing her again.

"so, what's the plan for next time?" phoebe asked, her tone suddenly serious.

"i don't know," i admitted, running a hand through my hair. "i think i might just ask her to come by the studio. show her some of the new stuff we're working on. she's an artist, after all."

"ooooh, that's actually a good idea!" dais exclaimed. "but make sure you don't just show her your music. you need to make her feel special!"

"i'll figure it out," i replied, my mind racing with possibilities. but deep down, i knew one thing: imogen was more than just a passing interest. there was something about her that drew me in, something that made me want to be better.

as we drove through the city, my thoughts kept drifting back to her. the way she laughed, the way she spoke, her kindness—it all wrapped around me like a warm blanket. maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something incredible.

"you alright?" phoebe asked, glancing over at me.

"yeah," i said, a soft smile breaking through. "just thinking."

"about imogen?" dais teased, nudging me again.

"shut up," i replied, but i couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. maybe it wasn't so bad to have someone like her in my life.

the ride continued in comfortable banter, but my mind was already racing ahead to the next time i'd see her. how could i make that moment special? because i had a feeling that whatever happened next would change everything.