Standing backstage at his concert, I could barely keep my heart from racing. I watched as Louis moved across the stage, captivating the audience with every note and gesture. The crowd hung on his every word, and I found myself mesmerized, unable to tear my eyes away. I'd be lying if I said this didn't feel like where I belonged, like somehow, being here with him felt right.
Between songs, Louis came backstage, his face flushed, eyes wide with the energy of the performance. He took a sip from his glass, mixing something into his whiskey. My heart twisted at the sight, but before I could say anything, he kissed me, pulling me into his world again.
"Thanks for coming," he whispered, his lips brushing my cheek before he turned back to the stage. As he walked out, the crowd erupted, and then his voice cut through the noise, raw and intimate.
He sang a song that felt like it was meant for me:
"There you are, like a shadow in the light, Hidden from the world, but burning so bright. I see the cracks, the pieces you hide, And I'd break them all open, if you'd let me inside.
Oh, you've been unheard, the quiet, unseen, But here with me, love, you're finally seen. I'll sing you out loud, I'll hold you so near,
'Til the weight you carry just disappears."
Each word wrapped around me, filling the cracks inside that I thought would always be empty. The way he looked at me while singing...it was like he could see every hidden part of me, and for the first time, I wasn't afraid.
After the concert, we slipped into his car, and the tension between us was electric. The moment the doors closed, we started kissing, desperate and hungry. His hands moved to lift my shirt, but I pulled back, breathless, my heart pounding.
"Louis," I whispered. "I'm not ready...for that."
He paused, his gaze softening, and then he pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. "That's okay. I'd wait forever if I had to."
The driver dropped me off at home, and Louis followed me inside, taking in the details of my small, cluttered world with curiosity. I went to feed my cat, and when I returned, I saw him flipping through a notebook I'd left on the coffee table, reading the lyrics and poems I had scrawled in the margins.
"What is this?" he murmured, a playful grin on his face. He read aloud:
"You stole my voice, buried it deep,
Made me afraid, afraid to speak.
But here I stand, finding my sound, Breaking the chains, unbound."
I felt my cheeks flush. I hadn't intended for anyone to read those words, especially him.
Louis found my old piano in the corner and sat down, picking out the chords to my song, playing it all wrong but not caring. I couldn't help myself; I went over, correcting him. He smirked, that mischievous look that told me he'd done it on purpose. And before I knew it, I was sitting in his lap, his arms wrapped around me as he kissed me deeply, as if we were the only two people in the world.
We stayed like that, caught in each other's arms, just breathing. Finally, we stood to go to bed when something slipped out of his pocket and fell onto the carpet. I picked it up, frowning.
"What's this?" I asked, holding up the small packet.
Louis gave me a lopsided smile. "You've never smoked before?"
"No." I laughed, a bit uncertain.
"Want to try?" he asked, eyes glinting.
I hesitated, then nodded, curiosity getting the better of me. As we passed the joint back and forth, the room softened, and my usual guard started to melt away. We sat on the carpet, leaning back with our heads close, our legs stretched out in opposite directions. The silence was comfortable, and for once, I didn't feel like I had to fill it.
A thought bubbled up, one I hadn't spoken aloud in years, and before I could stop myself, I whispered, "I was abused when I was little."
Louis's head turned slightly, his gaze softened. "By who?"
"My uncle," I said, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. "It... it's not that I don't want to be with you. I'm just... scared."
He reached out, taking my hand, his fingers warm and comforting around mine. "There's no rush, Isabelle. I'm not going anywhere, and we'll only go as far as you're ready for."
I nodded, feeling a warmth spread through me that had nothing to do with the weed. We leaned toward each other, our lips meeting in a kiss that was slow, gentle, and intense all at once. It grew more heated, and I felt my heart racing as our hands tangled in each other's hair, our breaths coming fast. Eventually, we broke apart, still holding each other, and fell asleep on the carpet, our bodies entwined, the past quiet for once, held back by the warmth of his arms around me.
