Truly Madly Deeply

Chapter 5: Late Arrivals and Warm Hugs

Savannah Sellers was not in the mood to wait.

Standing at the train station, she checked the time on her phone for the third time in the last ten minutes. Louis had promised he'd be there to pick her up. And yet, here she was, standing on the curb with her suitcase beside her, earbuds in, her mind more focused on anything but the fact that Louis was late.

She had her headphones plugged in, listening to Marigolds by Raynes, her personal anthem of the moment. It was an eerie blend of melancholy and optimism that was surprisingly fitting for the situation—her life was about to get a whole lot crazier, and there was no going back now. She wasn't even sure what she was walking into, but one thing she did know for certain—this was going to be one wild ride. And Louis was going to be at the center of it all.

Still, the nerve of him. Late? She'd been texting him since she got off the train, practically screaming into her phone, and yet, nothing.

Her fingers hovered over the screen as she composed her third message to him in the last 15 minutes.

Savannah:
Oi, Tomlinson, are you trying to make me wait here all day? I'm about to start walking back to Doncaster if you don't hurry the hell up.

She hit send, tapping her foot impatiently as she scrolled through her playlist. She wasn't in the mood for this nonsense. Not when she was about to dive headfirst into the madness of Louis's new rockstar life.

Ten minutes passed. No Louis.

Fifteen minutes later, Savannah had put her phone in her pocket and was seriously contemplating walking toward the nearest taxi rank when, finally, a black car came screeching into the car park. The screeching tires made her cringe. The driver didn't even slow down before parking, and she knew—without a doubt—that it was him.

The window rolled down with a slow, deliberate motion, and there he was: Louis bloody Tomlinson, wearing those obnoxious sunglasses that only he could get away with and flashing that ridiculously cocky grin she hated and adored in equal measure.

"Sorry I'm late, love. Had to make my entrance," he said, already slinging himself out of the car with the grace of a diva and heading straight for her.

Savannah couldn't hold back the eye roll. Of course, he had to make an entrance.

She had been standing there for over 20 minutes, and there he was, looking like he hadn't just kept her waiting like a fool. He was dressed in his usual rockstar attire—faded denim jacket, ripped jeans, and a t-shirt with some obscure band logo. He looked fresh, as always.

"You're ten minutes late, Tomlinson. Ten. And you think that's 'making an entrance'?" Savannah's voice was laced with sarcasm as she threw him a look that could kill.

Louis just shrugged, an innocent expression crossing his face like he was a bloody angel. "What can I say? The fans were literally throwing themselves at me, love. I couldn't help it."

Savannah crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "You should've just sent one of the other lads, you know. I could've done with a bit of peace while I waited."

Louis ignored her and approached with the swagger only he could pull off. As he got closer, he spread his arms wide, ready for their usual greeting. "Miss me, Sav?"

"Oh, yeah. Definitely missed you," she deadpanned, stepping forward and giving him a quick hug, followed by a well-placed slap on the arm. "I'm about to start charging you for the waiting time, Tomlinson. This is exactly why I shouldn't have agreed to this madness. You've already got me standing in a bloody car park like an idiot."

Louis rubbed his arm, dramatically wincing. "Alright, alright. No need to get violent, babe. I'm here now, so let's make this official." He opened the car door for her with a flourish. "Welcome to the Louis Tomlinson Experience, as I'm sure you've heard it called."

Savannah snorted, shaking her head. "Yeah, I've heard plenty. That rockstar attitude you've got going on? That shit better be left at the door, or I swear I'll make you regret it."

Louis shot her a wink, that cocky grin never leaving his face. "Relax, Sellers. I'm still the same bloke from Doncaster. Just with a lot more people screaming my name."

Savannah raised an eyebrow as she tossed her suitcase in the trunk of the car. "Right. So, this is where you say, 'it's not that big of a deal, I'm still the same guy.'"

Louis chuckled and slammed the trunk closed. "Nah. I am a big deal now. You just gotta get used to it." He grinned again. "Now, let's get you settled in, yeah? I've got a whole tour to show you. And no more waiting around for you. I promise—this time, I'll be the one keeping you on your toes."

Savannah rolled her eyes but grinned nonetheless. "I'll believe it when I see it, Tomlinson. And if you're late again, I'll call the lads to pick me up, and you can go suck up to your fans for a while."

Louis shook his head, laughing. "You know me too well."

As she slid into the car and buckled her seatbelt, Savannah let out a sigh, already feeling the chaos coming. Louis's energy was a force all on its own, and now she was diving right back into it. They were both from Doncaster, both raised in the same small-town madness, but things had clearly shifted.

This wasn't just Louis, her best mate. This was Louis, the superstar. And for better or worse, Savannah was about to join him on this whirlwind of madness.

"Alright, Tomlinson," she said, glancing at him as he got into the driver's seat. "Let's see what this 'rockstar life' is all about. Just don't make me regret it."

Louis gave her an exaggerated look of innocence as he started the engine, his hand easily gripping the wheel. "Don't worry, love. You're in for the ride of your life."

"Oh, I'm sure," she replied dryly. "Just as long as you don't wake me up at 3 AM again, we'll be fine."

Louis shot her a side glance, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You'll love it, I promise. And if I wake you up at 3 AM, it'll be because I'm announcing that I'm finally the superstar you always knew I was."

Savannah threw him a mock glare. "I already knew you were a pain in the ass. Now it's just a bigger stage for you to show it off."

Louis laughed, and Savannah couldn't help but smile despite herself. She'd known him since they were kids—before the fame, before the screaming girls, and before the world knew his name. This was just Louis in his natural habitat. And somehow, despite all the changes, he was still the same.

The drive to the tour bus was filled with endless chatter—mostly from Louis, of course—but Savannah didn't mind. She could already tell, even before they got there, that this was going to be an adventure.

And, as much as she hated to admit it, she was ready for it.

But she wasn't going to make it easy on him. Not by a long shot. Louis Tomlinson had a massive ego, and someone had to keep it in check.

And Savannah Sellers? Well, she was just the woman for the job.