Unlike Lindy, Tatum doesn't start jumping around and screaming when I tell her about the date. Instead, she just shrugs her shoulders and smiles.
„I told you he'd call."
After the phonecall yesterday I immediately dialed Tatum's number, but she didn't pick up, so I quoted the whole conversation to Lindy first, who couldn't breathe for a minute, she was so excited.
So I called Tatum again this morning and she told me that she had fallen asleep and that she'd be right over in a minute, bringing croissants and coffee. And now we're sitting here on my balcony, talking about how I'm going to go on a date with the one and only Louis Tomlinson in about 5 hours.
„Do you know what you're going to wear yet?" Lindy asks.
„Actually, I do!" I picked out my outfit in my mind the minute I said yes to the date. Since I'm really insterested in fashion and I love clothes, those are kind of always on my mind. I decided to wear some cute and casual black jeans and a army green tank top. Really simple, yet cute.
„Are you excited?" Tatum wants to know. I'm surprised she's even interested in the whole story at all but I guess at the end of the day, having a friend that is going out with a huge star is something really exciting, even for Tatum Hastings.
„Duh, of course I am! But I try not to freak out over it. I want to be calm and cool, you know. He did chose me, after all, so I don't want to be another fan."
„Ohh he chose you!" Tatum laughs. „Someone's a little bit conceited."
I roll my eyes. „You know what I mean!"
Lindy sighs. „This is just too awesome! Our Eleanor is going out with Louis Tomlinson!"
„Yeah I think we got that part!" Tatum takes a bite of her croissant.
Lindy ignores her. „How do you think it's going to be? How is HE going to be? Charming and sweet, or like, cute and sassy...?"
„I have no idea." I really don't. I have no clue on what to expect from the date. If it even is a date. He did say he just wants to hang out. „But I guess I'll find out soon enough."
When I turn into Hudson street, my stomach is turning in a hundred different directions. I feel so anxious that I'm almost getting dizzy again. But I can't let this get to my head. He is just another guy, after all.
The problem is though, that I've never been really good with guys. I had 2 boyfriends in my life. One of them was Maxfield, I dated him when I was like fourteen and we were together for a month. Not even close to anything serious. And I got to know him well because he was my math tutor.
My other one was Jeremy, who I really, really liked. I started dating him three years ago and we were together for a very long time, almost two years. I did know him my whole life already, though. He went to all my previous schools and we had a bunch of classes together so I didn't have to worry about getting to know him or anything. I broke up with him though because I felt like I didn't like him anymore but he said that it was mutual.
I just never know what to say to guys that I like. I try to be all calm and cool, but also funny and bubbly as well and of course I want to seem sweet, cute and innocent but also mysterious and I just can't be all of that at the same time, so I just become this weird mixture that is not me at all and guys notice that.
But I really want Louis to like me. Not just because he's Louis Tomlinson, but because he did come up to me and made the first move, which doesn't happen a lot. For some reason, guys don't really like to hit on me. Tatum said that she thinks it's because I seem unreachable for guys. Coming from Tatum, this must be true since she's the queen of the unreachables.
The closer I get to the café, the more I concentrate on not freaking out, but it's not working. My head is going to all these different places and my heart is just running away. My knees are jell-o, which is horrible since I'm like bambi on my legs anyways. With every step that I take, I worry more about how he is not going to like me or how I'm just going to be a waste of his time.
I look at my watch. 3:02 – Hopefully he's already there, because if not, I feel like I might just turn around and leave, making a complete fool of myself. But then I reach the entrance door and with a deep breath, I enter the café. My heart feels like it's going to burst out of my body as I look around for him. There's actually a bunch of people in here so I don't spot him right away.
But there he is. And all of a sudden, all my nervousness and my worries disappear and I feel nothing but happy. He looks up when he sees me and waves, smiling from one ear to the other.
Is this really happening right now?
I make my way towards him and before I can even wonder about how I'm going to greet him, he gets up and opens his arms a little bit, a clear sign that he would be fine with a hug, so I gently wrap my arms around his shoulders. He smells so incredibly good. Like after shave, excitement and adventure, and, like I noticed the day before, like an Abercrombie and Fitch store.
„Hey", I manage to say when we pull away from each other.
„You look really pretty!" He tells me and I can tell that he means it. There is just something about the way he says it... And I can't help but smile. Just his company makes me feel so fuzzy insinde.
„Thank you. You look handsome as well", I say as we sit down at the table.
„Did you find it alright?" He asks.
„Yes. I've been here once or twice before, actually. It's a really nice café."
Louis nods. „Indeed it is." He leans forward. „So, Eleanor Calder... how was your day so far?"
Whenever he says my name I just want to turn into pudding. It sounds so beautiful. Which is freaky.
„Oh, you know..." I can't tell him that I was freaking out over the date all day long, talking to my friends about it and spending over an hour getting ready. „It's been quite boring, actually. My friend spent the night at my house yesterday, so we just cooked a little bit and talked and you know, the usual." This is indeed true.
„That sounds like fun. You should cook for me some time!" He sounds so cheeky and charming it should be illegal. I laugh.
„Eh, I'm not sure I'm a good cook. I just basically throw some things I think will taste good together into a bowl and do whatever with it." Can I sound any more stupid?
Louis grins. „I actually do the same thing when I attempt to cook."
I smile and get lost in his blue eyes again. They're so bright. I have always wanted to have blue eyes but instead, I got stuck with boring brown ones.
„So what did you do all day?"
He starts talking about how he had to get up early for a soundcheck and then he and the boys went to eat lunch, when he suddenly stops.
„Uh... you, eh, you do know about One Direction... don't you?" He sounds really uncomfortable when he says this and he looks it too.
I nod. „Yeah..." What am I supposed to say to that?
Louis starts biting his lip. „Because, you know... I mean I just assumed that you knew because you knew my last name at the store yesterday and well... but I don't want to sound conceited or arrogant, like you're supposed to know that I'm in the band or famous or anything..."
I don't think I have ever heard anything more adorable than him, usually being so confident and sassy, rambling on like a normal, shy boy.
„Oh it's, you know... it's alright. It's not like I'm here just because you're Louis Tomlinson, I really wanted to meet you." This is really true. I have been wondering about that all day, actually. Whether I was so excited to meet Louis Tomlinson from One Direction or Louis Tomlinson that bumped into me at Topshop and was really sweet. And it was the latter. Although him being in one of my favorite bands is really cool.
„I'm really happy to hear that." He gives me another one of his honest, bright smiles. „I really wanted to meet you as well. You seemed really likeable yesterday."
I raise an eyebrow. „Likeable? Well... thanks, I guess!" We laugh. „And I do appreciate you making up for knocking me over yesterday." I add.
Louis holds up his hands. „Knocking you over? I caught you just in time!" I know he's joking, so I choose to play along.
„If you wouldn't have bumped into me then you wouldn't have had to catch me", I conter.
„You should have just looked at your surroundings, woman!" He winks at me again. „Plus, if I wouldn't have bumped into you then I would have probably never started talking to you and asked you out on this date."
„This is a date?" I smirk.
Louis crosses his arms before his chest. „You know you want it to be, Miss."
I laugh and shrug my shoulders. „If that makes you happy, it shall be."
The waitress comes around and interupts our little argument. Louis orders a chocolate milkshake and I decide to go for an iced coffee.
„Coffe drinker?" Louis asks.
„Obsessively. You?"
Louis shrugs his shoulders. „Every now and then."
We continue just asking questions about each other, which is a lot of fun and I soon know more about him than I thought I would ever find out. He seems to be geniunely interested in getting to know me as a person and I most certainly want to find out more about him.
I tell him about my family, Tatum and Lindy, Stacie, about how I'm going to University, studying sociology and politics and a lot more. He talks a lot about his sisters and how much he misses them. Of course he talks about his life in the band as well, but he usually changes the topic quickly. I can tell he doesn't really like to talk about his life as a celebrity and I don't blame him. I'm much more interested in him and what he likes to do than in what it's like to be in One Direction.
The minutes literally fly by. It's so easy to talk to him, like he's an old friend that I haven't seen in a while. We talk, we laugh, we tease each other and crack jokes. Then, two girls come up to our table and ask him for a picture and an autograph. They can't be older than 10, and I love seeing Louis carrying a conversation with them. I can tell that he cares about his fans. One of the girls asks me if I could take the picture and of course I say yes. Before they leave, the other one leans towards me and tells me that I'm really pretty.
„Oh, thank you so much, honey. You two are beautiful as well!" I give her and her friend a hug and peer towards Louis to see his reaction and I can see him smile.
„Have a nice day and take care!" Louis tells them after they walk away, holding each others hands and whispering.
„How sweet!" I say. Louis nods in agreement.
We pick up our conversation were we left and soon, 6 o' clock rolls around. I didn't even realize that it's been getting so late. How is it possible that we talked for so long without it getting awkward or boring once?
„Do you need to get going?" Louis asks when he notices me looking at my watch.
„Sadly, yes. I told my friend that I would help her babysit her cousins." Actually, Tatum begged me to help her because she doesn't really know what to do with little kids and Lindy is at her grandparent's tonight.
„Well then I don't want to make you late" Louis says, smiling as always.
„I had so much fun today!" I tell him as we get up.
„Me too!" He scratches his head. „Uh, would you like me to walk you home?"
„I would love to!" I smile at him and he smiles back. It feels right to be here with him, exchanging looks that tell more than words. I like him, I really do.
After Louis pays, we leave the café and start walking back to my apartment, which is about ten minutes away.
„So, for how much longer will you be in town?" I ask him, because I have been wondering about that the whole time. Knowing how busy One Direction is, he will probably be leaving Manchester soon.
„Uh... I'm not exactly sure. Niall and Liam leave earlier to stop by their families before we leave for Sweden to work on our new album, and Harry is thinking about going to the beach for a few days to relax. Zayn and I will most likely spend about two more weeks here." He looks at me and for the first time, it's hard to interpret his glance. He almost looks like he's apologizing for something, maybe a little bit sad even.
„Oh, okay..." Him leaving in 2 weeks is most definitely not a nice thought, but it's not like I expected him to stay here in Manchester forever.
„But, you know, there are two more weeks... enough time to go on a second date, maybe?"
„So this really is a date?" I grin at him and he smirks back.
„Yes."
„Then, I would love to go on a second date with you, Louis." Just then, we reach the entrance to my apartment. „Here it is."
„How about you call me this time?" He asks, giving me another one of his smiles, but this time it's cheeky.
„I guess that'll work." I say. „So, I'll see you soon, then?"
Louis nods and before I realize what I'm doing, I wrap my arms around him and gently bury my face in his shoulder.
„Don't miss me too much", he teases as he strokes my back.
„Ohh believe me, I won't!" I slowly pull away from him and take another look into his stunningly, blue eyes.
„Good." Louis grins. „Take care, Eleanor Calder. I don't want you to get bumped into again."
„I'll give my best!" I assure him. „You take care too!"
Louis takes a few steps back. „I will. Have a nice night, honey."
„You too." I answer.
He turns around and starts walking away and I enter the door. As soon as I close it behind me, I gasp for air and run my fingers through my hair. I have to keep myself from screaming.
Is this really happening? Am I really falling for Louis Tomlinson?
