The Story of Us // L.S

Twenty.

Songs for this chapter are:

*Catch Fire // 5 Seconds of Summer

*Therapy // All Time Low

*Begin Again // Taylor Swift

*

The cool metal of my phone began to get sweaty as I gripped it tightly in my palm. I re-read Louis' message again to make sure I was at the right place. He'd asked me - well, Isobel - to meet him at a small café on the outskirts of town. My eyes scanned the road I was parked on, taking in the sights of the small shops lined up and the café tucked away at the corner. It was a mild day, no wind to disrupt the trees which dotted the road and it made me uncomfortable. 

Taking one last deep breath I shut my phone down and climbed out of my car. My head moved from side to side as I looked up and down the street, still not catching a glimpse of Louis. I started to chew on my lip and paced down the pathway, avoiding all the cracks, to the café. If I didn't step on a crack then today would be okay. Everything would work out. 

I stumbled and the tip of my shoes touched a crack. I grimaced and shook my head before walking normally again. 

Reaching the café's door made my heartbeat increase and my palms became sweatier. I swallowed heavily and stepped inside, letting the door bang gently closed behind me. 

The layout was similar to that of the café that Louis had made a magical reappearance in and I felt my stomach twist with nerves at this thought. The tables were all dark mahogany and the walls were painted a dark organic green. The chairs were plush but a lighter green which seemed welcoming, but harsher stools were dotted around as well. To my surprise it was pretty empty but a few tables here and there, except for the whole left wall, which was full of students, I presumed, tapping away at laptop keys. 

My eyes scanned around the room, left to right, before landing on Louis who was perched at a single table hidden round the corner. He was watching out the window, his face portraying that he was in deep concentration. He had his hair quiffed back, like I remembered him doing so many years ago, except now it was different. Strands of grey sparkled in the sunlight and reminded me that he wasn't the Louis I remembered. 

I inhaled shallowly before taking a few steps towards him. His head moved slowly to face me but he didn't quite register it was me, he still seemed to be deep in thought. As I got closer I could see his eyes widening as he realised I was not Isobel and he stood up. His movements appeared to be quite frantic and he even grabbed his coat from the back of his chair. 

"You're not Isobel?!" He was confused and his eyebrows were knitted together as he stuttered and stumbled. 

"Isobel isn't coming." He exhaled and took a step back before sitting down in his chair once again. "She changed her mind didn't she? She doesn't want to get to know me." He didn't look at me as he processed what he thought I was saying. I didn't know quite what to do and stood over him for several moments. He turned to look out the window again, but this time his eyes seemed to glaze over. I sat down opposite him and interlinked my hands on the table top. "Actually...I...I don't really know how to say this but Isobel was never coming. You were always texting me." His head snapped towards my direction and his eyebrows sank down deeper in confusion, causing a little line to form in between them. "I don't understand?" 

"She never got your message on the photo. I never gave it to her." 

"Wh...why? Why would you do that? I'm her Dad!"

"No, I'm her Dad Lou. And she doesn't want to know. As far as she's concerned you walked out on her twice when she really needed you." He shook his head back and forth while running his tongue over his bottom lip before facing out the window again. His hands were on the table top too and I watched as he clenched them into fists. 

He started to talk and his tone was controlled, like he was trying not to yell in a public place. "So why are you here?" 

It was a question I was expecting to be asked, but one I wasn't quite sure how to answer.