Laugh {lt}

2

Loud chatter echoed down the dimly lit street, a piercing scream making Louis turn around. He was standing outside of Mario's Arcade, six forty eight, watching as the people made their way over to drink shops, the arcade, down to the food trucks now aligned by the shore or simply fooling around. He had to give it to them, the ones outside were true veterans, as it was too cold for him to keep his hands out his coat's pockets for more than a minute. 

Louis thought the place always looked alive at night. It was when most people would show up and waste their time doing nothing. He honestly hated interacting with people, despise what he was about to do, he was simply doing it to say he was sorry and never talk to Elisa again. She was polite to him although he could tell she wanted to tell him off right on the spot. He admired that, he would've done it and not care. Louis shook his head, shifting his weight from one foot to another and deciding to go to the drink shop, which always seemed to be warm during winter.

Elisa pursed her lips, looking at the clock on her night table and shrugging. Six fifty-nine. She knew she had said seven on the dot, but she didn't care and honestly this one episode was great. If anything the stranger who pointed out her insecurity would have to wait twenty-three minutes for this episode to end plus whatever time she would take to get ready. With all the time in the world, Elisa ate her mom's homemade cookies and watched the last episode of the night, sadly. She would go for another episode but forty-five minutes of it would be too much. At the end, she stood up, placed the plate in the sink and washed it before heading over to the bathroom and taking a nice and decent shower. 

"Do you want another one?" The bartender asked Louis as he watched him play with the small shot glass. Louis looked up, shaking his head and taking out the amount  he owed the place. 

"I'm heading out. Thanks." The man behind the bar gave him a firm nod and collected the money as Louis stood up from the stool. He was wondering if he had been in there too much time and missed Elisa arriving. Maybe she had gotten there and waited like a fool and left. Louis sighed heavily, checking the time. Seven forty-five. He was definitely late, maybe she did leave. With very low spirits, maybe none, Louis walked out the shop and looked down the street. There were still people and if anything more than before. 

"I see you're here." Louis turned around, finding Elisa standing behind him with a serious expression. Her hair was in beautiful natural curls and Louis was baffled by how she looked. Yes, he had seen her in the shop earlier, but he was still breathless when he saw her. That's how beautiful she was. 

"Yeah, I am." Louis stated, finding his words. Elisa let out a breathy laugh, shaking her head as she turned around to head to the arcade. "Where are you going?" 

"To the arcade. Their games might be elementary, but their pizza is senior year." Elisa smiled to herself as she looked over her shoulder getting a glimpse of Louis furrowing his eyebrows. "Now go on. Buy me that pizza as an apology. Two slices and I want them to be extra cheese." 

"Wait, hold on. Did you just get here?" Louis asked catching up with her, looking down on her with a serious expression. He was confused and now she was coming off as annoying to him. 

"No." Elisa quickly answered. "Well, actually, yes. I was hoping that if I made you wait you would've left and I wouldn't have to deal with whatever sort of interaction this is." Louis raised his eyebrows. "Also. My favorite show was on fire tonight so I couldn't just leave without watching the end of that episode. I would've gone to another episode, but, I pity you." 

"You pity me?" Louis raised his eyebrows once more before laughing softly. "What show were you watching anyways?" A small smile played on his lips and Elisa only wondered how he was still here. Part of her really hoped he wouldn't be here when she arrived, that he would leave angrily the minute he saw her arrive, but the other part of her wished he stayed... at least until he bought her that pizza. 

"American horror story." Louis' eyes went wide as he gave slow nods. "Now keep in mind I've seen it before but I wanted to watch it again." Elisa cleared up. It was true, she had watched every season already, she just really hoped that this guy who's name she had forgotten would've left by the time the last season was over. 

"Alright. So, you were watching a series you have already seen just to get me to waste my time here and eventually leave?" Elisa looked at him with narrowed eyes, hesitating before nodding.

"I don't think I was really into  catching a bite with the person who said my laugh was, quote on quote, ugly as hell." Elisa stated as she looked at Louis with wide eyes as if to state a point.

After a long pause, Louis nodded, his lips settled into a small pucker. "Fair enough." He offered her a smile. "Extra cheese was it?" Louis asked, reaching for the arcade's door handle. Elisa looked at him carefully there was something going on with him. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she had an odd feeling about him.

"Are you coming?" Elisa nodded, snapping out of her gaze and walking into the semi filled arcade, mumbling a small 'thank you' to Louis,  who nodded in response. "Hey, why don't you  find a table for us? I would suggest we go out and eat, but..." He turned his gaze outside, where the palm trees swung their palms wildly to the rhythm of the wind. 

"It's freezing." Elisa state giving him a closed smile. "I'll find a table." Louis nodded and walked away, while Elisa walked over to the salon area. There were many tables, she just tried to find a clean one and one that didn't have ice cream or chocolate spilled over the seats. Once she found one by the oldest machine they owned, a pac-man one, she turned to look at him. 

Sincerely she had forgotten his name, hopefully she could get it out of him before he would notice her using the word "you" and "buddy" too much. She also admired his messy attire. He wore black skinny jeans and a casual colored tee, what was so special about it? Nothing, just the way he carried himself with it made him seem like it was brand promoting. She liked his careless hair, tossed in every direction. Elisa narrowed her eyes; if she wasn't mistaken she swore she could've seen eye bags on his face. It made her wonder what kind of things had produced those, whether it was lack of sleep or problems. 

"Thank you." Louis barely smiled at the cashier before he grabbed the tray filled with pizza and drinks. He thought it was safe to say that his nerves were making an appearance and he wasn't sure why. Once he spotted Elisa, looking over at him with narrowed eyes, he walked over to the table and placed the tray between them. 

Elisa smiled widely, her hands reaching for the warm pizza in content. She gave a small glance at Louis through her lashes, secretly grateful that he had actually bought her the pizza. Louis smiled to himself, reaching for his own slice of pizza. After a long pause and a couple of bites later... and Elisa not coming up with any creative question to get the name out of the lad, she broke the silence. 

"I'll be real with you." Elisa started as she placed her slice down on the plate and grabbed her drink. "I forgot your name." Louis' eyes flashed with surprise. "Now don't get offended. I honestly tend to be forgetful on names. So, what was your name?" 

Louis remained quiet, not sure whether to tell her or maybe make her feel a bit bad about it, but he went against it seeing as this "hang out" was intended to make her feel better. "My name is Louis." 

"Louis." Elisa's eyes sparkled with a sort of emotion Louis couldn't understand and neither did Elisa herself.