Die Young [Louis AU]

Die Young // Prologue

                               The boy is humming songs of joy five feet ahead of me as I struggle to climb up the ridiculously big hill. The cool fall breeze blows against my tan skin and the sun starts to set, the light coming through the tall forest trees slowly turning into darkness. My heart it racing. "Nicole," he whines. He stops and waits for me to catch up to him once again, tapping his foot against the orange leafs that covered the ground. "Shall I carry you the rest of the way?" He asks with a cheeky grin. I roll my eyes and manage to crawl my way up until the view of his legs aren't too far away and I hold my hand out waiting for him to wrap is own hand around it and pull me up.

I breathe out a long tired breath and manage to speak, "Louis, where are we going?" I ask. Maybe I would have known why he dragged me out of his old beaten up Mustang and into the trees of the Woodburry woods of our town, but before he managed to get me out of my walk home from school to ride with him to my favorite ice cream parlor. I was so wrapped up in the taste of my second vanilla flurry; I didn't even bother to ask why my ride home had taken longer than usual. He obviously planned this.

He doesn't let go of my hand when he starts to walk forward again, ignoring the question I had asked. Instead, he enjoys the peaceful silence that falls between us and the forest. Leafs fall off of the long branches onto the ground, so every time we stepped anywhere they would crunch beneath our feet. Birds flew from over our heads in and out of the trees and into the sky. I shiver and wrap my sweater tightly around my body. Fall was slowly turning into winter, making me regret leaving my jacket at home when I left for school.

As we walk ahead I catch site of water through trees and as we get closer the water becomes bigger until we are standing in front of a lake. It is not big nor small and the water is a dark blue. Rocks curve around the lake for about a mile and then stop leading to the rest of the forest across the lake. The sun shines onto the water revealing tall grass that grows out of the water and sound of few crickets is heard Absolutely, beautiful.

I furrow my eyebrows, "Is this what you wanted me to see?" I ask. It comes out meaner than I expected, but he knew how I felt about water. I could barely get in the shower without having flashbacks of the past.

The past, I think. So sad, so unforgettable.

Louis doesn't seem like my answer bothers him, but he does answer me this time. “I wanted to show you this place. It's where I come when I have a lot going on in my mind, I just wanted to show it to you...and maybe even spend some time with you." He let's go of my hand and flashes me a smile of his pearly whites before turning and sitting inches away from the water, on top a big rock.

I stand still and stuff my hands as deep into my sweater pockets as possible. "Louis," I start to say. "I think you should get me home now.” I think I hear him let out a an  annoyed sigh, but he shakes his head like he has no problem.

"Okay, Babe. Don't you think you could sit with me for a while, we just go here." He says, looking back at me with a grin.

I almost fell for that grin. His smiles were like a million angels had come together for harmony, as cheesy as the sounds. But his smiles made my stomach flip, make me warm. But I don't fall for his trick this time.

"Louis it's late, I would love to stay for a little while, but you know my parents." And he did. He knew how strict they were and how they expected my grades to be high and my behavior had to be good, and he knew my curfew was at exactly five. He knew I would get into trouble if I came home not even a minute late, so why was he keeping me with him for so long?