Those Summer Days

Prologue Part 1: The Beginning

Prologue Part 1: The Beginning

Hi my name is Lila Livingston and I am best friends with the boys of the one and only One Direction. I grew up as Louis Tomlinson’s neighbor in Doncaster England. We were best friends from the beginning (even though he was 2 years older than me) because our parents were best friends. I always called him my big brother and he called me his little sister (even though he has 4 beautiful sisters who I am also dear friends with). That was just the way it was. We played with each other every single day that we could.  It was almost like we were family. When his sisters were born, I was always almost as excited as he was!

                When he was old enough to go to school, I would wait for him every day to come home, and would be helping his mom make him a snack when he got home. My parents were always working, so I spent most of my time at the Tomlinson house. They were basically my second family.

Then I started school and it was very weird because we both had different friends and were in different grades, yet we played with each other all the time. Louis’s friends always made fun of him for playing with a “little kid” much less a girl, but he always stuck up for me even though his friends thought he was weird because of it. Things stayed like this for a while until about mid-2nd  grade.

                It started out a day like any other. Then in the middle of recess I was called into the office. They told me there was an emergency so I needed to go home immediately, and Louis and his mom were there to take me home. When I got to the car Louis’s mom scooped me up in a giant huge while sniffling like she had been crying.

“Everything is going to be ok Lila. You’re ok.” She said while slightly rocking me. I had no idea what was going on. Then I got into the back seat to find Louis crying. He also pulled me into a hug and started singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” in a lullaby-like voice. Whenever I was sad as a kid, Louis would sing a song to me. My favorite was “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, so most of the time he sang that. Louis’s voice was the only thing that could make me feel better no matter what. I knew this meant something really bad happened if he was singing and I hadn’t even begun to cry yet.

                Then we pulled into my driveway to find my dad in tears on my doorstep. My dad never cried, and where was my mom to comfort him? It didn’t matter. As soon as the car stopped, I broke free of Louis’s hug and ran to my dad.

                “What’s wrong daddy?” I said while sitting in his lap and hugging him. He realized I was there and stopped crying.

                “Well honey,” he started sniffling. “Do you remember the talk we had when Kitty your fish died and how it’s ok because he gets to meet Jesus now?” he said trying not to cry.

                “Yeah daddy, I remember, and now he gets to swim with all the other fishies in heaven now.” I said not quite understanding why he brought that up.

                “Yes honey.” He said half smiling. “Well your mommy got to meet Jesus today.” He said breaking into tears. After a few seconds I realized what he meant. My mom had died.

                I didn’t ask for specifics and I just started to cry hugging him tighter. He rocked me back and forth humming some tune. He also knew that music soothed me.

                A few days later we had the funeral. Louis was by my side the entire time. I swear I heard “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” about 20 times along with some of my favorite lullabies that day. Louis was always there for me, no matter what.

                After her funeral my dad just couldn’t take it. The house reminded him too much of my mom, so he decided to move us away from all of our friends, family, and most importantly Louis. He decided to go to a small town in the state call Minnesota in the U.S.

                At first I was furious. I was NOT leaving Louis for some dumb town in the U.S. I told my dad that he could move and I would just become a Tomlinson. It was like I was one already! But of course, he said no. I was so mad at him and I didn’t get why we had to move, but now I understand that was the only option.