Numbers (Louis Tomlinson)

Chapter 17

After a few hours of messing around with Louis in his office, I realized that I had spent a century in that little bean bag chair and decided to get up.

"Are you leaving now?" He says on edge, and I laugh.

"Of course not, I just really need to stretch my legs and renumb my bum." I chuckle, and walk over to his desk, leaning over to see the work he was doing. It wasn't impressive, he had barely accomplished anything in the past few hours and I couldn't help but think because I was a distraction.

"You should get to work." I laugh.

"But work is boring." He mumbles, his lip curling. I took this time to notice that smile, and realize the skin around it was stubbly. It was so unusual to see him grown up, I was so used to him being only in his teens. I liked it though. It was much, much more attractive to be completely honest. And I would admit that even looking at his arms I could tell that he had grown... well biceps, awkward to admit, but they were covered by fabric again and I realized that I hadn't seen him wearing a short sleeve shirt (or a top with even more skin, let alone a completely bare chest) since the pool. I'm not saying I'm complaining, it was just almost unusual.

He noticed how long I had stared at his arm, and turned his chair towards me. With a thick breath, he started to talk again, "Is there something wrong?"

"No." I flushed, looking down at him. My eyes trailed off his face in embarrassment and he chuckled. Almost as if he knew how uncomfortable this was for me, he wrapped his small fingers around my wrist.

"You should come to dinner with me tonight." Again, Louis wasn't asking, he was commanding. His personal came off strong, and it was up to me to break it down, but never would I ever want to see him look worse.

But then again, this did make me a little on edge, "What?"

"You should come to dinner with me tonight. Is that alright?" He repeats, and it's the tone he uses that makes me snap my head up, because in no way whatsoever was he using a joking tone for once, and I was extremely unused to that. He was actually being, dare I say it, serious?

"Oh um, I don't know. I just don't usually get asked on dates?"

"Date?" He chuckles, and suddenly I feel offended, but he continues, "I mean if you want to consider it that but honestly I was just making a friendly request."

"Well I just have so much chores to do." I say through gritted teeth, trying to hide my annoyance, and trying in my best efforts to make a lie seem like nonfiction. I feel like he was being ignorant again, even though I shouldn't.

"Oh come on now. That's a lie."

You caught me, Tomlinson, "Yeah maybe I am lying because I just don't want to go?"

I push myself off the desk to stand in front of him, wanting to be farther away.

"Ouch. I take that to be offensive, dear."

That pet name. Just. No.

"Speak for me Lou."

"I mean, Elle, I would love to take you on a date if this is your odd and twisted way of a proposal, but I was just..." He trails off and I immediately feel guilty again. The door to his office opens and Sawyer stands in its frame.

"Elle, it's almost your shift, can you come to the studio?" Sawyer says with a smile and I nod. Without a goodbye I turn around to exit the room with Sawyer still hanging in the door frame. But before I can actually leave the room Louis calls after me, "So, Elle, dinner date?"

I ignore him and continue to walk away. Sawyer follows me, without saying a word. We enter the studio and I take my seat, putting on my headphones (which I haven't been doing but I really just want to listen to music to ignore the despicable and awfully annoying thoughts of Louis out of my head) and look down at my fingers.

"Wow, you met him yesterday and he's already asking you on a date." Sawyer says, "You know that almost doesn't even surprise me."

Well actually, it has been almost two weeks, but you know. I look at him, "Why do you say that?"

"I told you, he tries to charm all the girls, pretty quickly he'll get on your good side though."

"Sorry, but I can't quite understand which side you're coming from."

"I mean Louis is a good guy, but he's just... I don't know, a soft version of a player."

"You make is sound really bad."

"When it's only potentially bad? I mean besides being Louis' boss I'm his friend and I can definitely defend him and tell you honesty."

"Yeah, I know." I shrug, pressing the cushions of the earphones to my ears. I don't recognize the song, it's not one I've heard on the radio, but it does have some edge to it, like a little punk. But then I realize I had heard it before, and realize that it's actually just Chocolate by the 1975. I can't believe they would play this on the radio, I've listened to their album before and I really think they'd be considered indie rock over pop, I mean I really like their music, just not what you would expect on this station.

"Do you like this song?" Sawyer asks, and I nod.

"I've heard it a few times before."

"It's a good one." He says, "So what's your favorite genre of music?"

I shrug, "Like this kind, I mean I don't really have an opinion to choose on. I just really like music alone."

"Agreed," He kicks his feet up on the panel and leans back, "So do you sing? Play an instrument?"

"If choir and a few guitar chords counts, then yes."

"That's fair."

"Do you?"

"Eh, not really. I just like listening to it, I'm bad at acting upon my passions if you know what I mean. Like I like comedy, but I can't crack a joke to save my life."

"I know what you mean. I'm like that with some things."

"Like what?"

"Oh I really like the art of filming and photography, I'd just be terrible at it though."

"How do you know? Have you ever tried?"

I shrug, "I don't have a camera. A good one at least. If I were to actually pursue an interest in photography I'd buy a camera but I don't know, I just don't have that kind of time and money."

"I know what you mean. That's why I'm stuck here working."

"But at least you like this job, right?"

"I do, I really do. But it's not as fulfilling as I'd like it to be."

"How do you mean?"

"Well I like being a radio host because that means I can share my thoughts over an entire city and even farther, but that just doesn't seem enough for me. I want people all around the world to see me and acknowledge me."

"So basically what you're saying is you'd like to be a celebrity?"

"Yes, and no. I want to be remembered for a talent of some sort, not just for being rich or something."

"Oh, I get it."

We sit there a while, doing talking bits in between the songs and getting to really...know each other. Which I guess is a good start for being co-hosts to each other. And look at this, getting to actually talk to someone, and they don't even ask you on a date too soon. Louis should learn from Sawyer.