Illusion

Chapter 1: Surprises, Crushes And Man Buns

The Autumn sun was high in the sky on the horizon. Soft orange and yellow light streamed in through the picture window bathing the room in a warm, heavenly glow. It had been a perfect day and no one could have asked for a better lead up to the event of the year.

The weather had put on a show for Melbourne today. Bathing it in bright, warm sunshine. Something rarely seen in mid April. It seemed even the weather was adding to the hype.

The city was alive with excitement. The prodigul son had finally returned to Australia and it was all anyone was talking about. Everyone from celebrity A-Listers to the soccer mum three houses down knew his name. He was the mega star of his generation. The down to earth boy next door, from a tiny town in Cheshire, England who'd made it big.

Standing in front of the full length sleek mirror, Louis carefully inspected his reflection. Tonight was finally the night. It was his sister Lottie's 18th birthday and they intended to celebrate it in style.

Tonight they would be sharing a room with the man he admired and awed the most. The man that inspired him to strive for greater things. To become a better person. The man that made him believe that no dream was ever too big and that sometimes they could become a reality.

All the saving, anxious minutes spent pouring over ticketing websites, the rush of being able to purchase prime real estate tickets and agonising over the lengthy wait had finally paid off.

Louis along with his sister Lottie, would be heading to a sold out Hisense Arena in a matter of hours to be blessed by the dulcet tones of this modern day poet. Louis had done nothing but dream of what it would finally be like to experience this for himself. To be so enraptured by his voice and his lyrics. To know that he could truly appreciate every moment that was to come standing mere feet from him.

He had purchased the tickets as an 18th birthday present for Lottie. She was beyond thrilled when he had told her he'd secured front row barrier tickets for her. As a thank you for being such and incredibly thoughtful and amazing big brother, Lottie had asked Louis to accompany her.

Of course Louis had grumbled and groaned and made a big deal out of it. He'd never admit it to anyone who asked, but to him there was not one person on the planet that could match up to this God amongst men.

He would pull faces at Lottie and make jokes whenever he caught her singing with her hairbrush to one of the many great songs he'd released. Lottie would simply poke her tongue out at him and argue that he secretly loved him too and that she was sure he knew all of the words just like she did.

He couldn't fault her there. He did love him and his music as much as she did. He did know every word to every song. He'd expected Lottie to ask one of her many girlfriends to go with her. Secretly he was over the moon when she'd asked him instead.

He thought back to the conversation that day with a warm smile.

"Oh my gosh Lou are you serious!", Lottie screamed throwing her arms around him in a tight hug.
"Yes Lottie I'm serious", Louis replied smiling against her cheek that was pressed against his.
Lottie pulled away from him, her face was alight with excitement. She stared back down at the two tickets grasped firmly in her hand. She took a moment to inspect them now that the initial shock of being given such a gift had subsided.

Louis watched her with a smile plastered to his face. It had been difficult to keep them a secret from her for so long, to watch her cry and mope around the house for a week after she realised she'd missed out on a ticket. Or at least that's what she thought.

He'd almost given in and told her there and then, not being able to stand seeing his sister so upset at the thought of being unable to go. But he knew that the wait would be worth it to see the look on her face and he hadn't been disappointed.