Wherever You Go [Katy Perry Fan fiction]

Chapter Twenty-Eight

One hour and forty-five minutes into the drive and, like always, I needed to pee. It seems whenever I'm in a car, no matter how long or short the distance, or however many times I go to the bathroom before I leave, my bladder always betrays me and makes the journey just a little uncomfortable. My mom used to laugh at me for it on our drives from LA to Santa Barbara.

I sat, legs crossed, leaning back in my seat, feeling the slight breeze lightly cool me down as me and Louis drove to the other side of Los Angeles with the car roof down. My left arm was resting across both of our seats as I gently played with the soft strands of Louis' hair between my perfectly manicured fingers. My Raybans sat comfortably on my nose as my honey-blonde hair was left to it's natural curls today and flew back in the breeze, making me able to inhale the scent of my favorite coconut conditioner.

A smile was present on Louis' lips when he took one hand off of the steering wheel, placing it firmly down onto the jeans on my thigh, his little finger linking with my own. I stared at the tendons in his wrist and the veins in his fingers, as I began slowly stroking along his hand with my thumb. It was the first time I was able to get a good look at the tattoo of a bird - an eagle in fact - inked in black on his wrist. My thumb then diverted down so that it began to caress the image on his wrist as I stared at it, admiring how beautifully drawn it was.

"It represents strength," Louis says, his eyes still fixed on the road but a smile still being worn on his perfectly detailed face. He had noticed my curiosity.

I turn to look at him, catching his warm eyes when he quickly looks at me for just a second, "is that why you got it?"

"Yeah," he breathes out, "I got it when I was sixteen. It was the first tattoo I ever got, actually. When I was eleven I read a book whilst I was riding a train with my mom, and I remember it saying how the eagle is a symbol of strength, freedom and protection. I always knew since that day that I wanted it to be there permanently so I could look at it at times when I needed to be reminded to stay strong." Once he's finished speaking, I just look at him in pure awe, but I notice how his cheeks are flushed red and he bows his head in embarrassment. "It's stupid I know," he mumbles through a grin.

"No, no it's not," I fully link my right hand with his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm glad that you had something there as a reminder to yourself to remain strong, because, well if you didn't, I might not be sat here beside you today." I bring both of our joined hands to my glossed lips, before softly kissing the eagle on his wrist. "You inspire me."

One quick look from him is enough to melt my heart, just like every other time he does and I'm pushed further under his spell. It's frightening to realize just how attached I'm getting to him, and being so afraid of waking up one day and him not being there. I shiver in my seat at the thought.

"Are you cold? I can put the roof up for you, if you want."

I quickly shook my head, looking up into the clear blue sky and being blinded by the white ball that was currently frying every person outside in Los Angeles today.

"No thanks, I'm good," I tell him, as I begin to slowly stroke my fingers down the back of his neck, softly trailing my fingertips along his golden skin.

"Did you speak to Jessa this morning?" Lou asks, his chocolate brown eyes glistening so beautifully under the sun.

"Yeah, I told her this morning that we were taking a couple of weeks out to visit my family back home. I just said that I wasn't feeling too great and this medication was giving me migraines. She understood." I respond.

I rest my head back against the soft padding of the headrest, letting the heat from the sun burn at my fair cheeks. It felt nice and relaxing.

"Did you tell her about...us?" A smile appears on his lips after he'd spoken the word 'us'.