Fireside ➳ l.s

chapter • 1

At 6:15 PM on Tuesday evening, I recieved an email about my future roommate, Louis Tomlinson. He's a short lad, with shaggy brown hair and blue eyes that seem surreal. His height can only be determined in person, for I only have seen an attached picture of the young lad several weeks ago.

Of course, he's not a criminal. Never done drugs, never been to jail, never stole. His record might as well be a virgin. He was also an honors student in both high school and college. A goal that a guy like me may never achieve to.

I'm not saying that I received D's and F's during my school years, but I was pretty much your average student with average grades. But whatever, I passed in the end.

Anyhow, Louis doesn't live far from the flat we're renting. It's a small, almost ranch style house a few hours from Yorkshire. Simple, not too crowded, and affordable.

Now, I stand in front of our new flat with the last box of my stuff sat at my feet. My mother stands next to me, hiding behind a pair of Channel sunglasses as we wait for Louis.

"What did he say in the email?" my mother asks. Like me, she hasn't met Louis yet and seems to be more excited than I am.

"Said he'll be here shortly and that he's bringing his sister, Lottie, for help." I said, reading over the email for the hundredth time.

The sun is just about to set when we spot a small black dot at the end of the road. A small spark of hope ignites inside my stomach, wishing that in that black dot contains a 23 year old man and that 23 year old man's sister.

I immediately turn to my mom whose already smiling and waving like a dutz. "Mom. Don't say anything." I warn her.

She puts her hand down and pouts at me. "I can't even say hello to the lad?"

"No. Because even then it's embarrassing." I said, turning back around and watching as the car gets closer and closer.

"Oh hush, Harold. I'm saying hi. You're not in high school anymore." she says. And well, she's my mother and you don't argue with your mother. Even if I am 21 years of age.

The black car ends up being a Chevy Sonic, a pretty girly car, but hey I'm not the one to judge since my mom drove me here.

It pulls up right in front of us, but the windows are tinted so I can't see inside. After a few awkward moments, the car door opens and I bite the inside of my cheek in anticipation.

I'm taken back when Louis steps out of the car. He's a lot shorter than I imagined, at least half a foot shorter than I am. He's wearing black shorts and a band tee shirt I'm not too familiar with. His feet are covered in red vans, too.

Louis shuts the door and smiles happily as if he were just told he won the lottery. "Ah, you must be Harry Styles! Am I right?"

"Yeah, yeah. That's me. And you're Louis." I say, and I can hear my mother chuckling beside me. I nudge her with my elbow.

Louis extends his hand, "It's a real pleasure to meet you." he says and wow, he sounds a lot different over the phone. In real life, his voice is nasaly, but soft and quite feminine.

I extend my own hand, pumped twice, and let go. If it weren't for the other car door opening up, I wouldn't have caught myself staring him down like some kind of prey.

From the other side, a girl slightly shorter than Louis with blond hair and big blue eyes appears behind the Chevy. Lottie.

"This is my sister Lottie. She volunteered to help today." Louis says, gesturing a hand towards her. She gives a small wave and a shy smile. I smile back, saying a small "hello".