admiration [l.t]

i

Louis went out to eat after selling a few more books, mainly sequels to books he's read many times, and locking up the store. His stomach has been growling for the past three hours due to him forgetting to bring a snack today, and he knows the snacks he has lying around his house won't satisfy his hunger needs. So that's why he finds himself eating a juicy and overly greasy hamburger at 10 o'clock at night with his eyes barely being able to stay open due to his tired state. He spends a good 30 minutes at the restaurant, blankly staring at his phone as he finished his burger, forgetting he was actually out in public.

The following morning Louis' alarm goes off at an ungodly hour, signaling he has classes in just 20 minutes. And as soon as he lifts his head off the pillow, a headache begins to form near his temples and his cheek aches from laying on the remote all night. Louis thinks that if that doesn't call for a terrible day ahead he doesn't know what else would.

Through all his years in college, him now being a senior, he's been getting his classes out of the way early so he can have the rest of the day to do whatever he pleases. Even though that's mainly reading, homework and working, except on the weekends, he enjoys knowing he has the freedom.

And the time of the day comes where it's Louis last class and he almost jumps out of his seat in joy when the instructor announces there will be no homework. None of his other teachers assigned anything either so this is his first free night he's going to have in a long while.

He's walking through the courtyard-which isn't much of a courtyard, just a large land of grass-head bobbing up and down slightly to the music shooting through his headphones, more often than not finding himself raising his hand in a wave to greet his friends. It's also rather unfortunate that when he turns his head to the side upon hearing his name that he doesn't see the girl in front of him who was also in her own world on her phone. Her head hits his chin before their chests collide.

"Shit! Sorry!" Louis yanks his headphones out of his ears and leans down to grab the girl's forearm to help her stand. Without making any form of eye contact yet, he leans down once more to grab the book she had been holding, which he can tell is for something Medical by the body parts on the cover. And the only other thing Louis can think of now is how he's probably going to get yelled at in the middle of the courtyard, where everyone can see him, by an overly dramatic girl.

"Majoring in Medical I see," Louis shyly says as he hands her the large book, hoping that if she's mad the light conversation will calm her down.

"Indeed. And what about you, Mr. There's a Sequel?" What? Louis looks up from the book he had handed her to be greeted by the same bright brown eyes that were just in the shop last night, except this time her brown hair is pulled back into a ponytail. That's probably why he didn't recognize her.

His eyes widen in shock, surprised she was a student here, and that he had never noticed her before.

"Well for a girl who doesn't like to read you sure have a lot to do," he says motioning towards the book that is now being held tightly in her hand, his lips curving up to form a small smile.

"Ah, see, there's a difference," she says holding up a finger proudly. "I don't have to read everything in this big guy to know what I'm doing and it's not some cliché story that ends up with the guy and girl falling in love."

Louis can't help but laugh. "You know not all books are like that, right? Some of them don't even have to do with romance."

"Whatever, reading just doesn't appeal to me." She simply shrugs, looking down at her feet.

"Well then maybe you just haven't found the right story yet." He extends his hand out to her, "I'm Louis, by the way. Although some like to call me Jake from Statefarm."

Her arm extends to take his, giving it a small shake. "Call me Bella."

"Well then Bella, I expect to be seeing you in my shop soon, looking for that sequel, yeah?"

"Keep dreaming Jake, keep dreaming." And with a small nod and a smile, she walks past Louis to go to her dorm, their shoulders barely brushing, before Louis does the same.

[A/N; If you don't know who Jake from Statefarm is I feel bad for you]