A mixture of emotions overcomes him, and he feels the urge to get rid of it as fast as possible, as if just touching it was already dangerous. Reading this name is bringing back certain memories and that's not good.
However, two things are keeping him from throwing it straight into the bin. Three actually. First of all, Louis' curiosity is taking over and he can never withstand the desire to solve a mystery – or in this case, what the letter is about, which is, indeed, very easy to find out.
The second reason is that he knows exactly that throwing it away won't help. In a moment of weakness, he would return to fish it out of the trash, which would eventually lead him back to the same predicament he is finding himself in right now. The only way to avoid this inevitable scenario would be taking the envelope and dumping it into the Thames. Considering the drizzle outside, this is not really an option at the moment.
The question, however, that holds him back the most is, why on earth the full name on the envelope is Gemma Styles, and why some other guy, Michal Mlynowski, is mentioned as well. Reading her name is even more surprising and unexpected than the one he is so afraid to see.
Louis has to admit that he will read the letter, or whatever it is, sooner or later – more sooner than later actually. He also convinces himself that he will keep his dignity by not ripping the paper open right away. He is busy. He has important things to do. Like showering. A shower is exactly what he needs to clear his thoughts.
Louis has never showered so fast in his whole life. But when leaving the bathroom, he stops himself from going straight back to his study and enters the living room instead. After ten minutes of absentmindedly zapping through channels, he finally gives up and strolls back to his room.
He changes into his pyjamas and grabs the envelope from his desk. He throws himself onto the bed and switches on his bedside lamp.
In the dim shine of the lightbulb, he lets his thumb brush over the noble paper before ripping it open carefully. A folded card falls into his hands.
We're tying the knot
With great pleasure
Gemma Styles and Michal Mlynowski
invite you to join them
at the celebration of their marriage
Saturday, 21 May
Holmes Chapel
A wedding? Gemma Styles' wedding, to be precise? It feels weird to Louis that Gemma, only slightly older than himself, is now going to get married. She was still a young girl when Louis first met her and also, when he saw her for the last time. Automatically he starts wondering how her life has developed after that. She must have moved out, gone to university, obviously met some nice guy – which she is now intending to marry, to tie the knot with.
Louis has always found this expression strange. Tying the knot. Even though it's a common way of saying that you're getting married. It makes sense, though. It's like, the lives of two people are following their own way. They never touch for a very long time. When these two people meet, their lives, their souls, start winding around each other. Only slightly at the start, then stronger and stronger. At some point, they decide to connect them fully, to commit to each other. It's the moment when you're literally tying the knot. A knot that is not supposed to be loosened ever again.
Louis has never felt the urge to tie the knot with somebody. For him, it is not relevant whether a sheet of paper proves that you are together or not. He gets the romantic idea behind a wedding. But that's nothing for him. Maybe, but only maybe, he just hasn't found the right person yet, a small voice in the back of his head reminds him.
Oh, shut up. He has already found the right person. He knows that. And he also knows that with this person, there is no need for marriage. Either you belong together, or you don't. A wedding certificate doesn't change anything. And he knows for sure that he belongs to that person, just as he knows that his name is Louis Tomlinson.
As if on cue, his phone vibrates softly in one of the pockets of the jeans he has thrown over his chair. Louis knows that he should answer it right away, considering that he's doing nothing important at the moment. But his gaze sticks to the piece of paper in his hand.
Louis doesn't know why he's thinking about his own non-existent wedding plans right now. This is not about him, it's about Gemma – and a certain other person he never wanted to see again in his life. He would definitely decline. He doesn't get why his presence on this day is requested in the first place. It doesn't make sense at all.
Why on earth did she assume that he would come? Does she really think that things are not relevant anymore after ten years? Or that circumstances have changed? Is she just terribly naïve? Or calculating? Where does she even have his address from?
Louis' phone vibrates again, more angrily this time. He would make up an excuse later. First of all, he has to find out how to escape this uncomfortable situation. He opens the card, finds the address of the wedding location, the note that every guest is allowed to bring another person and a telephone number to confirm or decline your attendance. Declining would be the first thing to do in the morning.
Maybe he could also bring up the courage to use this opportunity and ask about the intention behind Gemma's invitation. This is going the most awkward phone call he has ever made.
At the third vigorous buzz of his phone, Louis finally gets up from the bed and walks over to the bunch of clothes piled up on his chair. He finds his phone and with an internal eye-roll, he opens his messages.
Louuuu, call me please! Wanna hear your voice xxxxxxxxxxx
Louis, answer your phone please x
LOUIS TOMLINSON WHERE ARE YOU?????????????
Louis doesn't think long about his reply.
Sorry love, took a shower. I'm exhausted. Call you tomorrow xxx
Why he is lying, he can't really tell. Of course, not because of the wedding invitation itself. He just doesn't feel like arguing about why it is more important than answering right now. It isn't, though. It's completely irrelevant. This is what he tells himself before turning his phone off and switching off the lights. It's time for sleep.
He puts the card back into the envelope and places it on his nightstand. This way he would not forget to deal with it as soon as he gets up.
Louis has spent ten years trying to forget about this section of his past. And he's done a great job with it. He will not let a simple piece of paper ruin that. Even though he has a feeling that this will not be as easy as he is hoping for.
YOU ARE READING
For your eyes only - l.s
Fanfiction"But you... you said..." "That I love you? Well, I know... but I don't. And you don't love me either. We don't know what love is yet. We're too young." ... "Louis," Harry said. "Lou." The boy before him stopped in his tracks. A tiny glimmer of hope...
