Color Outside The Lines || l.t.

Chapter 3 - The Visit

The next day, Naomi and her friend Victoria, had lunch at a local Chinese buffet. They sat down in a booth.

"He's a single father?" Victoria asked after taking a bite of the dumpling, "That is so hot."

"He's Louis Tomlinson, he's hot no matter what." Naomi said before putting a forkful of noodles in her mouth.

"Yeah, but I'm sure he gets a lot of chicks when they find out he's raising a kid on his own."

Naomi's eyebrows furrowed together as she stared down at her plate. "He's not like that," she said softly.

"He's famous, Naomi. He has concerts where girls throw their underwear on stage; he must be an angel if he can resist all those panty-less girls he has screaming after him." She twirled a couple of noodles around her fork and shrugged. "Who knows, he may have kids you don't even know about, kids he doesn't even know about."

"That doesn't sound like him at all!"

Victoria tucked some of her choppy, black hair behind her ear. "Well from what you've told me, Louis isn't the same Louis we came to grow and love when we were teenagers; he's a changed man." She noticed Naomi nudge a carrot stick across the plate with her fork. "So, what's the deal? Are you like head over heels with the guy?"

"No, I barely know him," Naomi said with a sigh as looked at her friend. "It's just that... you didn't see the Louis I did. He was sour and harsh and rude. But when he talked about his wife, he got so emotional; that's the reason I don't think he would sleep around with random girls he meets at his concert. He's still grieving. I feel like the only reason he hasn't committed suicide is because he has a son to take care of..."

"I understand what you're saying. But people find different outlets to relieve themselves of grief, although it's only temporary. Some drink their sorrows away, others experiment with drugs, and then there are those that feel like meaningless sex will make them feel happy. Maybe Louis is like that; maybe that's why he asked you out for coffee..."

"To get in my pants?!"

Victoria shrugged, "You never know! Are you seriously going to count it out?"

"Maybe he just wanted to ask me out for coffee because there's the slightest chance he could actually like me..." Naomi suggested, still eyeing her food.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" Naomi's eyes met hers. "So, you're not head over heels... yet. But Naomi, honey, I think whatever crush you have right now should just stay the way it is: a crush. Look, I love One Direction as much as the next girl, but Louis could just be a hit-it-and-quit-it kinda guy. I'm sure he'd do anything to fill that hole in his heart. Just promise me you'll be careful."

Naomi nodded, though she secretly refused to believe Victoria's assumptions. They finished their lunch and got into Victoria's car. On the way, it started to rain.

"You sure you don't want to borrow my umbrella?" Victoria asked when she stopped in front of Naomi's house.

"I'm fine," Naomi said, shaking her head, "It's only water."

After a quick embrace, they said goodbye to each other and parted ways. Naomi ran up the steps and into her condo. She set her purse on the floor as a Siberian husky came to greet her.

"Hey there, Bella." she said as she rubbed the fur on the back of her neck.

She looked at her watch and then eyed the couch; a nap sounded perfect. She grabbed a gray blanket and draped it over herself, as she drifted off into sleep.

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The doorbell rang. Naomi heard Bella's alarming barks and wearily sat up.