Through the dark

Fall out

As I suspected my sisters are ready to pounce as soon as they see me enter the restaurant but their jaws drop when they see who comes in with me.  Alberto leads the way with myself and Louis who insist on holding my hand following behind.  Without even realizing it Louis saves me again this time from what I'm sure would have been a third degree interrogation.

I insist that Alberto let us buy him dinner and he sit with us.  We have a delicious fun dinner with both Louis and Alberto fitting right into our group.  All too soon dinner ends and I know this means my time with Louis is over.  Louis has the car drive me back to the hotel insisting on walking me to the door of my room.  My heart is breaking with every step I take. It seems so unimaginable to be holding hands with this amazing guy who happens to be well on his way to being a worldwide superstar.  But to me he's the guy who is breaking away at this wall I've built up. 

We step on the elevator just as Louis phone rings.  He answers it and I laugh a little when he gets flustered because the service is spotty on here.  I'm just about to say so when he swears at the person saying he can't believe it and he'll look as soon as he can.  He thanks whoever it was and hangs up the phone.

"Haley; Alberto and I need to see something on the telly well if I'm being honest I think you do too.  May we come in?"  He says with frustration and concern evident in his voice.

"Uh ok".

I'm a little worried by his expression so I rush into the room then hand him the remote.  It takes him only a few moments to find the channel he's looking for.  To my horror there's Louis and I on the screen rushing into the car earlier today.  The host of the show is discussing who I could possibly be and where I came from.  They comment that Louis shows real concern for whoever his mysterious lady friend is.  I'm horrified to seeing myself and hearing all the different people they believe me to be.  I turn to Louis who is looking at me with real fear in his eyes.

"Are you ok?  How are you feeling?  I'm so sorry!  I didn't expect for them to start pushing a narrative this soon."  The words come rushing out of his mouth.

"I..I'm... honestly I don't know how I feel.  But I am a bit worried for you.  How is this going to effect you?  Will this cause trouble with anything?"

"Me?  Haley I am fine.  I mean I'm pretty mad that they're trying to define our relationship before I can even do that."

"Relationship". It's more of a statement than a question but he misinterprets it.

"I mean um...ugh this is what I'm talking about.  I wanted us to have more time before this stuff started.  I was kind of hoping I could keep it to myself. Not like hide you but maybe get to have some privacy." He sits down on the chair which is when I see Alberto for the first time he's shaking his head. 

"Louis I am sorry I should have had at least one other guy with me today.  Two of us would have been better for blocking and scouting."  Alberto says just as frustrated as Louis.

"Alberto it's not your fault mate it's the damn paps and their never ending pursuit of the next big story."  Louis puts his hands on his back.

"Yea Alberto you couldn't have guessed this would happen ...or even if you could it's not your fault"  I correct myself when they both kind of have this look on their faces like they half expected it.

"Haley I am sorry truly"

"Louis I know.  I'm not mad.  We do need to talk though. Um Alberto can we have a minute?" 

"Sure I'll be in the hallway"

Once Alberto is out of the room Louis wraps me in a hug and says sorry another dozen times.  When I feel like he's gotten it out of his system I pull away and sit on the bed motioning for Louis to sit in the chair.  He comes over and sits but he looks anxious.

"Louis first please stop worrying.  You're making me anxious. I'm not used to being the one comforting you." I try to laugh a little so he relaxes which sort of works.

"I just know that you are sensitive and please don't take that the wrong way.  Knowing that I don't want to jeopardize what we may be starting here by having you plastered on the Telly."

"That is incredibly sweet of you Louis but don't stress yourself over me.  I'm not sure what we have here either but I do know that I will be leaving Europe in just a few days.  You'll be on tour.  I just don't know that you won't find someone who isn't as much work to be with as me. So getting worked up over this seems silly."

"Haley I wish you would stop saying that. You are more than you seem to think you are; at least to me you are. I have really enjoyed getting to know you. You're down to earth, funny and see me as me not Louis Tomlinson member of boy band One Direction. I'm willing to keep trying as long as you are to see what might be."

Hearing him say that makes me feel both overjoyed and sad at the same time.  I don't want to hurt him or hurt myself.  That news segment brought to light what I think we were both ignoring.  Louis is a worldwide pop star whose fame is only rising and I'm a regular girl from the other part of the world.  How would this even work?  I start to tear up and Louis is by my side in an instant.

"Sometimes I feel like the tears are never going to stop.  I'm sorry.  Like I said I'm a mess.  Louis I have enjoyed spending time with you as well.  I'm actually shocked at how quickly you have put me at ease.  You are funny and caring; you seem to know exactly what I need without me saying a word. But I want to be realistic.  Relationships take work, they take time to build and some of that time is meant for being together.  So adding your schedule and my relationship fears it just doesn't add up."

"I don't want you to cry Haley so I'm trying not to push.  But you don't want to try?  You would rather give up before we even begin?"

"I'm just so overwhelmed and scared.  I don't think I can let you in just to be hurt again.  Not that you would hurt me on purpose I know that but you don't know what can happen."

"Neither do you but you're set that what will happen will be bad instead of maybe just maybe it being amazing."

As he's talking he's pacing but suddenly he is sitting next to me on the bed. My stomach knots a little with fear but my heart is trying to burst out of my chest from happiness. My emotions are all over the place then Louis takes his hand and places it gently against my chin to tilt my head up.  When we are face to face his eyes staring into mine I know I can't fight him anymore.  I resolve to trying to see where this may lead us. 

"I'm pretty sure you have some sort of mind control device or maybe your eyes are hypnotic but ok you win let's see what happens."  I shake my head and place it on his shoulder.

"That's my girl."  He says with confidence and I can feel his smile.

Louis stays for a few more minutes I think to make sure I don't change my mind.  Then he leaves making me promise to call him in the morning.  I joke with him that it's nice to finally be given his number and not Alberto's.  He says I've earned it. 

Since they'll be preforming in France for a couple of nights starting in a week he insist that he wants to meet me in two days in Paris to spend time together.  I must admit the idea of spending more time with him especially in Paris is sounding pretty amazing as he says.  A few minutes after he leaves there's an impatient knock at my door.  I don't even need to look to see who that is.  When I open the door both my sisters are standing there looking as if they may burst.

"Haley Rose Mills explain yourself!"  Kate says before she even enters the room.

"Yea Hales what gives?"  Melanie questions as she plops on the bed.

I spend over an hour going over everything with my sisters. They ask question after question though I can only answer some. They're both happy for me especially Kate since she says she has seen a change for the better since we came to Europe. After my interrogation my sisters head to their own rooms leaving me to finally process the day. What a rollercoaster it has been and I have a feeling this rollercoaster is just getting started.