Under The Willow Tree • Louis Tomlinson

o.

o. prologue

— • —    

Far away in a secret meadow
There is an ancient oak and a whispering willow.
The meadow is a place where your secrets can be told
And where friends can stay friends until they grow old.
Will you join me in the secret meadow?
Where there is an ancient oak and a whispering willow...

— • —

Everyone has that special place that they call home. The place may not have four walls and a roof but to you, it is your home. Some people find refuge inside their own mind, they are the ruler there. Anything could happen. Others find it within the pages of a book or behind a canvas. Some feel as if a festival or manmade place is their home. People could walk around a department store all day and feel natural, peaceful and content. Certain people feel as if nature is their home. The green leaves on swaying trees or the mysterious depths of the ocean. Whether your home is shared with other people is entirely up to you. Some feel comfortable around large groups of friends or a small tight knit family. Others find peace with only themselves, they let their minds keep them safe and sound in this wild world.

My home has not been visited for years. I miss the days where I sat there, in the secret meadow. Not caring about what people said or thought about me. I shared that special place with a special someone. His name was Louis. As kids we would spend as much time as we could in that meadow. Louis and I talked about what ever came to mind. Planning future empires, complaining about schoolwork, bantering about our favourite movies, just normal friend stuff. As we grew older, becoming teenagers we both made a promise, a promise that we vowed we would never break. We promised that no matter what happens in life we would stick together. That our home was with each other, in the secret meadow with the ancient oak and whispering willow.

When Louis tried out for X Factor and made it through I should have been proud of him. My best friend was going to be huge. But there was something inside me, something that made my heart break. I knew that his dream would come true. He would tour the world with his four new best friends and become famous. Millions of girls would love and adore him. I knew that over time Louis would forget about me. He would forget about the promise that we made in our secret meadow.

I lost contact with Louis after the show finished. I don't know what happened. I guess we really did drift apart. I knew that I could stay friends with him but I had my own life to live, my own dreams to fulfil.

Even if that meant a world without Louis Tomlinson...