Six Degrees of Separation

“Louis, I just can’t do it anymore.” Louis could hear Lulabelle’s voice through the phone. “I love you, but it’s just too hard.” She could hear a whimper escape his mouth. “You’ll be okay, Lou. You don’t need me. Believe me, you’ll be fine.”

“Lula, baby-” Louis started to protest, but the line went dead. He couldn’t hold back tears anymore, letting a sob take over his entire body.



Lulabelle is wrapped up in Louis’ arms on the couch, her face in his neck. The rain is streaming down the windows and there’s a steady tap of the drops on the roof.

“I. love. you.” Lulabelle mumbled against his skin, while pressing soft kisses against the pulse in his neck.

Louis sighed happily, wrapping his arms around her tighter and placing a kiss on the top of her head. “I love you too, Lula. I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost you. Promise me that you won’t ever give up on me. Promise me, Lula.”

Lulabelle looked up at him, a faint smile on her face. “I promise you, Lou.”

Louis sat up quickly, grasping at his shirt and gasping. Tears pricked at his eyes and he wiped at his eyes, hastily. “It was just a dream.”



“Lula- Lulabelle, please just talk to me.” Louis pleaded, catching her arm as she was walking past him with a suitcase full of her things and she pulled it out of his grasp. “Baby, please.”

“Louis, please let me go. Don’t drag this out.” Lulabelle pleaded, her voice breaking on the last word. She made her way to the door, slipping the strap of her duffle bag onto her shoulder and looked back at him one last time, before she walked out the door. “Goodbye, Lou.”

If you could hear hearts break, Louis was sure that you could hear his shatter into a million pieces when Lulabelle walked out his door. What Louis didn’t know was that Lulabelle was staring at his door from her car, completely falling apart.



Louis woke up to see Liam standing above him, startling him slightly.

“Mate, what are you doing in my flat?” Louis asked, his hand over his racing heart.

“Oh, nothing. Just wanted to see how everything is going with Allison.” Liam smirked, looking at the hickeys on Louis’ neck.

“It’s going good, mate. She’s a bit of an animal, if you know what I mean.” Liam nodded and smirked, as Louis continued. “But I think I’m finally starting to move on from Lulabelle.”

“Told you all you needed to do to get over Lulabelle was to get under someone else.”

Louis laughed, shoving Liam in the shoulder. “Sod off, will you?”



Louis walked into the little pub that Allison, the newest girl Liam tried to set him up with, had decided they should go to. It was small and out of the way, and he was glad that he most likely wouldn’t get recognized. Sitting at most of the counters and tables were people that were over the age of thirty. His eyes scanned over the back of the pub and that’s when he saw her, making his breath catch in his throat. All that his eyes could focus on was the arm resting around her shoulders and tears started to sting his eyes.

“What’s wrong? You look like somebody punched you in the gut.” Allison asked, but Louis didn’t hear her. She gripped his arm tightly. “Earth to Louis! Our table is ready.”

Lulabelle heard his name and looked up, hoping that it was just a fluke and not her Louis. But of course, it was her Louis, in one of the smallest pubs in London. They caught each other’s eyes as Louis sat down in the booth across from her and Louis could feel his heart shattering all over again. Lulabelle looked like a deer caught in headlights. She wasn’t truly over Louis and she regretted ending things, but she couldn’t just admit that.



The doorbell of Lulabelle’s apartment rang and she jumped slightly, batter for brownies splattering everywhere. Raising her eyebrow, she ran towards the door and yanked it open, stopping dead in her tracks as soon as she saw who it was. He looked absolutely breathtaking, scruff lining his face and making him look a bit more mature.

“I- What are you doing here?”

“We need to talk, Lulabelle. May I come in?” Louis said.

She nodded hesitantly, moving to the side to let him in and shutting the door once he was fully in the flat. They stood there awkwardly, looking anywhere but at each other.

“So…” Lulabelle trailed off, finally looking up at him. “Would you like to sit down?” He nodded, still looking at his shoes. She led him to the living room couch and they sat down as far away from each other as they could. “I just… Lou, why are you here? Why now?”

“I think you know why I’m here, Lulabelle.”

“It’s been a year, Louis.”

“You expect for me to be over you within a year? I don’t care; no matter how much times goes by, I will never be over you. I still love you.”

“Lou, don’t.”

“Just let me talk. Don’t say anything until I’m finished. I know I fucked up, Lulabelle. I left for months to go on tour when you needed me most. You know I would’ve dropped everything to help you get through the loss of your gramma, but I couldn’t. The guys depend on me and you know that.” Louis took a deep breath, looking Lulabelle straight in the eyes. “I know that it’s hard on you with me being away most of the year. But it’s just as hard on me. I miss you every single day while I’m on tour. I miss your laugh, your smile, your arms around me, your lips against mine, and your voice. I think of you when I’m singing on that stage every night. Nobody compares to you.” He gulped loudly, seeing tears in her eyes. “Please, forgive me. I am in love with you and always will be, Lula. I promise I will always be there for you, even when we’re miles apart.”

A few seconds passed, even though it felt like minutes to Louis, before Lulabelle pushed him back on the couch and pressed her lips to his passionately. Before he could kiss her back, she pulled away, biting her lip.

“I’m so sorry for everything.” Lulabelle sighed, resting her forehead against his. “I love you too, Lou.”