Hint of the Future

The buzz of the news was in the air everywhere in Wolverhampton. Elodie could hear the whispers lingering behind her as she opened the door to the busy restaurant, adjusting the gray beanie on top of her head and squeezing through people to find just one person. He was often in the front of the house as he chatted with customers about their meals and service; he was always friendly and had a bright smile on her face, which was something she loved about him.

Elodie found him in the back with an elderly couple that visited the restaurant on a daily basis. A smile made its way onto her face as she walked over and laced her fingers through his, greeting the couple before she glanced up at her boyfriend.

His eyes were bright with glee, and it was a light blue color that had specks of green coloring them, making them unique. Light brown stubble dotted across his jaw as a smile spread across his cheeks, making his eyes crinkle as he pulled his hand away from hers to wrap around her waist and pull her even closer to him. Elodie was sure he heard the news that was spreading across the town faster than the beat of a fly’s wings, but he didn’t seem phased by it as he rubbed soft circles with his thumb into the side of her hip.

“The spaghetti and meatballs here are my special recipe from my mum, and I usually make the sauce myself. This girl right here loves when I make spaghetti and meatballs,” he chuckled as he placed a soft kiss into her hair, and she felt herself blush lightly, though she nodded her head in agreement.

“I absolutely adore it when Louis makes it,” she cooed as she looked up at him and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. “He always makes the best food,” she grinned from ear to ear. Elodie always enjoyed speaking about Louis, taking pride in the fact that he was her boyfriend.

She could feel Louis shaking as he softly chuckled, and he gave one more smile to the couple before he left them to their meals. For a moment, the two simply walked around the restaurant before Louis looked down at her and gave her that breathtaking smile she loved.

“I hope we can grow old like them,” he rubbed his nose against hers before he planted a kiss on her lips. “You’ll look even more adorable at that age,” he told her, and she simply made a face at him, which made him chuckle before she felt him pulling her along. She could tell that he had something else he wanted to say, and Elodie was sure she could guess what it was.

Her guess was confirmed as he said, “I heard Liam Payne is back in town.” It was a simple sentence that he spoke so casually about, but she could tell on his face that he was distressed about it. Louis could never hide his emotions from people because they were always evident on his face, which was something both Elodie and him had in common.

Elodie simply shrugged her shoulders as she looked up at Louis, stopping right next to the stage in the restaurant. “I heard that too. I don’t see why he would come back since he’s all big and famous now, but I’m sure it’s not because of me,” she assured Louis as she cupped his face into her hands, standing on her tiptoes to give him a light kiss on the lips. She could still see the tension he was feeling on his face, and she smiled as she softly ran her fingers along his stubble. “I love you, Louis,” she hummed softly as she kissed him one more time, and she could feel him smile against her lips this time.

“Love you too, babe,” he murmured against her lips, and she grinned. She always loved hearing those words falling from his lips. “Now, I’m going to get on stage, and you’re going to sit right here,” he pulled out a seat from the table directly in front of the stage, waiting till she was comfy before he hopped onto the stage. Besides his cooking skills, one of her favorite things about Louis – she had many – was his voice. It was like an angel, and as he tried to decide between the piano and guitar on stage, opting for the guitar and taking his seat on the stool in front of the mic, Elodie couldn’t help but wonder how she got so lucky.

The room immediately silenced as he cleared his throat and smiled at the crowd. “Hi everyone,” he greeted. “It’s that time of day for my horrendous singing,” he chuckled softly as everyone else laughed along. “Today, I’m singing something original called Half a Heart. It’s for the lovely girl right there,” he pointed at Elodie, and his smiled widened as he watched her cheeks grow bright red. He had written a few songs for her, which she adored, often making him sing them over and over whenever she could. Louis didn’t mind, though, always giving in to her requests.

His voice was smooth and light, and he sounded like an angel as he sung. It always made her melt as she watched him close his eyes and strum the guitar. She knew what ensued the song, which was their argument they had a few weeks ago when they had split for such a short amount of time before they ran back to each other. His voice sent shivers down her spine, and she was touched by the song as she tried her best not to cry. The chair beside her was being pulled out, and she didn’t even noticed because she was so absorbed in Louis’s performance.

His voice was deeper and huskier from the last time she heard it, which was many years ago, “That your boyfriend?” Elodie turned her head quickly, meeting the darker brown ones that she used to love so much. Her breath hitched in her throat as she realized that he grew even more handsome if that was even possible. His hair was no longer in that bowl cut he had. Instead, it was cut short on the sides and was neatly combed back on top. He even grew a light beard like her boyfriend. His defined muscles were shown off in the simple white tee he wore, and all the photos she had seen of him over the years didn’t even come close to the real thing.

Elodie cleared her throat as she slowly nodded her head and replied, “Yeah, he is.” She turned her head away to be met with Louis’s eyes. He tried to smile when he saw her look at him, but she could see the worry and jealousy right on his face as his eyes travel to the boy sitting next to her. “He’s the owner of this restaurant,” Elodie added as if that was supposed to make him more superior than Liam.

“Well, he’s quite the dapper chap,” Liam replied, and she glanced at him to see that he was sizing her boyfriend up. “How’ve you been, Elodie? You’ve grown,” he looked back at the blond, and Elodie simply stared back at him.

“I’ve been quite fine,” she tried ending the conversation and turning her focus on her boyfriend, who was finishing up the song. A smile spread on her lips as she clapped her hands, though she could feel Liam’s stare boring into her as she stood up to walk on stage and hug Louis. “You’re trying to make me cry in front of all these people?” she murmured into the crook of his neck, and she could feel Louis place his hands on her hips as he chuckled softly into her ear.

“Maybe,” he breathed softly. “I see Liam has found you,” he added after a moment. She just knew by his voice that the two were staring at each other. Elodie had been hoping that Liam wouldn’t have come to see her because she assumed that he had no feelings for her after leaving in the middle of the night with no warning. He had broken her heart and left her like that for a whole year, not responding to any of her calls or texts and evening changing his number. It hurt her, and Louis was the one who came along and helped to repair herself.

“I don’t care about him,” Elodie muttered back as she pulled just a bit away from Louis, so she was looking him in the face. Louis looked back at her, and she could tell that fear was lingering on his face. He was frightened that she would just run back into his arms as if Liam hadn’t left her to rot.

“He obviously cares about you,” Louis breathed, and Elodie could feel her heart break in two as she heard the sadness laced in his voice. She laced her hands with his and pulled him off stage. People were still clapping, though most had returned to their meals as Elodie started out the door with Louis, sneaking just a peek at the boy she left alone at the table, but as soon as their eyes met, she knew it was a mistake. Memories from the past sprung up in her mind, and she quickly turned away, though she knew he was watching her go as she walked out the door with her boyfriend beside her.