Love

It had been days since the prince and the princess decided to see each other again, days without communication. Princess Lola was nervous about the fact that she hadn’t heard from prince Louis in three days, she worried that she might not have come off as ‘interesting’ to him or maybe something had happened to him over the past couple of days. The princess didn’t have a clue as to what was going on and she was desperate for answers. So desperate that she sent her maid out to the city, once again, to find out all that she could about prince Louis’ disappearance.

Lola takes a sip from her Long Island Ice Tea cocktail before laughing at Manny’s joke. “I can’t even taste the alcohol in this… what a shitty cocktail.” Lola mumbles as she sucks at the black straw that’s sitting in the big glass filled with caramel-coloured liquid.

Lola carefully pulls at her acid washed high-rise shorts, her legs are slowly being pulled from the seat they were just sticking to as she does so. “You’re just an alcoholic, L.” Manny laughs as he brings his cocktail glass to his mouth. “Don’t deny it. We all know it.” He chuckles as he winks at his Lola, he then takes two big gulps – downing the rest of his cocktail which is just a simple combination of kiwis and William Lawson’s.

As Manny and Emily are chatting away, Lola reaches into her bag for her pack of Camel cigarettes. She pulls one cigarette out of the pack and puts it between her lips before bringing her black lighter to the end of it, carefully burning the tip of her cigarette as she sucks at the filter. As the smoke is circling around in her throat and mouth, Lola inhales once more before exhaling the smoke – shortly after, a satisfied smile appears on her lips.

“Try not to give me cancer, with those sticks!” Manny complains, waving the smoke away from his face dramatically earning a giggle from Lola who then exhales the smoke into a different direction.

Lola puts the cigarette between her lips to put the pack back into her bag, as she does so she quickly reaches for her iPhone to see the time. When the screen lights up to show ’21:23’ she also notices she missed an incoming text from Louis Tomlinson. A small smile appears on her face, alongside the red blush that’s flushed her cheeks when she carefully slides her finger across the screen. Hey, I’ve been busy and haven’t really found the time to tell ye. But I had a nice time with ye, would love to hang out again if you’re down.

Lola shoves her mobile back into her back and pulls out a pen, she then scribbles ‘Call L.T.’ on it before putting the pen back into her bag. “So, Lola, I have to tell you something…” Emily giggles as she nervously scratches the back of her neck.

Manny immediately leans in, resting his elbow on the table and his chin in his hand. “Oh, this could get interesting!” He exclaims with a content smirk playing on his lips. Lola simply cocks her eyebrow in response to her best friend, urging her to continue.

She sighs deeply before taking a big gulp from her daiquiri cocktail. “How would you react if I were to say… that I might be going on a date with… Clay?” She mumbles, biting her bottom lip. Lola’s eyes open up widely as her mouth drops, but she quickly regains her confidence and shrugs.

“I hope you’re happy…” Lola laughs uncomfortably, unsure of how to react to this news. “Don’t hurt my brother?” She then laughs, shrugging earning a relieved sigh from her best friend who then laughs uncomfortably.

“Oh my God, good Lord! I thought you were going to kill me!” Emily laughs as she reaches over the table to hug Lola, causing Lola to become even more uncomfortable with the situation.

Lola wriggles her way out of her best friend’s arms. “Okay, okay.” She mumbles as she reaches for the straw in her drink. “It’s fine.” Lola laughs before taking a sip of her cocktail.

By the time princess Lola’s maid came back to the castle, one of the other employees had already brought princess Lola a letter from prince Louis in which he apologised for his absence the past couple of days. Princess Lola was waiting for the right time to call prince Louis; she was tired of sending letters back and forth. Princess Lola wanted to hear the prince’s voice again.

Lola arrived back home around midnight. Her first stop was her brother’s room, to yell at him and also congratulate him on making a move for Emily. Her second stop was the bathroom to get changed into her pyjama shorts.

The black tank top she wore out tonight is now clinging to her braless chest as she reaches into her bag to find her iPhone. Her eyes scan over the scribbled letters on her hand, causing a small smile to appear on her lips as she grabs a hold of her phone. After unlocking the screen, Lola quickly finds Louis’ number in her phonebook and gives him a ring.

“Aye?” His chirpy voice sounds through the speaker, earning a light chuckle from Lola. “Oh, wait, give me a sec.” He then quickly says before she hears him shuffling around a bit with his phone, she then hears a door fall close before Louis takes a deep breath. “Hey Lola!” He then says which causes the smile that was already sitting on Lola’s lips to widen.

“Hey Louis. Did I catch you at a bad time?” She asks, meanwhile she uses her free left hand to empty her bag and leave the contents of her bag on her desk.

Louis laughs lightly. “No, no. I was just with friends, had to go somewhere private so we could talk.” He explains. “What’s up?”

Lola scratches the back of her neck nervously, she takes a big breath before opening her mouth to speak again. “Just calling about your text. I would love to hang out again with you, too…” She speaks slowly as a warm blush finds its way to her cheeks.

“Great!” Louis exclaims before pausing for about five seconds. “So, um, maybe we could actually watch a movie this time?” Louis chuckles, earning a laugh from Lola as well.

“With or without alcohol, Louis?” Lola laughs.

“We’re alcoholics, I’ve come to that conclusion and I think you’ll agree.” He says earning a loud laugh from Lola.

“Oh! We definitely are!” She laughs. “I’m down to watch a movie though… with or without alcohol, that all depends on the movie… but, yeah, I’m down!” Lola says with a toothy smile on her face.

“Cool.” Louis simply responds, clearly leaving the subject of the whereabouts of this date to Lola.

“So, I’m guessing this date should be at my place?” Lola says earning an uncomfortable laugh from Louis.

“Yeah, it’s just that… well, I don’t have a valid excuse anymore. But we can meet up at my place the next time? Have drinks or something.” Louis offers. Lola runs her fingers to her bangs as she nods against the phone, an accomplished smile spread across her face.

“Mhm, sounds ‘right.” She mumbles. “But… I have a little sister and a brother and two parents to think about. They are always here at night.” Lola explains.

“No one ever said a date has to be at night… or did they? Is that some unwritten rule or something?” Louis questions, earning a chuckle from Lola.

“Okay. I have assignments due in two days, though. So I’m not sure when you’re available?” Lola asks him before letting out a big sigh at the thought of all the assignments she has to get done for college.

“I’ll have to check… I’ll let you know, soon? Okay?” Louis replies. His reply isn’t exactly what Lola had in mind, she was hoping he’d immediately say ‘oh, in three days, Lola’. A disappointed smile sits on her lips as she replies a simple ‘ok’ to him. “Well, gotta go. Bye!” He says to which Lola quickly ends the conversation. She’s gotten so used to not getting the time to tell him bye that she doesn’t even bother trying anymore.

Lola puts her mobile into its charger and crawls under her sheets. Just as she’s comfortable in her bed her phone starts buzzing next to her. She slides across the screen to unlock it, without even bothering to look who’s texting her. When the text message opens up, the disappointed smile on her face is quickly replaced with a genuine one. Do you always just hang up on people before replying? Not very polite. Are you free in three days?