The sound of my phone jolted me awake. I groaned, rolling over to check the time — 8:15 a.m. Whoever was calling clearly had no respect for a girl's sleep. It stopped ringing for a moment, but just as I began to drift back into my dreams, it rang again.
I sighed and grabbed it. "Hello?"
"Good morning, beautiful," came the voice I knew too well.
My heart instantly skipped. "Louis?"
He laughed softly. "You recognize my voice that fast?"
"Of course I do. I could pick your voice out of a thousand."
"Wow. That's a little creepy," he teased. "But I like it."
I smiled into the phone. "So, what's up?"
"I want to take you out today," he said. "As my girlfriend."
I sat up instantly. "Are you serious?"
"Very. Get ready — I'll pick you up at ten."
"Okay," I said, still smiling. "I'll be waiting. Love you."
"Love you too, Laranie."
When he hung up, I stared at my phone, grinning like an idiot. Then I jumped out of bed, rushing into the bathroom. My hands shook a little as I brushed my hair — excitement fluttering through me like butterflies that refused to calm down.
By nine, I was dressed in a short, soft-red dress that hugged me in all the right ways. I sat downstairs, flipping through TV channels just to pass the time, but nothing could distract me from thinking about Louis.
When I finally heard a knock at the door, I didn't walk — I ran.
Standing there was Louis — wearing dark jeans and a fitted red shirt that showed off his lean, muscular frame. His smile was enough to make my knees weak.
"You look beautiful," he said, his voice low.
"And you look... dangerous," I teased.
He grinned, stepping closer and pressing a soft kiss on my cheek. "Ready?"
"Always," I said.
The morning sunlight shimmered on the car's hood as we drove to the city theme park. The day felt like magic — every second with him felt like something out of a movie.
We played games and laughed until our sides hurt. He won me a giant teddy bear at the strength challenge, and I made him take ridiculous photos with me in the booth — pictures that ended in us laughing so hard we could barely breathe.
Later, we sat side by side on a small boat drifting through the "Tunnel of Love," surrounded by glowing pink lights and soft music echoing around us. Louis reached out and took my hand.
"You know," he said quietly, "I've wanted to do this with you since high school."
My heart warmed. "Then why didn't you?"
"I didn't think I deserved you," he said, his thumb brushing my skin. "But I'm glad I finally got my chance."
By afternoon, we were sitting in a dim movie theater, sharing popcorn and laughter. When Titanic reached its saddest part, tears welled up in my eyes. I sniffled quietly, trying to hide it — until Louis began laughing softly beside me.
I turned toward him, frowning. "What's so funny?"
"You just look… adorable when you cry," he said, still grinning.
"Louis!" I folded my arms, pretending to be angry.
He only chuckled, leaning closer. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh at you." He paused. "It's just — I love seeing how deeply you feel things. It's one of the reasons I fell for you."
My cheeks warmed. I tried not to smile, but failed miserably. "You're forgiven," I said.
By evening, he dropped me off at home. The air was cool, the sky painted orange and purple as the sun went down. When I turned to thank him, I got lost in those blue eyes again.
Neither of us spoke. He took a small step closer, brushed a strand of hair from my face, and kissed me — soft at first, then deeper. My heart raced. The world disappeared.
We walked inside, still laughing quietly, his hand in mine.
Everything felt right — as if the day had built up to that moment. There was no one else in the house, no noise, no interruptions. Just us — two people who had finally found what they'd been searching for.
We spent the evening talking — really talking — about our dreams, our mistakes, and how strange it was that something so perfect could grow from so much pain.
Eventually, we lay together in silence, his arms wrapped around me, my head resting on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
It was the sound of something new. Something real.
For the first time in my life, I felt safe.
And I knew — no matter what came next — this was a day I'd never forget.