This was first claimed by T_Tinacoolway  so, enjoy darling.

I'm actually really proud of this prologue and the whole plot I came up with. So, I really hope you like this.

Not so proud of the cover though, might change it if I come up with something better.
Okay, love you all my Magnets. I'm super excited about this new story. :))))

Mag 🦋

2023

Prologue.
[Louis' POV]

The last thirteen years of my life had been going on between singles, albums, appearances, interviews, shows, arena tours, stadium tours, cover of magazines and jet lagged plane rides around the world.

I was now a celebrity, you could say.

I was recognized in the streets by strangers, I was invited to more parties that I could ever have the time to attend, I was forcing relationships out of convenience, I was nominated for stupid awards that the whole industry knows are arranged only for money and not exactly for talent; I was, to sum up, in the spotlight. Always.

Back then with the band, and now as a solo artist.
Once you get into it, you never, ever, get the chance to step out of it.
Always in the spotlight. Always waiting to be judged, to be interrogated, to be photographed.

And maybe I was starting to get sick of it all.

I didn't regret it though. I could never.

One Direction gave me all I've ever wanted, a chance to make out of my life the thing I loved the most, singing.

Even with the downsides, those were some of the best and wildest experiences of my life. The adrenaline of being on stage in front of thousands, feeling the master of the world when I heard them scream for me.
Those are the kind of moments I would never forget or replace with anything else.
Those are the moments that made me keep going for so long, non-stop.

But the truth is, after the band, after we all went separate ways, after I started taking some more time for myself; I started appreciating the little things more.
Like sleeping. Oh God, how I missed sleeping.

I started valuing the days off, staying at home and just chill, spending time with my family, not being screamed at by fans every single day.
It was nice. Being alone, having time and feeling normal again.

I was tired of all the hectic life. I was tired of the spotlight.
Even if my solo career was also good, successful, and I was grateful for that; I was also lonelier, sadder, most of the time, and I really wanted to start resting, for real.

I wanted to take some time to find out who I really was and not who I was told or expected to be in front of cameras and thousands of fans.

I wanted to go back and find my essence. Find again those real friends I had at the beginning of my career and not these forced friendships out of interest. I wanted to find a trail back home, to the people that love me for who I really am, if there's anyone left.

At first, I tried going back to my roots. I got a nice house in Doncaster, felt close to my people, invited my sisters over every weekend, and got to spend quality time with them.
But they all had their separate lives now, jobs, boyfriends, their own homes away from home.
And maybe I just wasn't their first choice as I once was.

So, then I tried contacting old friends, those people that supported me even before the band. The people that I grew up with, side by side.

But well, thirteen years had passed for them too, I guess.
They all had moved on, formed families. Most of them were married and with kids on the way. All of them lived normal lives and were not interested in going out to parties with me.

If I were them, I wouldn't want to go to parties with me either.

And that's when I remembered why I ended up with these bad friendships in the first place.
Because nobody really understands the life I lived. The life I'm still living.
How part of my job was staying young and wild, not settling down, repressing all those natural instincts of finding someone truthful to you and planning a life together after you reach thirty.

I wasn't supposed to do that.

And the only people that could understand that, were the people in the industry.
But then again, many of them aren't trustworthy. They come to you for reputation, fame, interest. Is always for some kind of interest. Nobody really wants to know you.
Vicious circle, innit?

I always tried hard to really keep myself humble and never do that to another artist. But the industry is hard on everyone.

So, yes, after thirteen years, I realized I was completely alone.
And I wanted to mend that.

That's why I knew I needed to reach out and meet with the people that had been with me, in this, from the beginning. The people that could understand. The people that knew this famous version of Louis inside out, just as much as I knew them because they built us together.

Liam was the easiest call, we never really lost contact after the band.
And even since I moved back to Doncaster, he's been in my home once or twice already, but well, he had his own problems to take care of, he didn't need to add babysitting Louis to his list.

Niall, I had talked to him, but it's harder to see him since he's permanently living in The States. We talked over the phone though.
He gets it, what I am going through. And he always knows just what to say. Great listener and advice giver that one.

And well, Harry.
He hasn't been answering my calls at all.

I knew he was mad at me. He had been since 2018. Never knew the reason behind it though.
And, after a while of not getting answers from him, I gave up and just started ignoring him through the years too. If I knew he was going to be at an event, red carpet, show, or even the same city as I was, I was probably going to cancel it.

I never wanted to deal with it. I kept postponing facing him for five years.

But now, knowing I literally had no one, and that I was in desperate need of having my old people back just to remind me of my actual self, I was freaking ready to know what I did wrong.
I was ready to mend my mistakes, if there were any.

"Are you?" - A female voice came out of nowhere, reverberating in the silent room.

"What?" - I jumped on my feet, looking everywhere, around me, up and down, to see where the voice came from.

I could have sworn I was alone at home.

"Oh, you idiot." - The female voice said, chuckling after. - "I'm right here." - The voice reverberated again, now sounding closer to my ear and making me jump again.

Nobody was behind me, or close to me. And the voice didn't even sound familiar.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my house?!" - I screamed, still looking everywhere but seeing nothing. - "I'm calling security!"

"On me?" - She laughed. - "You can't even see me." - She said, obviously making fun of me. - "Ugh, fine. I'll stop playing with you. You look so pale I'm afraid you're dying before your time."

I kept looking around me, still not knowing where the annoying and mysterious voice was coming from.
Then, right in front of my eyes, the shape of a woman started to materialize, she had long brown hair, a really sexy white dress, and a satisfied look on her face.

"After years of you shutting me down, scaring you was the best way of revenge. I truly enjoyed it. Very satisfying."

"What?!" - I screamed again, reaching out to grab whatever piece of art I had near and throwing it at her.

"Really?" - She shook her head, watching as the jar I threw was just passing through her like she was an hologram.

"Who are you?!" - I shook my head, not believing my eyes. - "What are you?!"

"Calm down, idiot. I'm your conscience." - She smirked. - "That one you never listened to? Well, I'm here now. You can call me Ems though."

"Ems? My conscience? What the fuck?" - I stepped away from her, walking backwards until I hit the couch with the backside of my knees, falling on my butt.

I quickly stood up, avoiding the couch and standing as far from her as possible.

"Short for Emily." - She smirked again, getting closer to me. - "You'll see Louis." - She said, now walking around me in circles. - "Since you never freaking listened to me in your thirty one years of life, I made myself corporeal so you can listen, once and for all. Any questions?"

"Too many." - I gulped.

"Well." - She sighed. - "I'm not going to answer them anyways. We're doing things my way now." - She smirked, taking my wrist. - "You don't know why Harry hates you?"

"No." - I frowned. - "What does Harry have to do with this?"

"You wanted to mend things?"

"Uhm, yeah." - I said and she tightened her grip on my wrist.

"Then get ready for a trip." - She smirked.

She snapped her fingers, and then, everything went black.