So, this was unplanned but I've been working on this for a few weeks while taking a break from 'A Howl In The Darkness' and it's getting somewhere. I'm not really happy yet because I feel like the first few chapters are alright but the rest is shit but anyway. Here's my newest story for you. Something totally different from anything I've written before. I hope you enjoy it. Keep in mind. It's still a book turned into fanfic. So, the changes stay the same as always. 

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"Louis, table five is ready".

Grabbing the three heavenly-smelling plates, Louis balanced them on his limbs and carried them over to table five, which was right next to one of the big windows. It had a perfect view over the little market square. Placing the plates onto the table and offering the guests a polite 'Enjoy your meal', Louis made his way back over the polished wooden floor behind the marble counter to his co-worker Sam, who was polishing some glasses because it was a quiet and calm day today. The rush would come later when he was already sitting on his comfy couch with his two best friends.

"I really don't get how you don't drop all those plates. I can barely carry my own from my kitchen to the couch" one of his regulars commented as soon as he was in earshot. His name was Dylan and he was sitting at the bar counter, chatting with Louis and Sam.

"It's called talent" Louis winked at him teasingly.

"I know you're teasing me but I still believe that" Dylan grinned unfazed at him, sipping on his glass.

"You should. It's the truth" Sam piped in. "He does it as if it were nothing even though he only started three months ago. It's quite impressive. It took me way longer to handle more than two plates at a time. He's a natural".

"Aren't you exaggerating the tiniest bit? I'm waiting tables. That's not necessarily science" Louis cocked an eyebrow at him.

"But it is" Sam insisted funnily.

"Only three months? It feels like I've known you longer" Dylan noted thoughtfully.

"Maybe because you've been here with me more than at home" Louis reciprocated sassily.

"Here, I get free food every once in a while. At home, I have to cook it" Dylan reasoned his constant presence in the restaurant.

"For that, you'd have to be able to cook" Louis cackled briskly.

"And you only get that free food because you started to help around here out of sheer boredom" Sam added cheekily.

"I live right above you. So, when Maria and Paul need help why shouldn't I offer it?" Dylan tilted his head aside in question.

"Because you have a life?" Sam smirked provokingly at him.

"No, he doesn't" Louis snorted amusedly.

"Ey!" Dylan exclaimed fakely offended. "I have a perfectly fine life".

"Yeah? What happens there exactly?" Louis challenged him.

"A lot" Dylan claimed but then fell silent. "Um ...".

"Sounds like an exciting life" Louis couldn't help himself.

"Any friends? Partners? Dates? A job?" Sam offered him a way to save his ass before they would drag him mercilessly.

"I have a job, thank you very much" Dylan crossed his arms over his chest. "I own a tiny bookshop in town. Did I never mention that? It's cosy and people go there".

"Do they?" Sam licked his lips to keep a comment in.

"Do you run it alone or do you have a partner? Or at least one or two employees?" Louis hooked actually interested.

"It's mine alone but I have three people, who work there with me and I'm grateful, that I have them. We're like a little family" Dylan started smiling while talking, making Louis smile along.

"So, kinda like us?" a female voice startled the three men, making them all whirl around to her. It was Maria Anderson, one of the owners of 'Piccola Stella'. Louis loved her to pieces.

"Yeah, that's why I love it here" Dylan nodded in confirmation. "Well, normally when I don't get dragged and accused of not having a life or any friends".

"You know these two and their antics but you still come back every second day" Maria clicked with her tongue.

"You're even worse than them" Dylan shook his head in defeat.

"It's their influence" Maria claimed childishly.

"Is not!" Louis and Sam exclaimed in sync.

"It really isn't, my love" Paul Anderson, Maria's husband and second owner of the restaurant, joined them behind the counter.

"Tell me, why do I love you again?" Maria pouted dramatically.

"Because I'm giving you the world" Paul answered simply.

"That you do" Maria's entire face softened.

"Aw" Louis, Sam and Dylan cooed at the scene.

"Shut it" Paul laughed unaffectedly. "Louis, why aren't you leaving? Your shift is done. If you love us this much, you can always work an extra shift, you know".

"As much as I love all of you, but fuck no. Definitely not" Louis pulled a funny face at the mere thought.

"Language" Sam slapped his shoulder admonishingly.

"It's too late for that" Maria snickered nastily.

"I hate all of you" Louis sighed with a smile on his lips.

"Get out of my face, Tomlinson" Paul sent him off.

Without another word, Louis passed the kitchen and walked into the back to get rid of his work clothes and change into his comfy everyday clothes. On his way back to the front, Louis said goodbye to everyone in the kitchen and then approached the circle of four idiots he had left behind.

Placing one arm around Paul's shoulders, Louis knocked onto the counter and saluted them funnily. "I'm off".

"See you tomorrow, Louis".

Exiting the restaurant, Louis made his way home. It was only a fifteen minutes walk. He headed straight across the empty market square and took a right turn onto a busy main street. The late March air was caressing his face and the sun was trying to break through the wall of grey clouds but didn't manage it yet. Walking out of the city centre, Louis headed right again and was quickly met with the view of his huge apartment complex.

It consisted of seven floors and housed six different types of apartments. A five-room apartment Louis was calling his own now for around four months, together with his two best friends. Three elevators were the first thing one could see after walking inside and getting past Thomas or Michael, the doormen. Through them, the entire complex felt a lot fancier than it was. Well, it wasn't unfancy but it was a shared complex. One could find single-room flats, multiple-room apartments and even two penthouses, but only one of them was inhabited so far.

Getting closer, Louis spotted his best friend Zayn outside of the building next to mountains of moving boxes and a moving truck. That sparked Louis' curiosity, causing him to walk right over to him.

"Did I miss anything?" Louis startled his best friend shamelessly.

Zayn squeaked shortly but relaxed immediately, facing Louis with a hand placed over his racing heart. "Stop doing that, Tommy. I thought you loved me. Why do you always try to give me a heart attack? You wanna get rid of me?".

"That was my plan, Joey" Louis patted his shoulder.

"Then you failed this time" Zayn was totally unimpressed. "And yes, apparently you missed something. Or someone because it looks like we're getting new neighbours".

"And you're standing here because?" Louis checked amusedly.

"I'm nosy as fuck and you know it" Zayn made fun of himself. "I wanted to check the newbies out. See what kind of people they are. If they're weird or normal".

"You mean after the last new neighbours?" Louis asked knowingly.

"That was a disaster. How many times did the police have to stop by?" Zayn recalled with a crunched-up face.

"Too many times. I get your concern, Joey" Louis had to admit he was the tiniest bit curious too but for a different reason.

"Then let's wait and see who comes back outside. They've been inside for quite some time" Zayn rubbed his hands together.

"How long have you been standing here?" Louis eyed him closely.

"Fifteen minutes, give and take" Zayn admitted ashamed.

"You're so weird sometimes. Maybe the new neighbours should be worried about you instead" Louis shook his head in amusement.

"Ey" Zayn pouted cutely, jutting his bottom lip out.

"What the hell are you two up to out here?" the sound of his other best friend sounded from behind them. Louis whirled around and was face to face with a confused-looking Liam.

"I'm making sure Zayn is not scaring off our new neighbours," Louis told him cheekily.

"I was not about to scare them off!" Zayn exclaimed huffily.

"Why do I even come back home? I should sleep at the pharmacy and stay far away from both of you" Liam sighed dramatically.

"You chose to live with us. You love us. Admit it" Louis poked his side, making him shy away because he was ticklish.

"Okay, fine. I love both of you. Stop poking me, Tommo. You know I'm ticklish. You're playing dirty" Liam surrendered as fast as ever.

"Always" Louis winked at his adorable friend.

"Someone's coming" Zayn whisper-yelled over to them.

Instantly, Louis turned around to the entrance of the building and saw a red-headed guy walking out of it and straight towards the boxes, that they were standing next to like idiots or creeps.

"What are y ... Louis? Hey, mate. I was hoping to see you here" the red-headed guy's face lit up at the sight of Louis, confusing his friends totally.

"Why didn't you tell me you were moving in? I could have helped you, Niall" Louis fist-bumped him before hugging him shortly.

"It all happened so quickly. I had barely time to process it myself and then we already had to move" Niall explained his actions.

"I get that".

"Hold up. Am I the only one, who is confused?" Zayn intervened.

"No, me too. How do you two know each other?" Liam was just as confused as Zayn.

"We met at the restaurant when I came by to see Maria and Paul. I think I started rambling about looking for a new place and Louis piped in and told me about this building" Niall told them vaguely.

"So, you know Maria and Paul" Zayn tried to follow.

"Yes?!" Niall knitted his eyebrows together in bewilderment.

"Guys, Niall is the son of Nina and Paolo" Louis let them know.

"You mean, from Horan's Wonderland? That big restaurant in town?" Zayn finally caught on with big eyes.

"Exactly" Louis nodded simply. This situation was quite amusing.

"My parents are very close with Maria and Paul and like this, I know everyone who works at their restaurant. Well, I did years ago before I moved to Spain. Now I'm back and Louis was the first new person I met and he immediately saved my ass" Niall offered a bit more information for the discombobulated boys.

"Makes sense, huh?!" Louis nudged Liam's hip.

"How could I know you have famous friends? You didn't tell us" Liam nudged him back.

"He's right. You didn't mention it. We can't read your mind, Tommy" Zayn agreed with Liam funnily.

"You can, Joey. Don't lie because we have a 'famous' person around" Louis snorted exhilaratedly.

"Oh, yeah. So famous" Niall cackled loudly.

"Niall? What is taking you so long? You said you'd be back in a few minutes" an unfamiliar voice startled all four of them.

"Sorry, H. But I met some of our neighbours and we got stuck talking because I know one of them" Niall explained himself.

Louis took a look at the new stranger and his breath got knocked out of his lungs. In front of him was the most beautiful man he has ever seen in his entire life. Soft-looking brown curls were framing the most stunning face with plumb lips and emerald green eyes. These fascinating eyes were now looking at him in curiosity.

"Care to introduce me?" Niall's friend asked in a raspy voice but his eyes were stuck on Louis, who couldn't look away either.

"Sure. Guys, this is my best friend Harry, who is one of the friends I'm moving in with" Niall gestured at his friend, a smirk forming on his face. "And H, this is Louis. He was the one, who told me about this place and the available apartments".

"That was you?" Harry asked surprised and Louis could only nod dumbly. "Wow, thank you. That suggestion saved us".

"It was no big deal" Louis found his voice back, waving the matter off. It was nothing. He didn't do anything.

"Well, I don't know the names of the other two. We didn't get that far yet. Louis? Care to enlighten us?" Niall cleared his throat when they kept only staring at each other like idiots.

"Um ... Of course. These are Zayn and Liam, my best friends. We live together on the sixth floor" Louis pointed at his two friends behind him, who were smirking amusedly.

"Nice. Speaking of friends. Our friend Sean is waiting upstairs for us to come back with more boxes. It was nice talking to you but we really need to keep going. It's getting late and we can't disturb the other neighbours forever" Niall had to destroy the moment.

"Let us help you" Louis rushed out with an eagerness he didn't know he even possessed. "More hands and feet get the work done faster. Just an offer".

"I won't say no to that. I take any help I can get" Niall accepted his offer immediately.

"That's really nice of you, Louis" Harry smiled at him, which made some cute-as-hell dimples pop up. Louis was in trouble.

"No big deal. Moving is always a pain in the ass. We know that, right lads?" Louis had to look away for his own sanity.

"Oh, we know" Zayn smirked smugly at him.

"Let's do this before it gets too dark outside" Liam clapped into his hands, successfully getting everyone's attention and breaking any moment that has been there.

Picking up one of the heavy boxes, Louis felt Harry's eyes on him and his arms. Smirking to himself in satisfaction, Louis stood up even straighter and walked passed him, grazing Harry lightly with his arm. That made him take in the height difference between them. Harry was definitely at least an inch taller than him.

"Where to, Niall?" Louis asked as he followed Niall inside.

"Up to the top," Niall pressed the private elevator button.

"To the top top? Like the penthouse?" Liam hooked shocked.

"Yes".

"And you said you're not famous" Zayn snorted in disbelief.

"Well, it's not me who has the most money out of the three of us" Niall shrugged when the elevator doors opened and they walked in. "Actually, I make the least money out of us three".

"Seriously? But aren't you a chef? And at a very fancy and very expensive restaurant?" Liam couldn't believe it, making Louis and Zayn chuckle at his reaction.

"I am but my friends could afford this place without me. What does that say about me?" Niall dropped his box onto the ground.

"That you made the right friends?!" Zayn joked carefreely.

"Indeed, Zayn" Niall laughed freely.

"Now I'm curious though. How can you afford a penthouse in this city?" Zayn addressed Harry now, his voice soft.

"I'm a doctor and Sean as well," Harry told them coyly.

"A doctor?" Louis looked up at him in surprise.

"Yes, I recently graduated and just started working at the nearby children's clinic. It's good money but Sean is the rich one out of us" Harry went into a bit more detail.

"For now. He's been working there for two years. You barely started and make almost the same. You're a genius and will outdo all of us in no time, H. In a year, you could afford this penthouse alone, if you wanted to" Niall hyped him up.

"No, thanks. Would be too much empty space".

"Very true".

With a rattling mind, Louis zoned out for a few moments. That new discovery somehow hit him off guard. Stuffed in this elevator with four people, who were far better than him, Louis felt insignificant all over again. He was used to that but today, it came unexpectedly.

Typing in the pin for the penthouse, the doors opened and they all stepped inside. Due to all the moving boxes and furniture pieces standing around Louis couldn't see much of the penthouse in general but it was huge, which made him feel very small.

"There you are. I thought you got lost" another man came over to them, confusion taking over his face. "Oh, you brought guests?".

"Sean, meet Louis, Zayn and Liam. They're our neighbours and offered their help" Niall introduced them to each other.

"Really? That's very nice of you" Sean looked overwhelmed.

"Everything for rich doctors" Zayn joked idiotically.

"You offered your help before you knew that" Niall cracked up laughing. "You can't fool me".

"Technically, Louis offered our help without asking us first" Zayn corrected him evilly.

"Oh, I wonder why" Niall cackled nastily.

"Because he is a nice person" Harry interrupted them strongly. "Let's get the other boxes. We have three more pairs of hands now".

"You heard the man. Let's go".

The six of them managed to carry everything into the penthouse in no time. Sean, Niall and Harry were a fun trio and they clicked perfectly fine with Louis and his friends, which made Louis' decision even harder. After two long hours of helping them move in, they were done and totally exhausted. Niall suggested they could go out for drinks pretty soon to thank them for their help and the guys accepted without a doubt. Parting for the night, Louis went back downstairs with his friends and walked into his own flat, trying to process the day and his emotions connected to it.

"So, Harry, mh?" Zayn clicked with his tongue as soon as the front door was closed behind them.

"No, don't start this, Joey" Louis tried to get away but it was useless. Zayn and Liam cornered him way too quickly.

"Why not? We've all seen the instant attraction between you two. It was ... something, let me tell you" Zayn wiggled his eyebrows.

"He's attractive and very handsome. I'm not blind, okay?" Louis crossed his arms over his chest defensively.

"You two were staring at each other for at least three minutes without blinking. I thought you might jump each other right th ...".

"Definitely not" Louis cut Liam off enraged. "I would never do that and you know it".

"What he meant was that the mutual attraction was very obvious. We've all seen it. Are you gonna do something about it, Tommy?" Zayn approached the matter a bit gentler.

"No" Louis answered simply with a made-up mind.

"Why not?" Liam whined exaggeratedly. "You've been single for a long time now and you obviously felt something".

"I did but that doesn't mean I have to act on it, okay?" Louis really wanted to hide in his bedroom. "Not when it would lead to nothing".

"Why would you say that?".

"Tommy ...".

"He's a freaking doctor, guys. He studied medicine. One of the hardest things one could study. He's way out of my league and I won't act on this attraction between us for a simple shag. It would not be more than that. We're from two totally different worlds and would never work out, if there even were a chance for more" Louis reasoned his decision logically. He knew he was right.

"Don't put yourself down like that, Tommy. He didn't seem like someone, who cares about a person's job or income" Zayn tried to reason with him.

"Not yet but he will. It's part of that world" Louis shrugged, feeling weirdly down and oddly sad inside. "Besides, someone like him would never fit with someone like me, even if he magically wouldn't care. He's a doctor. A highly respected man in a job where he ...".

"Are you trying to say he might think you're ... he would assume you'd bottom just because he is a doc ...?".

The ringing of his smartphone cut Zayn off and saved Louis from this embarrassing and wrong turn, that the conversation was taking only because Louis' mind was looking for reasons to shut this topic down. Holding a finger up to silence his friends, Louis looked down at his phone and frowned at the unknown number. Something inside of him told him to pick up, so he did.

"Tomlinson, hello?".

And just like that, his world would forever change. That voice would forever change the course of his life.

"Fuck, I have to go!".