AN: Hiiiii thank you for reading first of all. Just wanted to let you know that these first handful of chapters aren't all that great :/ Sorry about that but hopefully they get better as you continue to read? Love ya and enjoy <3

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Italy.

It was everyone's dream destination that they wanted to visit at least once in their lifetime. The beautiful architecture leaves people in awe no matter how many times they've seen it. Famous paintings never fail to leave them speechless. Lovers make it their honeymoon and tourist make it their number one spot on their list.

Me. I made it my home.

When I was just ten years old, my family visited Italy and I immediately fell in love just like everyone else. I vowed that when I turned eighteen I would move here. So I did. I left home and moved to Italy the same day I turned eighteen.

During those eight years before I moved here, I prepared. I learned Italian, which didn't seem to be necessary since almost everyone I met spoke English. I planned what college I was going to go to, and where I was going to live. Saving up the money was a hard task but thankfully my parents offered to pay for college, so that made things easier. All of it was worth it in the end.

Now I'm twenty-four and own my own florist business. Flowers have always been a passion of mine. Their beautiful colors and sweet scent never failed to put me in a good mood. My grandmother had a humongous garden when I was younger and taught me all about flowers. I like to think that by having my flower shop I'm closer to her.

"Good morning. Today is a beautiful day, isn't it?" Luca says from behind the counter as I walk inside the cafe.

"It certainly is," I smile, grabbing my cup of coffee from the counter. Luca always had my cup of coffee ready for me in the mornings. I insisted that he didn't need to do that but he refuses to stop, "Have a good day, Luca!" I wave before leaving the cafe just as quickly as I had arrived.

Italy early in the morning feels like you're in a completely different dimension. The streets aren't as crowded with tourists and the sun is just barely in the sky, turning the clouds different shades of tangerine orange and bubblegum pink. Everything about Italy just mesmerizes me...from the smallest local shop to the worldwide known Pantheon.

I live in Rome but travel to Venice and Florence occasionally. If I could live in all three places I would. Sorrento is the place I plan on living at when I'm finished with the flower business. Something about that city just makes me feel at home. I wasn't sure if it was the beautiful colored buildings or the crystal clear water, but it felt like home.

Today was like any other day that I spent in Rome, Italy. I woke up early to get ready for work, not feeling like getting up today. It was Friday though, so I couldn't complain. Random people passing me in the street greeted me with smiles and kind words, almost as if they've known me their entire lives.

While some people could be rather friendly, there were always that select few that were in a rush as they hurriedly passed me on the street, completely oblivious to the beautiful scenery around them as their minds only revolved around work and money.

Flowers always seemed to put that little extra pep in my step though. Their sweet aroma and bright colors never failed to send that wave of serotonin rushing through me. The outside of my shop, 'Aurora's Flowers', was filled with flowers and many different shades of colors. It was almost as if they were greeting you before you entered the true world of the beautiful petals and arrangements...preparing you for what's to come.

"Morning, boss," Liam greets me once I walk up to the front desk, the warmest smile on his face with just a hint of a mid-life crisis flashing behind his eyes.

"You're here early," I raise my eyebrows at him, setting my things down on the counter. Normally he never gets here this early.

Liam was one of the first people I hired when I first opened my business and we've come to be best friends within the past two years. Liam is originally from England but moved to Italy to start a new life. He got his heart broken by his high school sweetheart, so he decided a completely new life would get him back on track. It seemed to have worked because now he was that sunshine that seemed to fill the room when absolutely no one was having a good day.

"I figured I'd come help you get ready today," he smiles at me. I hum in response as I take a sip of my coffee, not believing him for one second.

"Tell me what's going on," I hand him my coffee but widen my eyes in surprise as he declines it.

That was definitely not like him.

He sighs, setting down the papers he was currently holding, placing his head in his hands, "I met someone," he admits, his head not leaving the cradle he's made.

"Liam, that's great!" I reply, placing my hand on his back, "Why are you acting so sad?"

"Is it too soon?" He asks, picking his head up to look at me.

Honestly, I've only been in one serious relationship and it ended up in flames, leaving me with a self-conscious feeling of falling back in love. Love was a confusing thing and either ends up in heartbreak or finding the one. I'm not too sure I ever want to deal with love ever again. Not when I'm still not over my last relationship.

"How do you feel when you look at her?"

"Him," he corrects me and I nod my head, remembering Liam was bisexual.

"Okay. How do you feel when you look at him?" I question him further.

"Like I'm on top of the world," Liam laughs softly, his cheeks turning a soft shade of pink, "His name is Louis."

By the way he said his name, I could tell Liam was hooked. The look on his face and his glazed over eyes gives me the answer he needed.

"Go for it, babe," I nudge him with my hip. He laughs and shakes his head, picking up the stack of papers he had put down, "I have to meet him soon," I add, sitting down at my desk and toying with a stray flower that had somehow ended up near my keyboard.

"Well, he's invited me to an art exhibition tonight. One of his friends is the artist," I look over at him, nodding my head for him to continue, "You should come. It's not until nine tonight."

Since I've moved here and opened my business, I've been overwhelmed with work. You would think owning a flower shop would be simple but it's a lot harder than you'd expect. Hundreds of flowers arrive every day and dozens of people buy them each day. You have to worry about watering each and every one of them along with making them look presentable.

Getting out for the night would do me good, "Yeah. I'll go," I make up my mind, earning a warm smile from Liam.

A night that included wine and small talk sounded perfect.

●●●●●

Six rolled around faster than I had expected, leaving me three hours to get ready for the art exhibition. I'd only been to about three art exhibitions before, being too busy to go to more. Art was something that intrigued me. It had a different meaning to everyone who looked at it, everyone seeing it in a different way than the person standing beside them. Only the artist knew what it truly meant, letting everyone else have their own opinion.

While I was no expert at art, my father was an artist. In addition to being an artist, he was also an art professor whose main goal in life was to inspire other aspiring artists to chase their dreams like he once did. And I'd say it ended fairly well because he ended up catching the eye of my mother. Their love story was one for the books and it was something I loved to hear anytime the topic would be brought up.

As the clock read closer to nine I headed towards the art exhibition on foot since it was only two blocks away. My navy blue dress grazed the ground as I walked, my black heels clicking along the sidewalk, the sound echoing through the street. Only a few couples were walking along the sidewalk, hand in hand as they whispered amongst themselves.

Liam was waiting outside for me once I walked up to the small building, "Well don't you look stunning," He chuckles, giving me a hug and kiss on the cheek, "You smell delicious too. Although that low v-neck makes you look a bit scandalous," he adds, causing me to swat him away.

"Where's Louis?" I ask eagerly, my eyes searching for him through the open door.

"Inside," he smiles, "Come on let's go," I take his hand and he leads me inside, pulling me through the crowded room. I didn't realize so many people were going to be here, wondering if he was a pretty famous artist. Liam finally stops when we reach the back of the building and I see a rather short looking man with blue eyes smiling at us, the simple action bringing a smile to my face.

"You must be Louis," I smile, reaching out to shake his hand.

"And you must be Aurora. Pleased to meet you," his thick accent carries through the crowded room, shaking my hand, "You're even more lovely than Liam described."

"You're even more handsome than Liam described. I guess he's not good with details," I laugh softly, nudging Liam with my elbow.

A waiter comes around with glasses of champagne and offers one to me. I thank him, taking a small sip and widening my eyes, "This is the best champagne I've ever had."

"Harry always has to have the best," Louis chuckles and my heart seems to somersault at the simple yet beautiful name.

"Is he the artist?"

"Sure is. Why don't you have a look around and we'll catch up later. They're all about different emotions by the way," he adds, nodding his head towards the paintings. I take his advice and start taking in the artwork, studying each one with interest.

Most of them were models, the painting almost looking like a picture. The models each had a unique look, their beauty different from the one before. None of them looked the same and each one seemed to portray a different emotion. It wasn't emotions like sadness or anger. It was more like lust or jealousy. Each one was more intriguing than the one before, making me dive deeper into my thoughts and focus on exactly what emotion I felt portrayed the painting.

The colors were soft and almost creamy, making you feel at peace but the look on the model's face was what made you see and feel the emotion. They seemed so delicately painted, like a lot of time and effort was put into each and every one. The artist seemed to have a personal connection with the models but a certain one with curly black hair and soft ebony skin made the most appearances out of them all, making me wonder if maybe this was the artist's certain muse.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't realize someone was standing beside me, "Do you like them?" He asks, causing me to leave my thoughts and come back to reality.

The man standing beside me immediately took my breath away. I'm not sure if it was the way his brown hair was neatly framed around his face, mixing with the tanned complexion of his skin that was littered with tattoos, or they way he shone brighter than anyone else in the room with his beauty, that made me feel as if I were underwater. His black sleeves were rolled halfway up his arms, revealing the ink on his biceps, making him seem tough, yet his facial features made him seem soft. It looked as if one of the paintings had come to life and was now in the real world instead of on a canvas. Words couldn't even begin to describe his beauty and it left me speechless. Those green eyes seemed to look straight into my soul, observing my every move and roaming over my body, making me feel like a weight was being pressed against my chest.

A small smile forms on his lips as he looks at me, tilting his head slightly to the side, "Did you hear what I said?" I watch his lips move, his accent ringing in my ears.

"Sorry, what?" I manage to say, still blown away by this man standing in front of me.

His lips curl into a bigger smile as he lets out a soft laugh, moving a bit closer to me, "I asked if you liked them."

"Like what?" My mind was completely blank.

"The paintings," he replies, turning his attention away from me and to the painting on the wall.

"Oh. Those," I breathe out, immediately feeling dumb, "I love them. They're so interesting. I'd love to meet the artist. It seems as if he put so much effort and thought into each one, making them truly display emotion. I feel like I could stare at them for days just to fully understand them."

The smile grows on his face as he turns his gaze back on me, a dimple appearing on his cheek, "Well, you're in luck."

"How so?" I ask.

"I'm Harry Styles. The artist."