as i got ready in my little bedroom, it was impossible to ignore the nerves and excitement bubbling up inside me. it wasn't just phoebe and daisy's birthday, after all; it was also the chance to see louis again. just the thought made my heart pound a little faster.

i stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection as i adjusted the straps of my black dress. it wasn't anything too fancy, but the way it hugged my shape made me feel... well, beautiful. i touched up my lipstick and smoothed my hair back, wondering if it was silly to be putting in this much effort, but then i shrugged. tonight was special, and even if i was only admitting it to myself, i wanted to look good for him.

"stop being ridiculous, imogen," i mumbled, trying to play it cool, but a smile crept onto my face anyway. louis had this strange effect on me, something i couldn't quite shake no matter how hard i tried.

when my phone buzzed with the notification that my uber had arrived, i grabbed my coat and stepped out into the crisp air, butterflies swirling in my stomach as i made my way to the car. the driver was kind enough to make small talk, and i answered politely, but my mind was miles away, picturing how tonight might unfold.

i tried to steady myself, taking deep breaths, but every street we passed brought me closer to the pub, and with it, to louis. i could practically hear phoebe and daisy's teasing voices, both of them well aware of the spark between us. their words from earlier echoed in my mind: "bet louis won't be able to keep his eyes off you."

and as much as i hated to admit it, i hoped they were right. tonight felt different—almost as if everything was building to something i couldn't quite put into words yet.

the pub was buzzing with laughter, music, and warmth as i stepped inside. the place was packed, full of phoebe and daisy's friends and family, all there to celebrate the twins. i scanned the crowd and spotted them immediately, arms waving wildly as they called me over.

"imogen!" phoebe practically shouted, pulling me into a hug. "you look amazing!"

"you do!" daisy echoed, her eyes lighting up as she squeezed my shoulders.

"happy birthday, both of you!" i handed them their gifts, carefully wrapped, which earned a collective squeal of approval from the twins.

"okay, let's get you a drink," daisy said, grabbing my hand and pulling me through the crowd toward the bar. phoebe followed, calling out greetings to everyone on the way.

then, as if it was fate, i caught a glimpse of louis out of the corner of my eye. he was leaning against the bar, looking as effortlessly cool as ever in a dark button-down with his hair slightly messy.

i felt my pulse quicken, but i did my best to keep my composure as phoebe and daisy ordered drinks for all of us. after a moment, louis looked up, his gaze landing on me. a slow, almost amused smile crept across his face, and he gave a slight nod as if to say, "figures you'd be here."

"couldn't stay away from me, could you?" he said, that familiar teasing edge in his voice.

i rolled my eyes but couldn't help the grin that snuck onto my face. "well, i didn't exactly know you'd be here. or maybe i'd have dressed down," i joked, brushing my hair back.

"you're way too sweet for that," he said, almost under his breath, his eyes never leaving mine. it was just loud enough that i caught it, though, and my cheeks flushed. thankfully, the twins were oblivious, still caught up in their birthday excitement.

"okay, shots!" phoebe declared, handing each of us a tiny glass. i laughed, clinking mine against everyone else's before tipping it back, feeling the warmth spread through me.

for the next hour or so, we floated around the party, chatting with friends, and laughing at ridiculous stories. louis and i kept crossing paths, our conversations brief but sparking with that same energy, something that felt more intense than it had before. maybe it was the drinks, or maybe it was just being here, surrounded by people who made it all feel so easy.

after a while, louis came up beside me as i was leaning against a high-top table, sipping on my drink. he nudged my shoulder playfully. "you looked like you needed rescuing from whatever conversation that was," he said, his smirk firmly in place.

"oh, i did," i said, laughing. "thanks for being my hero, i guess."

"well, don't get used to it," he teased, but there was a softness in his expression that made my heart skip. without thinking, i reached up to adjust a stray strand of hair that had fallen in his face, and he didn't pull away. instead, his hand came up, gently moving a piece of hair from my face in return.

the world seemed to slow down for a second. it felt like just the two of us, standing there in a crowded room, everything around us blurring into the background.

"you're dangerous, you know that?" he murmured, his voice low.

"me? dangerous?" i asked, caught between laughing and holding my breath.

"yeah," he said, his gaze flickering down to my lips. "sweet as hell but still...dangerous."

i didn't know if it was the drinks or just the moment itself, but before i knew it, he was leaning in, and i was doing the same. our lips met softly, and it was like the room just...faded. everything else slipped away, leaving just the two of us, tangled up in a perfect moment that felt too good to be real.

when we finally pulled back, he chuckled softly, brushing his thumb across my cheek. "guess we're terrible at keeping things simple, huh?"

i laughed, feeling a blush creep up my face. "apparently."

the rest of the night felt like a blur of laughter, conversation, and stolen glances. as we both got more drinks, it felt impossible to stay away from each other, and i could feel myself sinking deeper into the warmth and ease that being with him seemed to bring.

it was close to closing time when louis finally looked over at me, a playful glint in his eye. "wanna get out of here?"

i bit my lip, nodding. "yeah, let's go."

as we slipped out of the bar, his hand found mine, warm and steady. it felt easy, right somehow, like this was exactly where i was meant to be.