I was talking to Ed, Harry and Niall when I spotted two little girls, who looked to be the same age, trying to reach something on the snack table. I excused myself and made my way to the side of the room.

I peered over the 8 year olds and saw they were reaching for the cookies and smiled before picking up the plate and placing it before them. They looked up at me with their big blue eyes and smiled shyly.

"Thank you." The one that had a bow clipped onto her head said between her bites.  

I smiled, "No problem. These are my favorite, too." I picked up one of the chocolate chip cookies and placed it in my mouth. Making a funny face, I turned to them. The girls laughed loudly and made the same face as me.  

"What's your name?" The other girl spoke for the first time.  

"I'm Charlotte. You girls can call me Char!"  

"I'm Phoebe and this is Daisy. You're very pretty, Char." I could now identify the girl with the bow in her perfectly straight blonde hair as Daisy. Their voices was small, sweet, and their eyes reminded me much of someone I knew.

"Thank you, but I'm not nearly as pretty as you two." I replied, smiling when their cheeks turned a rosy pink. I sat down at one of the tables with the two girls as they told me what they liked and disliked. I was braiding Phoebe's hair as she told me about a girl at their school.

"Daisy! Phoebe?" I looked up and saw Louis weaving through the crowd, looking around the room frantically. When he spotted me with the twins, he visibly relaxed. I waved him over and he hugged the twins from behind, picking them up.  

"Boobear!" They yelled in unison and wrapped their arms around Louis' neck. I realized that these were probably Louis' sisters and resisted the strange urge to join their heartwarming reunion.

"I've been looking all over for you two!" He kissed each of their heads and set them down. "I see you've met Char." He bent down so that he was at their height and ruffled their hair, making them squeal.  

"Louis, I just braided their hair!" I flailed my arms around madly and so did the girls, pulling grumpy yet adorable faces at Louis.  

He shrugged and looked back at his sisters. "Mom's looking everywhere for you, she's at the table near the entrance alright? I'll meet you there.." With those words, he set the girls off to meet their mother. Before leaving, however, they gave me a hug and kisses on my cheek. I smiled and watched them run across the room. 

"They've taken quite a liking to you." Louis mused, pulling out the chair next to me. He sat down and turned to face me. "I personally don't understand what they see in you.."  

Even though I knew his words contained no trace of a genuine insult, I glared at him, crossing my arms across my chest. "If the only reason you sat here was to insult me, you can leave."  

Louis laughed heartily and shook his head. "I was just joking, love! Don't be mad at me, not on my birthday at least." He jutted his bottom lip out, pulling an irresistible face. The corner of my lips twitched into a smile and I rolled my eyes.

"Happy birthday, Lou."  

"That's more like it." He clapped his hands together. "C'mon, it's time to open presents!" He smiled excitedly and got up before lending me a hand. I took it, ignoring the shivers that shot through my spine, and followed him to the center area where everyone was gathered around.

***

*LOUIS' POV*

"I'm next!" Eleanor called out from beside me. I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to me. She kissed me on my cheek before revealing a small golden box that had a neatly tied bow resting on the top. I rolled my eyes, knowing she probably went and got yet another expensive gift for me, even though I had told her many times not to. 

I carefully untied the bow and lifted the cover of the box. Pulling out the silver plated watch, I smiled tightly. "Do you like it?" Eleanor asked from where she was standing beside me. I looked back at the watch and set it down on the table before hugging her. "I love it." Truth is, I already had millions of watches. I was hoping for something more special, something that only she and I would know the significance of. 

Deciding I was being ungrateful, I shook the thoughts out of my head and pecked Eleanor's lips, reassuring her that I loved the present. She smiled and stepped aside. I looked down at the table stacked with gifts and shook my head. I told everyone I didn't want them going over the top with all the birthday presents, but since when does anyone listen to Louis? 

"My turn!" Charlotte voice snapped me out of my thoughts as she happily skipped over to where I was standing. She placed a small box in my hands and jumped up and down, more excited that I had ever seen her.

I laughed, mainly at the fact that the wrapping paper had "It's a girl!" written all over it and at how she was acting like a child. She let out a laugh, also before literally shoving the box in my face. "Open it!" She urged.

"Actually, I'm quite thirsty, I think I'll go get a drink.." 

"Louis." Charlotte warned. She raised her eyebrows, as if to ask "what are you waiting for?" 

I decided to tease her no further and unwarpped the box. Lifting the lid, a smile conquered my face when I saw the simple bracelet made of a string and rocks. "You made this?" I asked Char as she blushed and nodded slightly. I picked it up and slid it over my right hand, letting it fall onto my wrist. 

"Remember when I showed you my meadow? The pebble we found? It's this one right here. I just wanted to give you something to remember me by. You know, when you leave for tour and all." Charlotte gently took my hand and pointed to one dark rock. I turned to face her and nodded my head slowly.

I don't think I could ever forget that night. It was something I often thought about, along with the night Charlotte and I walked together at the lake. The memories rushed back and I couldn't help but imagine. What if I had kissed Charlotte? Would she have kissed me back?

I mentally scolded myself for allowing such thoughts. I loved Eleanor. And after what was about to happen tonight, that decision would be made permanent.

I turned to face Charlotte. "You kept the rock?" My voice wavered and I cleared my throat to cover it up. She didn't notice, and even if she did, decided not to say anything. I was astonished at the fact that she kept it with her all this time.

She wrinkled up her nose and shot me a weird look. "Of course I kept it." I brought Charlotte in for a quick hug. When I pulled away, I saw she was blushing madly, something that I had grown accustomed to. And something I never got tired of.

***

The night passed quickly and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoying myself. Daisy and Phoeby decided to hang around me for the rest of the night, something that I found adorable. I had also been introduced to Louis' family, who were all exceptionally kind. His mother -- Jay, as she told me to address her -- treated me just like her very own daughter, a love that only Rose had showed to me before. The rest of Louis' sisters were also just like him, fun-loving and mischeivous, traits that I had grown quite fond of. 

I was sat on a chair, watching Ed Sheeran perform "Give Me Love" as Daisy played with my hair. Danielle and Phoebe were sat on either side of me, conversing about something I had long since stopped paying attention to. 

"Your hair is so long." She muttered, as if she was talking more to herself. I smiled and watched Harry jump onto stage with Ed and sing the last few verses of the song. He caught me looking at him and winked, allowing a crooked smile to sneak onto his lips before turning back to Ed. 

Daisy tugged my hair and I turned around to face her. "Did you see that? Did you see Harry wink at you?" She asked, her eyes wide and her mouth agape. I laughed and brought her into my lap. 

"Harry doesn't see me as more than a friend, Daze." I assured her. Harry was just a friend. I'm pretty sure that if he did like me, I would have noticed by then. 

Daisy shook her head. "Yeah, just how Louis sees you.." She muttered the sentence sarcastically under her breath. I could have sworn my heart stopped beating. I gently grabbed her shoulders and turned her so she was facing me. 

Before I could say anything, Louis' voice echoed into the microphone and throughout the hall. I glared at the 8 year old as she giggled and took her seat by me. What did she mean by that? I would ask her later, I decided, and looked to see Louis on the stage, microphone in hand.

"I want to thank you all for coming here tonight. You've made yet another year of my life so special and amazing. Each and every one of you are so close to my heart. My four brothers." He waved to where the rest of the boys were standing and Harry blew him a kiss. Louis laughed before continuing. "My mom, my sisters, everyone has supported the band and now look how far we've come. I've made some friends along the way, people I can't ever forget." My heart skipped a few beats when his soft eyes landed on me as they scanned the large crowd. "I have such a wonderful girlfriend who I love with all my heart." I averted my gaze, trying not to make my sudden change in emotions noticeable. I looked back up and saw Eleanor was standing in front of Louis. He had one arm wrapped around her waist and was looking into her eyes lovingly. He was looking at her the way I wish he looked at me.

"Eleanor." He spoke into the microphone. "You're the reason I wake up smiling each day. You've made these past two years so special and memorable. And that's why," Louis paused and took a shaky breath between his sentence. Sharp gasps were emitted from the crowd when Louis bent down on one knee. Suddenly wishing I had never come to the party, I tried calming myself. 

It was all just a game. A sick, twisted game in which I was the controlled pawn and now, for a long time, love was my only desired destination. The thing was, I was never good at games.

I didn't realize I was trembling until Danielle placed her hand on my shoulder. "Charlotte, look at me." She urged, her voice pleading, but I didn't dare listen. Instead, I did the worst thing possible. I kept my eyes on Louis. 

"And that's why." He repeated. "I want to spend my life with you. I don't care how long we have to wait for it to actually happen, I just want the world to know that you're mine." With every word he said, my heart shattered into a million pieces. I could hear Danielle harshly whispering my name, trying to make me look at her. I knew the last words that would come out of Louis' mouth would be ones to rip my heart out of my chest. I knew exactly what the main event of the night was going to be when Louis pulled out a small, black velvet box from his pocket. He lifted the top to reveal a silver diamond ring. I watched Louis' face as it radiated pure happiness, excitement, love. Eleanor gasped and placed a hand on her chest. 

There were many moments in my life where I wished that I was dreaming. Too many to count. For  many days, many weeks, years, I struggled to define life. Define fate. But before that night, I had never tried to define love. How could I love someone who was so insanely in love with someone else? How was I so stupid to fall so blindly? My hazy gaze returned to the stage as I prepared my heart and mind for the truth. The world-shattering truth that would crush my hopes. That would yank me, like undesired  gravity, back to reality. 

"Eleanor Jane Calder. Will you marry me?"

***

I think I actually wanted to cry with this chapter. Thoughts? Suggestions? Comments? Leave them below & don't forget to vote! 

The picture to the right is what I imagine the bracelet to look like :)