Louis

Chance had always been more than just music for you. So when a new kid named Louis showed up to audition, you barely noticed him. Tall, dark, confident—the kind of guy everyone at university knew. They hired him right away: he played the electric guitar really well.
Surprisingly, he showed interest in you almost from the first day.
“You sing well,” he chuckled after the rehearsal, throwing the guitar over his back.
You just nodded and continued packing.
But then it started happening all the time. He'd wait for you after class, sit next to you during rehearsals, find any excuse to talk.
"Listen, maybe we should go for a walk together?" he asked one evening.
You just looked at him.
Over time, his presence became habitual. You caught yourself looking for his gaze during performances and noticed when he wasn't around.
After one late rehearsal, the two of you were left alone in the empty auditorium. Louis was strumming his strings, sitting at the edge of the stage.
"Are you always this reserved?" he asked unexpectedly.

• Not with everyone.
  He smiled at the corner of his lips and looked straight at you.
• Then maybe I should just try harder?
  He paused for a second and then continued.
• Fall in love with me.
  For some reason, my heart lost its rhythm, and the answer got stuck somewhere in my throat.