Ali's Disturbing New Accent

A Chapter by Sophie

Twenty-two

Louis

“So have you told her yet?” Mum asks, sitting down next to me on the couch while Ali gets dressed for bed.

“Told her what?”

“That you love her, of course! It's obvious the way you look at her.” She says. I blush.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Completely.”

“Well, I actually already did...” I admit.

“When?”

“A while ago, I'm not sure exactly.”

“You're a terrible liar, Lou, just how I raised you.” Mum grins.

“Fine, I told her after our second date...” I say reluctantly.

“Wow! Louis William Tomlinson, you really like this girl.”

I blush again and nod. Then Ali comes in, obviously trying to hide her smile, as she sits down on the other side of me on the couch, “Ah, my two favorite ladies.” I say, squeezing them with my arms.

“Hey!” I hear Fizz call from her room.

“You're not a lady!” I say, I hear her grumbling.

“When we go home you'll be able to drink in America.” Ali realizes. I laugh.

“Does anyone mind if I turn on the telly?” Mum asks. I shake my head and Ali bursts out laughing.

“Sorry, its just 'telly' sounds so funny to me.” Ali giggles.

Christmas morning. Yesterday I Skype-d Liam, Niall, Zayn, and Harry for my birthday, they said when we get back home we're going to give each other out presents.

But now the twins are jumping on our bed, screaming so that we'll wake up. Ali gets up and Daisy and Phoebe each take her hands and lead her into the living room and sit down, gazing at the presents. I follow more slowly, yawning as I plod down the hall, then sit down near the tree, too. Eventually, with the help of the twins, everyone is up and we start opening presents.

The only one for Ali is mine, but I'm sure she expected that, and the only one from Ali was for me. But I bought Mum two and put both of our names on the second one. I got Lottie a laptop, and I'm pretty sure I'm her favorite person at the moment. I got Fizz a 1,000 pound gift card to her favorite store, and the twins each received the dolls that were on the top of their lists.

Mum scolds me a few times for spoiling them, but I only remind her I'm rich now and that that was nothing. Then it's Ali's turn to open her present. I sit in anticipation, worried she won't like it or something, as she rips the wrapping paper open slowly. She opens the fabric box slowly and gazes at the necklace inside. It has a silver chain and a heart locket with intricate designs on it, studded with tiny, real diamonds. She opens the locket and inside on a heart-shaped piece of paper is written: “You're beautiful.”

She looks up at me and grins, “Thank you.” I kiss her cheek and then she pushes her present to me closer.

“It's nothing nearly as amazing as this, but I just thought they were cute.” She says, as I open the paper. Inside one of the gifts is a picture frame, decorated with carrots. I laugh, it's perfect. Then I open the gift card to Dunkin Donuts, which I've still been dying to try.

“Sorry it's not much, I'm really bad at giving presents...”

“It's perfect, really.” I assure her, beaming as I watch her open and close the locket. Then we sit around, watch Christmas movies, Lottie retreats to her room, setting up her laptop. And then Mum goes into the kitchen to prepare Christmas dinner. We help and dinner is delicious.

I've missed it here, but I'm anxious to go back to America, Ali's adopted British accent is... disturbing.

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