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Helena Grace is twelve years of age when she first lays her eyes on Louis Tomlinson. What they both didn't know was that they would be seeing a lot of each other for the rest of their lives. It was too soon for that, though. Helena was, in a word, disappointed. Was all of the hype that her friends built up about how good looking he was a lie? Or maybe she over estimated her friend;s taste? But by a mile?
Helena had just gotten back from summer camp, having just experienced the worst summer in all of her twelve years. The only thing that had prevented her from going insane was the mental picture of the hot new guy in her neighborhood, Louis Tomlinson. She had spent hours imagining how he would look like, how he would act, and what new house he would occupy. Only to be truly disappointed when she had finally met him face to face; instead of in her dreams.
What she had imagined had been gorgeous hair, a nice skin tone, and really tall. What she had saw when she had met him had been soggy khakis that shouldn't have been put on at all, stringy, greasy hair, and a teary red face. What a great first impression.
***
Helena is now a decade and four years deep into her existence when she is finally forgetting the horrific first meeting between her and Louis Tomlinson. Slowly, gradually forgetting how when he saw her, he screamed and waddled back to where she assumed his house was, leaving what could probably pee stains on the side walk pavement. Not disturbing at all.
After learning that she was being thrown a huge welcome back party by her parents and friends, full of people Helena didn't know or never wanted to know, Helena was still confused. Apparently, some doofus had brought this water balloon containing pee instead of water and had thrown it at Louis, who had started crying and was running away when Helena had first met him. So some doofus had thrown a pee balloon, and Helena wasn't even there to see it? Yeah, this summer was just perfect.
Even after learning what him made look so disgusting when she had met him, Helena still shuddered at the thought of Louis and his pee soaked clothes. Seeing him afterwards just made her smell pee and want to puke. She was definitely traumatized. Though as the years went on, Helena's trauma slowly dissipated, until it was nothing but a vague uneasiness when she was a bit too close to him. Looking past their brief pee soaked first impression, Helena could see the tell signs of a cute guy.
That still doesn't mean that Helena would always see past Louis crying because some dimwit hit him with a hot pee balloon. Two years later, and she still thought that was wimpy. If it had happened to Helena, she would have at least punched the pee doofus in the face, then ran home, instead of crying. Two years later, and Helena Grace still wasn't all that impressed with Louis Tomlinson.
***
Helena has just celebrated her sweet sixteen when she finally begins to see Louis Tomlinson in a romantic light, instead of a pee stained one. Louis is finally growing into the handsome man he's destined to be, and Helena couldn't be happier. Gone are the days of lanky awkwardness, and here to stay are the days of a pretty face with a great height, and amazing muscles. What traumatizing first impression? Helena has just met the gorgeous Louis Tomlinson, not soaked in pee.
But before that, her sixteenth birthday which had consisted of way too many relatives than she had wanted to interact with, too strong and sour perfumes, and more hugs than she was ever comfortable -which was none. The brunch had dragged into the late evening, and Helena just wanted to cry. So this was how she spent her sixteenth birthday, with relatives both she and her mom would rather not talk to. Unfortunately, her mom wanted to her to be on good terms with her family, who had over stayed their welcome with her mom's nosy and noisy friends.
Several hours later, and Helena's boisterous family was family gone, only having left a hell of a mess, which luckily, Helena was able to get out of cleaning since it was her birthday. But not for long, since she only had four hours left until the novelty of being sweet sixteen wore off, and she had to wait a whole year to feel special again. After changing out of her dress her mom forced her into, Helena wandered outside, and walked to the neighborhood playground.
Before the question is asked, Helena is not a fan of the outdoors. She loves her air conditioner and heated water, thank you very much. She had just always wondered if going outside would end up in her finding her soul mate, like in the many, many books she read. This would usually be considered a stupid idea, but Helena felt like taking chances. And after standing outside for about five minutes too long, Helena had turned to go back home. For her to only to catch sight of Louis Tomlinson at the corner of her eye. He was sitting in the twirled slide that she loved to slide down ... when she was five.
But instead of looking like a child too big for the community slide, he looked like a porcelain statue. He was by no means David by Michelangelo, but he was good looking. On any other day, Helena would have warily approached him, still reminded of him covered in a stranger's pee, but wanted to be a good citizen, and would have talked to him. But this wasn't any other day, it was Helena's birthday, and she had already filled up her requirement for communication for the rest of her life, and so Helena walked away, but not without her newfound crush on Louis Tomlinson.
This is where Helena and Louis' story become intertwined.