Hey guys,
Welcome to my story! It might take a while for a new chapter, but I try to update as fast as possible. It would be amazing if you could write a review commenting on the style or the content so I can improve my writing skills. Thanks a lot!
Chapter 1: The bus ride
She was sitting on a bus looking out of the window when someone sat down next to her. Slowly she turned her head a little because she was curious about this person. When she realised who he was she turned her head back pretending not to know him.
"Ignoring me doesn´t make me disappear, you do know that, don´t you? I always took you for an intelligent girl, Granger."
"It´s Leah now, Leah Rivers." She said showing her displeasure about her recognition.
"So, Leah then. It´s a nice name. Seems like I am not the only one who disappeared…" his voice trailed off.
"I didn´t disappear! I just…" – "You have chosen another name and you´re sitting in a muggle bus. No one does that except she doesn´t want to be found. So don´t tell me that you´re on your way to work. Your work is in the ministry."
"Not any longer…" Both of them fell silent.
"Oh, where are my manners!" he broke the silence. "I have forgotten to introduce myself. My name is Louis Thorne. At least this is how I am called these days."
Leah finally turned her head around to look at him. He was wearing a sweatshirt and jeans, which was quite different from what he used to wear back in school.
"Really, Leah, you shouldn´t be too surprised about my outfit. It´s okay if I call you Leah, isn´t it?" – "It´s just unusual to see you like this, Louis." She responded.
He looked at her with a grin. "Oh, you mean I´m more astonishing in this outfit? I think I must agree with you. But you don´t look too bad yourself."
"Oh, shut up!" she hit his shoulder softly. "You´re an idiot, do you know that?" Nevertheless, she started to smile. This time the silence was more comforting than before.
"When I was younger I used to think that I really can make a difference, you know. I used to believe that I would be able to change the world into a better one. And then… I really tried it. I had big dreams, and I worked hard in order to achieve them. But no one listened, even after what happened… Damn it, I don´t even know why I´m telling you that. Travelling by car or bus always has that effect on me." She fell silent.
"You can go on talking if you like. I don´t mind. It´s not like I have something else to do." He said softly.
"It took me until now to realise that I can´t do it. I can´t make a difference, no matter how hard I try. Who likes to admit that his dreams are wrecked?" She laughed bitterly. "Not that you know something about wrecked dreams, of course."
"Oh, that was what all of you thought, wasn´t it? The boy with the perfect life…"
At this point, Leah started to realise what she had said. "I didn´t mean to… I just… I´m sorry, really."
"I think it´s okay… somehow. It´s not that you´re wrong. I don´t know anything about wrecked dreams… It´s hard for a dream to be wrecked if you have no dreams." He looked out of the window. "But I believe that you don´t really want to talk about that, do you?"
"I don´t know. Hell, I don´t even know what to do with my life, after I left everything behind. How am I supposed to know what I want to talk about?"
"I wish I could tell you that it´s going to be better… but I don´t want to lie to you. I don´t want to lie to anyone, to be honest. I pretended to be someone I´m not, and I don´t want to do that anymore… But you´ll learn to live with it, at least I did." he started to look at her again.
"That doesn´t make me feel any better."
"It wasn´t meant to make you feel better. As I´ve said, I lied long enough. Shouldn´t you be proud how I changed?" he asked her, obviously not expecting an answer.
"Stop lying doesn´t make you a better person. Sometimes a lie is better than the truth. It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should be therefore treated with great caution…" her voice trailed off.
"We really should change the subject now, you´re starting to quote Dumbledore. And that is a sign for too deep thoughts, I´m not drunk enough for that." He said half-joking.
"The weather today is really beautiful, isn´t it?"
Louis laughed. "It´s raining. But that mustn´t be bad. I have to admit that dancing in the rain is fun."
Leah shot an unbelieving look in his direction. "Can you repeat that?"
"I said: Dancing in the rain is fun. Have you never done that? If not, you should do it. It´s not like anyone knows who you are."
"Seems like I have to leave now. The next one is my station. Have you got plans for tonight?"
"Are you asking me out?" she asked.
"Depending on your answer." At her shocked look, he added: "Of course not! I may be an idiot, you´ve already mentioned that, but I´m not a complete idiot. If you want not to be alone this evening, I´m eating at a Pizzeria tonight. Just get out at this station, go straight down the street and then it is on your right hand. I suppose all of us need a little help from time to time, even you." He said before he stood up and left the bus.
She was still staring at the door a few minutes after that, wondering what has happened. In school, they hated each other, and now he has offered her some help…