Cheeky ➻ Louis Partridge

6 | He's not Keith

Y/N

_

"IS THIS dress too short?" I asked, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

I had managed to pick out a red sundress from the back of my suitcase, which had tiny, white flowers all over the fabric. I thought I looked cute, I just needed verification.

Sadie popped her head out from the kitchen in interest.

"It's literally almost at your knees," she laughed, "that's not short."

I tilted my head, "I don't know..."

"I think you look hot."

"Hot?"

"Would you rather be called cute?" Caleb said, peeking out behind the red-head, "because you could make both work."

Nodding my head, I walked over to the couch and slumped onto it with incredible speed. Picking out outfits was more exhausting than you'd think. As I closed my eyes for a bit of temporary relaxation, I felt the couch compress as someone plopped down next to me.

It was Sadie.

"I thought you didn't like him," she pressed, cocking a brow suspiciously.

I opened my eyelids in suspicion, "what do you mean?"

"We want to know why you're going on a date with him," Caleb called out from the kitchen.

"It's not a date."

"Louis said it was," Sadie shrugged.

"Well, he's a very straightforward guy."

"But if it wasn't a date..." the girl said sneakily, narrowing her eyes in a teasing manner, "why are you so worried about dressing nice?"

She had a good point, but it was only half true. Just because I happened to be going somewhere with Louis didn't mean I was dressing specifically for that. Maybe I liked to dress confidently for myself, or maybe because I was bored of the usual black jeans and a t-shirt.

Oh, forget it. I rarely wore dresses, and it was too obvious to deny it to Sadie.

"I don't know," I shrugged, crossing my arms across my chest, "because he's cute and I want to make a good impression?"

"I think you'll be fine wearing whatever, honestly."

"You think?"

"Yeah, but you look great in the dress."

"Thank you," I smiled softly, "I'm considerably more nervous to meet him more than I was running into him."

"That's because this time it's a date," Caleb stated, waltzing into the living room, "and you know that, but you don't want to admit it because he's an actor."

"Him being an actor has nothing to do with it," I laughed, "it's just an excuse I used."

"Then what's the real reason?"

I narrowed my eyes at the ground, debating whether or not I should tell them about Keith. The idiot actor Keith. I didn't dislike Louis for being an actor, I disliked all the ones who were rude and demeaning to me.

So I guess I wasn't going to spare him some respect by keeping his names out of my mouth...oh well.

"This kid that used to go to my school," I said, biting my lip, "his name is Keith, and he's my ex-boyfriend."

Sadie and Caleb looked surprised, but were interested enough to stay silent. It was like they were hanging onto every word I was about to say.

"We dated for two years," I started, "and I thought I would be nice and put in a good word for him at auditions for the school musical. Turns out he ended up getting the part, and I thought it would be great to have him spending late nights at the theater with me."

Sadie bit her lip. She knew where this was going.

"He got cast as the lead, I was the stange-hand, and apparently I wasn't good enough for him," I sighed, "there was a malfunction with the curtains the night of the dress rehearsal, so I was sent back to check, and caught him sucking face with one of the dancers."

"I'm going to say this once," Caleb interrupted, "that idiot did not deserve you."

"Eh..." I shrugged, "I'm not exactly a saint either, but the whole getting cheated on thing really planted the idea in my head that actors don't care about anything else but themselves."

"I'm sorry that happened to you," Sadie said, giving me a pat on the back, "hopefully Louis will change that."

"I doubt it."

"Stop doubting everything!"

"No!" I laughed.

Caleb interjected, tossing a cereal kernel into his mouth, "just a question."

"Okay," I nodded, "ask away."

"Do you even know where he's taking you?"

"Honestly, no."

"That's a rookie move," Saide yawned, "I can't believe you didn't ask him."

Widening my mouth into a gasp, I furrowed my brows defensively. I would have asked, but I didn't get a chance to, considering he bolted off towards the train stations directly after asking me on the date.

The 'not a date' date.

"Oh, give me a break," I laughed, "I haven't been on a proper date in two years, I'm a little rusty at it."

"How do you know this will be a proper date?" Sadie questioned.

Before I could say anything, Caleb cut in again. He seemed incredibly confident about his response, and I was incredibly inquisitive with it.

"Well for starters, Louis's an actor, and he's not Keith," the boy said, "so he must have good taste."