"You asked me to come, remember?" - I dropped the bags as she closed the door, suddenly feeling better now that I was inside, and the heater welcomed me.
"But I thought you'd come closer to Christmas like your sister! Why on earth are you dressed like that? Did you forget we are in the mountains?"
I shivered from the cold as I pulled my soaked hoodie off. 
"I know, I didn't think it through." - I chuckled. - "Hug?" - Extending my arms.
"Go change first. You're..." - She looked from my head to my feet and then snorted. - "I'll prepare cocoa for you."
"Thank you, mom."
But as I was headed towards the stairs to hopefully find my childhood bedroom still liveable, I saw a silhouette perched on the kitchen island, his feet hanging from the edge and a mug cradled on his hands.
He was looking back at me with a soft smile.
He let go one mittened hand off the mug and waved softly at me.
"Hey Harry."
"Uhm..." - I frowned, still shivering from the cold. - "Hey, Lou."
"Cold out there, huh?" - He chuckled.
"Yeah. I better..." - I pointed up the stairs and he chuckled, nodding.
"Yeah, you better..." - He smiled.
I quickly grabbed my bags again and ran up the stairs, only stopping once I was up top to catch a breath.
I wanted to hide, to lock myself in my old room and never come down again.
What the fuck was he doing here? What were the fucking odds?
The only person I was hoping not to cross paths with during the next two weeks was him. And I just managed to meet him in the first ten minutes of my stay. On a freaking Tuesday morning.
I knew that in a small town like this it was almost inevitable to not see him, or anyone else that's friends with him, but on my first day?
Life hates me.
I found my childhood room, noticing it was almost as I remembered except for a few boxes in the corner containing unorganized Halloween and fall decorations. 
I set my bag and suitcase by the chest of drawers, taking a moment to look around the room once more. 
It was like time hadn't passed for it.
Five years had gone for me, a whole new life in a different state, but here? Nothing changed.
Same picture frames on the walls, same lavender duvet over the bed, same stuffed bear next to the pillow.
Everything in this house was exactly as I left it. All the things I had left behind when I moved away were still there. Everything I wanted to forget.
Including the stuffed bear, the pictures, and apparently Louis too, since he was randomly sitting in the kitchen as if time hadn't gone by.
I had left California only the day before, but suddenly now it seemed distant. Coming back to the town that never changed, standing there in my childhood room, seeing familiar faces I promised myself I wouldn't look back on, was hitting me hard.
And I was already regretting it all.
Rummaging through my bag, I found a pair of dry pants, underwear and shirt, changed out of my wet clothes and taking a deep breath, I found myself walking down the stairs again.
"I should get going." - I heard as I reached the last step of the stairs. - "Thank you for the cuppa, Anne. It was delicious."
"Oh, please." - She laughed. - "You know it's no trouble. I love having you here."