Something Great

Emma’s P.O.V.

“This is so boring!” Coralie complained very loudly. People all around us were giving us glares because she didn’t quite understand the fact that you have to be quiet in the library. “The movie’s in 20 minutes, hurry up.”

“I know, I’m trying. There’s this book that I really want to find. It was here last time I came but-“ And then, there it was sitting in the shelf just waiting for someone to pick it up. I almost ran over to the book but fast walked over to grab it. Just as I was going to take it off the shelf, someone else’s hand was already on the book’s bind. “Um, are you taking that book out?” I didn’t mean to come off as rude but I’m pretty that’s how it came out. The guy turned around and I instantly hated myself. He had the most amazing brown eyes, I was practically star struck.

“I am, why?” His voice was angelic and I backed up because he was almost intimidating.

“Oh nothing, I was just going to take it out is all. But you go ahead,” I stated. Feeling my cheeks heating up and turning bright red. A smile grew on his face and I felt my face turn redder.

“Are you giving me permission to take this book out?” he asked, his Australian accent coming through.

“No, I was just saying that you-I…” I trailed off.

“How about, I take it out and when I’m done you come over to my apartment and then you can have it.” I was wrapped up in his attractiveness until I actually took in what he had said and it didn’t make any sense.

“Why would I have to come to your house if you can just give it back to the library and then I can take it out…?” It felt pretty awkward catching him in his confusion.

“I’m horrible at hitting on girls if you haven’t already noticed,” he confessed.

“I have. My first tip would be don’t creepily invite them back to your place if you’ve just met them. But I mean I guess the effort counts,” I said gaining my confidence back and a smirk sneaking onto my face.

“Yeah, you have a valid point. I’m Riley,” he put his hand out and I shook it.

“Emma,” I said as we shook hands for more than a minute.

“Here,” Riley said as he handed me the book. “You can take it out,” he started. “I overheard you and your friend discussing it and when I saw you coming down this aisle I grabbed it so I could talk to you. And we both saw how that plan plummeted,” he laughed. His laugh was adorable and I felt butterflies flying around in my stomach. He went out of his way to talk to me?

“You didn’t do too bad,” I said taking the book. “Made an impression, I’m sure I’ll go home today and think of the guy, Riley, who hit on me in the library.” And with that I smiled and walked away to get back to Coralie. The smile on her face made me smile as well.

“Who was that?” she whispered. So now she whispers. “He’s so hot,” she trailed off as she stared at him from our table.

“Let’s go,” I said pushing her away from the table so I could go check out my book.


After the movie and listening to Coralie give me a speech about how I should date Riley, we went back to the apartment. “Do you want a hot pocket?” I asked opening the freezer.

“I can’t eat until you agree to go back to the library and ask Riley for his number! I can’t believe you didn’t finish talking to him! Like that upsets me! So now, I will starve myself until you find love!” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair.

“Well then you’re going to die of anorexia,” I stated.

“Emma, it’s been a month since you said you were getting over Harry. And I think Riley could be your plane ticket out of Harrytopia!” I turned around and looked at Coralie as if she had two heads, Harrytopia? I asked myself. She has reminded me all day how it has been a month since I told myself that I’d move on from Harry. A lot of things have happened; I got an extra month to finish the album for Bon Iver so I had to step my game up with writing that. I had literally had no time to add a relationship into my life. Which I have told Coralie a million times but she would just answer, “If Harry asked you out, you’d fit that relationship into your life.” And of course I would just go quiet because she was right and I didn’t want to admit it to her or myself.

“No, just no Coralie-“ All five guys walked into the kitchen and joined in on the conversation.

“No what?” They all asked simultaneously. I gave Coralie a stern look so she wouldn’t tell them about Riley but I was being foolish to think that would work.

“Emma got hit on at the library today,” Coralie gushed, completely ignoring me. All five faces shot towards me and I started coughing on my hot pocket.

“What happened?! Are you guys going to go out? Is he cute?” Questions spewed at me left and right.

“No, nothing resulted after because Emma’s a loser and didn’t do anything about it!” Coralie then filled them in on everything that I had told her before. “Don’t you guys think that she should’ve flirted with him? Like Emma Jesus you can’t be single forever!”

“You’re single!” I blurted out. “Niall’s single!” I just wanted them off my back, saying anything to make that happen.

“Yeah but at least Niall and I have sex! When was the last time you did it?” Coralie asked, making me spit out my food. I could see on her face that she didn’t mean to ask that because she knew I was a virgin. The whole kitchen was getting rowdy, talking about whether I was a virgin or not. While they were arguing, no one even noticed me slip out and hide in my room. I shut the door and laid out on my bed when there was a knock at the door. Coralie slowly walked in and sat at the end of my bed, fiddling with her fingers. “Sorry about that,” she apologized. “I just want you to be happy so you don’t have to keep waiting for Harry. Like I’m not saying that Harry won’t ever be available again but as of right now it seems like he’s happy with Cara." I know she was right but getting over Harry wasn’t going to take just a month, it wasn’t going to be that easy.

“I know but it’s going to take longer than a month. I know you’re trying to be a good friend but I don’t need any help with that part of my life,” I said. “I just wanna focus on what’s really important to me which is writing this album. Everything needs to go back to the way it was before.”

******************************



Around midnight, Harry strolled into my room and crawled into bed with me. "I would've come to you, your bed is much better." I whispered, facing the opposite way of him and somehow he heard me.His presence calmed me down which I wish it wouldn't. How could I possibly get over him, if everything about him including his presence made me feel happy? I was hoping he'd get up and leave on his own because of course I can’t tell him to leave.

"It's okay to be a virgin," he said slowly. A long sigh released from me. "Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have said anything."

"I just want my first time to be with someone I care a lot about." Like you, I thought to myself.
"But these days that doesn't seem to be the case for anyone. Maybe I will go do it with a random stranger, get it over with." I still wasn't facing him and I'm glad I wasn't. Even though it's dark, Harry could still read my face and what I'm really feeling.

"Don't...do that," he trailed off and I could feel him roll over onto his back. "You should save it for someone you care about. You're an amazing girl and you deserve the best, Emma." These speeches or conversations that are supposed to boost my esteem never really do me justice considering if I'm so amazing, why can't he be with me? Whenever he'd do this, I'd get angry but I have to move on.

"I think I should've made something happen with that Riley guy," I admitted. Riley's face popped into my mind as I waited for Harry's reply.

"Yeah, you should've. If he's as great as Coralie described him to be then he's good enough for you." Harry always says that a lot of guys aren't good enough for me but I believe that it’s the other way around. I didn't act on my thought though, it would only make Harry angrier. "Why didn't you?" Harry asked, facing me with his arm supporting his body. It was a good question, why didn't I make something happen with Riley?

"I don't know," I sighed. "It was just weird because I didn't know him and it was out of nowhere. Actually the only thing that was on my mind was the book I was taking out of the library. I don't know, I'm just not girlfriend material," I finally faced him.

"I'm sure you are girlfriend material. You've just never dated anyone to know what it’s like. I think its adorable how flirting and all that stuff makes you uncomfortable," Harry laughed.

"What! It does not make me uncomfortable!" I lied, my face turning bright red.

"Oh come on, Em! Whenever a guy tries to flirt with you, you get all weird and you get anxiety and-" he stopped in the middle to laugh. "I can tell how uncomfortable you feel around guys."

"Not around all guys, the boys don't make me uncomfortable and neither do you." I said standing up for myself. No matter how much I hated to admit it, Harry was right. Whenever a guy would flirt with me, I always get overly nervous. It’s not a natural feeling like it is with One Direction.

“It’s not a bad quality, Emma. So don’t dwell on it, it’s actually really nice to find someone as innocent and almost naïve as you. You’re different because you’re not afraid to show how you’re scared, like you don’t always have to brave. You can be vulnerable,” he explained. It was sweet and enhanced my self-esteem which was really necessary. Even though he was the one telling me these things like I’d always hoped, he doesn’t retaliate on it. Braving myself, I have to face reality like I thought I had before. But meeting Riley today really brought me back.

“Thanks, I really appreciate the inspirational speech.”

“Good,” he sighed. “Well I should get to sleep; you wanna sleep in my bed tonight?” He offered.

“No thanks,” I started. “I’m comfortable right here. Good night, Harry.” I could see him smile through the dark and I felt better letting him go.

“Good night, Emma.” And with that, he left the room and gave me the quiet. For a second, I thought the soundless air was going to drive me insane and a million thoughts were going to attack my mind but they didn’t. My eyes closed almost immediately and I was out within seconds.



I lifted the coffee cup to my lips and smiled thinking about everything at once. I was determined to change my life so sadness could be only taking up a small portion of it. I wanted- no I craved the happiness that everyone else had around me and if that meant trying new things, then so be it. Harry strolled into the kitchen and rubbed his head, looking me up and down. “Going somewhere?” He asked, his morning raspy voice leaking through.

“The library,” I smiled. He knew exactly why I was going there, so he smiled back.

“Good luck,” he said. Not good luck with taking a book back or finding a new book. But taking myself back to a place to find something new.

Notes