More than Life Itself (an Ed Sheeran Imagine)

Elizabeth

I was walking down 29th and Park when my phone died. You see, God sometimes does silly little things that you don't really understand until later in life. For example as soon as my phone died on that September night, I cursed. I was very mad. I had been walking around Times Square, using my gps, and I hadn't noticed how low my battery was. But if my phone hadn't died...well you'll see.

I looked around the almost empty block and saw a small bar in the distance. I ground my teeth together, balled my fists, and shoved the door open. I had places to be. I angrily scanned the room. No one was there. "Are you fucking kidding me?" I mumbled. "Are you okay?"
I scanned the room once again. My eyes widened and my mouth parted. She was beautiful. My clenched fists dropped to my sides. "Um...yeah..I'm um...fine actually."
"Really," she smirked, "so...walking into a bar that no one goes to, clenching your fists, and saying are you kidding me is considered fine where you come from?"
I couldn't stop staring at her beautiful face. I was awestruck. I couldn't move.
"Um...yeah..uh so I actually can't find my way. I'm pretty new around here actually." I said as I quickly pulled my black hood from my head and nervously fiddled with the strings.
She looked up at me and blushed, I'm not sure why. She giggled, "yeah I can tell you're not from here."
"Oh you can?"
I loved her American accent. It was charming.
"Yeah," she giggled again. "Are you British?"
Oh that's why, my voice.
"Um yeah actually." I sheepishly scratched my head.
She stood up from her table and walked over to me.
I drew in a sharp breath.
"You look nervous, are you ok? You're fidgeting a lot."
I looked down at my hands which were intertwined in each other.
"Oh yes...um sorry."
I dropped my hands into my hoodie pocket and looked at the floor.
"Where are you headed?" She asked
"Excuse me?" I said
"You said you were lost."
"Oh right...um..ah yes I can't seem to find my way to Hampton Inn."
"Oh! Is it the one next to that huge Chinese place?"
"Um I'm sorry, I don't know..."
"The restaurant with the big dragon statue at the front!" She said excitedly.
"Oh..um..yes.....yes I suppose that's it." I pulled at my hoodie around my neck.
Is it getting hotter in here?
"Funny thing I actually currently liv...am uh staying at that same hotel." She said, "I could drive you there." Her eyes hadn't left mine.
"Oh yes...thank you." Was all I could say.

We got in her car, a rusty old thing, that was parked behind the bar. She reached over to turn on the radio and we started driving.
"And now for our next song on the top ten countdown...Castle on the Hill by..."
My eyes widened in in fear and my heart started to pound fast. I jerked and quickly reached over to turn the radio off. I was breathing heavily. There was no way I was going to let this girl know about my fame. She hadn't recognized me...
"Hello..." she said
I snapped out of my daze and looked her in the eyes. God she was amazing.
"What was that about? Don't you like music?" She said.
"Oh um..no you see...no I love music...it's just..um..."
"It's fine I'm just teasing." She smiled and let out a small laugh.
I smiled a little too.

I looked out the window and the rest of the car ride was silent. Peaceful. I wasn't used to the quiet. I kind of liked it. As we got closer to the hotel, it started raining. Hard. I couldn't even think because of the rain mercilessly pounding on the window shield.
The beautiful woman beside me frantically ran the red light and sped to the hotel, her eyes wide and a look of worry strewn across her face. I furrowed my brows together and reached for her but stopped.
"Um..are *ahem*, are you alright...love?" I flinched at the last word I said, she would surely judge me for that."
As we pulled into the hotel parking lot she asked me,"What did you call me?" She said this looking down at the steering wheel,smiling.
"Oh um..nothing...it was nothing."
"No what was it..."
"Ed."
"What was it Ed?" She still didn't look at me.
"Oh, I....um, I called you...um love." I pulled my hood back over my head and stared at my feet."
I felt her hand on my knee and sat up straight, now looking at her.
"You ready to go inside?" She said, her hand hadn't moved.
"Uh...mm.."
"Let's go." She said as she opened the door.
I shook my head and rubbed my eyes with the palm of my hand and opened the door.
We walked through the lobby and to the elevator.
"What floor?" She asked
"Oh," I looked up, "7, floor 7."
"Oh," she gasped, "You're staying on the top floor?"
"Yes, I suppose." I said embarrassed. I shouldn't have let her drive me here. She's going to suspect I'm...
"Isn't that the suite? The room that takes up the whole top floor?" She asked
"Ah, yes."
"Well, I'm on floor 6. Room 510"she said, Would you like me to drop you off at your room?"
I looked up at her surprised.
"Oh sure."
"I don't have to if you don't want me to." She looked disappointed.
"Oh no I'm sorry...no of course...please do."
God why am I so nervous?
I turned around and smacked my forehead with my palm and scrunched up my face in embarrassment.
Suddenly I heard a ding indicating we had reached my room. She stepped out of the lift first and I followed closely behind. She looked beautiful in her little jean shorts.
I pulled out the card key from my back pocket and fumbled to put it in the slot.
"Here,"she giggled. " let me help you with that." She put her hands on mine and slid the card out of my hand. I tensed up and stared at her my mouth open in shock. I'm not sure what came over me but I grabbed her waist and turned her around to face me. She looked at me with wide eyes right before I closed my eyes and smashed my lips on hers. She reached up and put her soft hands in my ginger hair and I quickly inserted my tongue. Our tongues were ferociously circling around each other. The kiss escalated to something more passionate until a loud crack of thunder shook the building. She gasped and pulled away. She was looking around, obviously frightened.
"Are you alright love?" I asked, not scared this time.
"Um yes..." her voice trailed off as she nervously backed away, looked around, and tangled her fingers in her hair.
"No," I walked over to her and looked into her eyes.
"What's wrong?" I asked. "Is it the storm?"
"Ah..." she laughed nervously, "I...yes. Yea it is. I know I sound like I'm a five-year-old and..."
I cut her off with a soft kiss on her cheek.
"My name's Elizabeth by the way." She smiled.
"Would you like to stay with me tonight?"
She looked a little shocked.
"I mean," I began, "I'm sorry it's not appropriate, we only...I'm sorry I'll go."
"No," she grabbed my arm, "I would actually really love that, Ed."
We walked into the room together and I looked at her. She was absolutely in awe. She looked around the room. "Oh, Ed." She gasped. "It's beautiful."
I laughed nervously and scratched my head, further messing my hair up more.
We stood there for a minute, silent.
"Oh um I can sleep on the couch. The bed is all yours..."
Elizabeth screamed just as another loud crack of thunder boomed overhead. She backed into a crevice near the door, pulled her knees up to her head, covered her ears and started sobbing.
I stood still and stuttered, not knowing what to do. I crept over to her and sat down Indian style.
"You don't have to be embarrassed, you know, of your fear." I said looking at the window that covered most of the suite. She looked up at me.
"Everyone is afraid of something....I'm afraid of heights." I said.
"You are?" She said as she slid her legs down from her face.
"Yeah, it's wired I know."
"No," she smiled, "I think it's cute."
"Cute?"
"Yeah."
I couldn't really understand how a grown man with a fear of heights would be cute.
"Why do you think that?" I smiled, looking at her.
"I dunnno, I just do." She said looking up at me and smiling.
I glanced over at the clock.
1:42
"Shit. Um....I'm sure there's a blanket for the couch in here somewhere." I said as I got up to go search the closet.
"Um, Ed?" She whispered.
"Yes?"
"Would it...um...do you mind if I sleep with you tonight?"
I spun around to look at her.
"Oh...no...no of course. Whatever you like love."
"Ed?"
"Yes?" I was smiling now.
"Do you possibly have something I could wear?"
"Oh." I blushed and turned away. " I suppose you could wear one of my shirts I guess."
I lay one grey shirt on the bed for her to wear as I went to the bathroom to change into night clothes.
When I got back Elizabeth was sitting on the bed looking out the window.
I walked over to her to see that there were tears in her eyes.
"What's wrong?" I asked worriedly.
She sighed, "My life is a mess right now."
I looked at her concerned, "What do you mean?"
"I live here, in this hotel. And I'm gonna get kicked out soon." She sobbed.
"Can't you live with your family?" I asked.
She looked up at me for a second and her lip quivered. She cupped her hands around her face and started to sob.
I rushed over to the bed and sat down beside her. I put my hand on her back and pulled her hands from her face.
"I'm sorry." I said woefully.
"My mother passed away when I was 17. And my father has been in prison for as long as I can remember. I've been kind of just wandering, sleeping in my car mostly, but then I found out that one of my friends was willing to pay for me to stay here for a few months. Um..she passed away about 3 weeks ago, so now I'm being kicked out and I just cant take it anymore."
I didn't know what to say, so I kissed her.
"I'm sorry Ed, I know I sound like a whiny...I understand if you want to kick me out. I'm never like this."
"No, no, nahno. Elizabeth, I know we just met but I really feel, I feel...like...I feel something I've never felt before with you. You're different from all the other girls."
She looked up at me and gave me a small kiss on the cheek.
"I feel it too Ed." She said.
"I...I um....would you like to stay here, with me? Well that is until I go back home..."
I stared down at her as she wrapped her arms around me. I hugged her back and kissed her atop of her head.
"You don't know how much that means to me Ed." She said quietly.

We laid down next to each other. The storm had passed by now. I thought she was asleep, so I sat, propped up on my elbow and looked down at her. I stroked her cheek with my thumb and she smiled. Startled, I pulled back and muttered an apology. She shifted over and lay her head on my chest.
"What shall I call you?" I whispered.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, my name is...erm...my name is Edward, but you call me Ed. What's your nickname?"
She smiled when I said my full name.
"I don't really have a nickname." She said somewhat sadly.
"Oh now that just won't do." I said, "We will have to come up with a nickname for you, Elizabeth."
"How about Liz?" She suggested.
"No, Liz is too common.....how about...oh! How about Liza?"
"I love it." She said with a big smile.
"Well, good night Liza."
"Good night Ed."

She was definitely the one.