She

She Was Late

I waited for seventeen minutes, expecting her to walk in with each second that passed. With every passing minute that she didn't waltz in with her large glasses and red shoes, I lost hope that she would show her face at all.

But she did show up; eventually. At 12:17 am, she stumbled in with a bag filled to the rim of objects I couldn't make out from where I was sat.

She looked around for what I could only assume was me. When she found me, she dropped her bag; raising her arm up above her head in order to wave at me.

I chuckled. I had nothing else to do but just that, well, and wave back of course. She smiled to herself, picking up her bag to continue the walk toward me. She, with her red shoes and 'life's better blonde' jumper, was idiosyncratic in every sense of the word.

I looked down, trying to remember my place in my Architecture 101 text book. As I found my place, and continued to read, I heard a click. Followed by another one. Then again.

I glanced upward, watching Arden curiously as she continued to take photograph after photograph of me. I cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Don't.Move. library boy." She muttered; dangerously serious from behind the Nikon camera lens. I chuckled.

"Why not?" I argued, continuing to laugh at the strange girl.

"Because I'm trying to take a picture of you."

"And why exactly are you taking a picture of me?"

"Because you look happy in photographs. Not many people look happy in pictures, even when they're smiling." She informed me. I nodded, though I didn't quite understand. She smiled, pulling her chair up next to mine. She clicked a button on her camera, pulling up her most recent photo.

"See? You're laughing in this picture. Your eyes are lit like the 4th of July and your smile is oceans wide. You're truly, genuinely happy about something. And the beauty of it is that, your happiness could have come from anything; and you're the only one who knows exactly what that something is."

"Nice analogies."

"I quite like analogies, Library boy." She whispered, shutting off her camera and sliding her chair back to its original position. "So I'm sure you're wondering what is in my big bag o' fun-"

"I wasn't"

"Since you're so curious-"

"But I really don't care."

"Harry, it's not cute to beg." She reprimanded, making me laugh. I shook my curls, tossing them to one side as I waited for her to proceed.

"Well, carry on." I articulated. She smirked smugly.

"The contents of this bag are: An extra memory card, 2 boxes of Lucky Charms, a game I, myself, created and last, but certainly not least, a bottle of rum." She proclaimed, setting the boxes and bags on the library table, along with 2 cups from the game box.

"Rum?" I murmured, taking it all in as my eyes etched over each object.

"Yes, Rum. It's part of the game. We spin the rum bottle, and whoever it lands on has to take a sip from their cup, along with telling a secret that no one knows about them. I presume you are old enough to drink, yeah?" She chimed, popping the cork off of the rum bottle. She took one small swig, placing it the bottle in her mouth delicately before looking at me for approval.

"We're in London. I've been 18 for 4 years now." I argued, snatching the bottle from her hand quickly before I, myself, took a large sip. She clapped, smiling triumphantly all the way to her eyes from behind her large rimmed glasses.

"I was brought up in the states. I forget what's legal here sometimes." She shrugged.

"Well, who's first?" I questioned, nodding my head toward the game she brought. She chuckled, pouring us each a cup of liquor before decided who would spin. As she did such things I looked around at the empty library and shelves filled with books that's words pertained no real meaning to me at all. How did I find myself there? How did Arden find me there?

"I'm gonna spin now, I suggest you pay some sort of attention, Harry Styles." Arden coughed. I nodded in response, watching as the bottle turned 4 times continuously. I held my breath without fail, cautiously watching as it slowly stopped in front if Arden.

"Well shit. I was hoping I wouldn't have to go first." She muttered hopelessly, but nonetheless she took a sip of her drink before going on to tell me her secret. "I never wake up before noon. And if I do, I go back to sleep. I just don't see a point. I'd rather stay up all night. All the fun happens at night anyway."

"But you're sleeping away the day!" I argued. She only smiled. Just a small, simple smile.

"Maybe days have nothing for me." She whispered.

Nothing was said. What was I to say to that? How was I to form words that could even try to compare to such poetic language that flowed from her lips?

"I'll spin now." I murmured, changing the subject all together. I wasn't good at figuring things out. That's what I loved about architecture. I was the artist. I got to create the picture. It was cut and dry and simple. But I had the strangest feeling Arden was not simple.

As I watched the bottle spin, I quickly began racking my brain for secrets to tell. I wasn't sure if I had anything worthy of telling.

Luckily, the bottle landed on Arden once again.

"The universe is out to get me, I swear it." She muttered. I chuckled.

"It's your game, Arden."

"That's why I hate it so much."

"You make no sense." I laughed.

"I know." She countered, taking a significantly big chug of her rum. "I never go anywhere without an extra memory card."

"That's not much of a secret."

"You're the only one who knows, Harry Styles." She states, smiling as if she knows something I don't.

"How is that?" I enquire, looking around as if some big secret is about to unfold.

"Because you're my only friend." She chuckles.

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A/N

For Myka Silvia

Thanks for the inspiration ;)

Love,

Lulu <3