18 (Harry Styles)

Chloe

Emma Perkins

 *Flashback*

The room is pitch black with the exception of the very dimly lit lights and the old flickering movie screen, projecting the movie I've longed to see for a while, yet here we sit, the movie nearly finished and I can't give you a single detail about it. Him, however, he was a poem, one that I knew like the back of my hand, one longer than the universe that I could recite perfectly in my sleep. He's the kind of poem you memorize excerpts of in grade school and senior year you must read thoroughly a number of times and analyze for a college application. The most beautiful, mistakless, perfectly flowing poem in the world.

Although we had yet for even a second date, my title for him was beyond names, and one that I would never give to anyone else in my lifetime. He was my world. And even in a dark, tight, crowded room, I couldn't be happier. Heck, he could make hell feel like Heaven for me. In a moment, my thoughts are interrupted by the sudden motion of his hand that was before so perfectly wrapped behind my waist moving up to my cheek as both of our faces turned in towards each other. And this was it. This is what falling felt like, and in this second I have to make a decision. Was it worth it? Was all the pain and suffering that went along with love worth kissing this boy that couldn't possibly be any more perfect?

And with that, I close my eyes, lean in, and from that moment on, I know nothing will ever be the same. His lips were air and mine were a drowning girl in a stormy, hopeless ocean, mine gasping for his as if this breath were my last and his saving mine like I was the only girl in the world who needed it. They move together smoother than tides against sand, only stopping for air as his hands move magically, grabbing me aggressively yet gently in all the right places. "Can you feel it?" Harry asks, pulling away for a short second and biting his lip, his eyes gazing into mine filled with nothing but exhilaration and satisfaction. I nodded, swooning with an unbreakable hold on the back of his neck. "I love you Em-"

"Emma Perkins." a horrifying voice shouts as I sit up as fast as I can. "Ms. Howser," I try to slur an apology but no words come out as I am immediately cut off. "You spend four years working your ass off to make it into a 5A college and have the decency to fall asleep in my class?" I sink down in my chair, hundreds of eyes on me. "I'm sorry, it wo-" "CUT THE BULLSHIT! There are MILLIONS of other people that would give up everything they have to be sitting where you're sitting right now, yet you are taking a nap? I don't expect you to show up to my class if this is how you're going to behave. If you're still tired you can take your things and leave, lose the scholarship and go back to your parents basement to dream about your non-existent future so someone else who actually deserves it can take your place. Do you understand me?" Unbearably embarrassed, I sit up, fix my hair and spit out the nicest "Yes ma'am." I can make out. "You kids. You have so much to learn. I remember when I was your age.." Ms. Howser rambles on as she makes her way to the front. I instantly zone out, I've had enough for today already, hearing her talk about me indirectly in front of the entire class is the last thing I want right now.

I grab a pen and my notebook and decide to doodle until the bell rings. After what feels like years, the bell finally rings and I toss my notebook and pen into my bag, throwing it over my shoulders and make an attempt to get out of there as fast as I can. "Emma?" I turn around nervously, prepared for whoever wanted to make fun of me first. "That's my name." I reply to the short, stunning girl. Her reddish brown hair runs a little past her shoulders and her eyebrows cave down a bit, giving her a beautiful puppy dog face. "I just wanted to apologize for all of that," she chuckles, "don't feel too special yet, because last year by the end of the year, there wasn't a single person in my class of 215 that hadn't had that exact, only slightly altered speech lectured on them." I begin to walk and she trails beside me.

"Sounds like it's gonna be a fun year." "Oh honey, that was nothing. Wait until you forget a pencil or something of the such- she'll have you bend over and whip you." I laugh, hoping and praying that was only a joke. "I'm Chloe," she says, extending a hand. "Emma." I say returning the favor and chuckle a bit, considering she already knew that. She laughs back and shakes my hand. "It's nice to meet you, thanks for having the courage to just walk up and talk to me like this-it's not something I'm used to." I say and instantly regret. Wow Em, not even a minute into the conversation and you're already complaining. A+ on bad first impressions. "It's no problem at all, I'm kinda the same way and you looked like you could use someone, especially after a catastrophy like that." My eyes lit up with surprisment, considering that wasn't the responce I was expecting. A couple minutes of small talk, exchanging numbers, and farewells goes by and shortly after I'm off to my dorm. I decide on not taking a shower, I'm exhasted and this was only my first day. I throw on a giant tee shirt, brush my teeth and finally hop in bed. I wonder what he's doing right now, how he is, where he's at. When was the last time he saw Gemma? What did he have for supper? Did he perform tonight? Has he met someone new? Millions of thoughts bloom in my mind, and I wonder if he's thinking of me too.