Dream On The Future & Believe In The Stars

‘You alright?’ I asked Emma, who was standing against the wall, a drink in her hand. She looked miserable.

‘Yeah,’ she sighed.

I stood next to her. ‘You don’t seem it.’

‘I don’t even know why I’m here,’ she said. I turned to look at her. ‘I’m not in the mood.’

‘You’re our friend. Why wouldn’t you come along?’ I asked, nudging her gently. ‘We’d of made you anyway and try to have fun.’

‘I just…I thought maybe I could meet someone tonight. A great guy. And here I am, standing like a loner, until you came along. No one seems to be interested. I’m going to be a loner for the rest of my life,’ she said.

‘Are you kidding me? You are not going to be a loner. And you one of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever seen.  Especially tonight. You look gorgeous. And I’m not just saying that. I think you’re amazing.’ She looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back, meaning what I said.

‘Thanks Nath.’ She took a sip of her drink, before swirling the liquid around in the glass.

‘And I not just saying this to return the favour. But I think you look hot tonight,’ she said, looking back up at me. I smiled at her, before taking her free hand in mine, trying to tell her I always be there for her.

‘I bet there’s someone out there for you. I bet they might be here tonight. Don’t tell me no one, no one at all, won’t come to talk to you tonight?’ I said.

‘We’ll have to see, won’t we?’ she replied.

*

I looked across the hall to see Emma sat in my room. The party was still going on downstairs, and the odd person was upstairs, but I really came up here to see what Emma had gone.

I opened the door and closed it gently behind me. She looked up as she heard me.

‘Why are you up here?’ I asked her.

She shrugged her shoulders. I sighed and sat down on the bed beside her.

‘What’s wrong?’ I asked her. ‘What’s the real reason you’re feeling down tonight?’

She bent her head down towards her lap, fiddling with her hands. Sitting in front of her, I took her hands in mine gently, feeling her relax and causing her to look up at me.

‘I thought tonight I could meet a guy, like I said earlier. But…for the wrong reasons. It’s stupid really.’

‘What do you mean?’ I asked.

‘I just wanted someone tonight. Someone that could make me feel special. Even if it was just a kiss. Or dancing with me. But nothing worked. It made me feel guilty.’

‘Why guilty?’

‘I was thinking of Ben. I’m trying to get over him. I hate him. I do. I hate what he did. But I can’t seem to get that out my head. I just, for one night, wanted to feel like I wasn’t the girl who he cheated on, the girl who fell for the wrong guy, or the girl that’s so pathetic, even now she’s not over him. I just wanted something, or someone to take my mind off him. Someone that didn’t make me feel like shit.’

‘If it makes you feel better, I don’t think it’s that stupid,’ I said, looking down at our hands intertwined.

‘Now you’re just saying that,’ she spoke, dragging her thumb over the back of my hand.

‘I’m not,’ I said, looking into her eyes, as she gazed back. It went quiet for a while; it was just us staring back at each other.

‘Nathan,’ she whispered, edging forward. I reached up to touch her cheek with my hand softly, staring back into those glistening blue eyes.

‘I’ve liked you for a long time,’ I whisper, knowing that I probably shouldn’t say it, but it felt like it was the right time too.

She looked away. ‘I have too,’ she replied honestly. ‘I thought…that…you didn’t. It’d be awkward.’

‘I don’t think it will be,’ I whispered back, edging closer towards her too. Instead, I leaned down and touched my lips against hers. I’m not sure if it was the right thing to do, but it felt so right. And a new, intense feeling crept it’s way over me.

The door was suddenly flung open and we split apart so quickly, I fell of the bed, but I regained myself and stood up to face Tom, who was swaying on the spot slightly.

‘Hey! There you guys are!’ he exclaimed. ‘I found them!’ he shouted down the stairs. He turned back to face us, titling his head to the side slightly, looking between us suspiciously, furrowing his eyebrows.

‘Did I interrupt something?’ he asked, holding onto the door for support.

‘No,’ I said quickly. ‘We were just talking.’

‘Okay,’ Tom said, looking between us again, before turning around. ‘Come on guys, you’re missing out on the fun!’

I turned to Emma, who was already looking at me carefully. I knew she was thinking what I’m thinking of the moment we had a few minutes ago.

I walked towards her and took her hand, smiling.

‘Keep it a secret?’ I asked.

She looked a little hurt, probably thinking I meant forget about the kiss and us, but I didn’t.

‘What?’ she asked, looking too beautiful to resist.

‘You and me,’ I whisper in her ear. I kissed her on the lips once more, pulling her closer towards me, feeling her respond instantly.

I pulled away gently, looking into her eyes, before walking towards the door, turning back to look at her.

‘You coming?’ I asked.

She was smiling at me, and I couldn’t help but smile back.

I felt like this was a start of something that I knew would turn out great. A spark that would one day transform into something magical.