When Love Arrives (H.S.)

Prologue

An excerpt of "When Love Arrives", a poem by Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye

Love is not who you were expecting, love is not who you can predict.

Maybe love is in New York City, already asleep;

You are in California, Australia, wide awake.

Maybe love is always in the wrong time zone.

Maybe love is not ready for you.

Maybe you are not ready for love.

Maybe love just isn't the marrying type.

Maybe the next time you see love is twenty years after the divorce, love is older now, but just as beautiful as you remembered.

Maybe love is only there for a month.

Maybe love is there for every firework, every birthday party, every hospital visit.

Maybe love stays- maybe love can't.

Maybe love shouldn't.

Love arrives exactly when love is supposed to,

And love leaves exactly when love must.

When love arrives, say, "Welcome. Make yourself comfortable."

If love leaves, ask her to leave the door open behind her.

Turn off the music, listen to the quiet, whisper,

"Thank you for stopping by."

* * * * 

Melissa Knight is a walking, talking contradiction: confident and cautious, kind-hearted and critical, strong-minded and shy, friendly and reserved. An enigma to most, Melissa isn't one for making friends or pursuing romance. She keeps her nose in her books, she's always been that way. An unsuspecting heroine, she is not at all waiting for someone to come along. She's never been a believer in knights in shining armor. She is simply waiting for something to happen to her. Waiting for her life to begin and for the world around her to make sense. For all the great and terrible why's of the world to be resolved. 

Someone does come along, though. 

Unlike anyone she's ever met before, Harry Styles swoops into Melissa's life and turns it upside-down. He, to Melissa, seems like a walking, talking chiché. He looks like a movie star and has a hot European accent, but Melissa is convinced that he will retain no literary presence in her story. She never wanted a McSteamy, after all, she wants a Mr. Darcy. 

They are not what the other expected, but it is hard to deny that they are brought together for a reason. The question in this unforseen, quirky romance, however, is whether or not they can make it work? Is this the kind of true love that Melissa never allowed herself to believe in? Can this last forever?

* * * * 

Warning: This story contains underage drinking, sexual activity/themes, explicit language and mild drug use.