"How cliché." Liam rolls his eyes, sitting down on the table with a sigh.
"I know, and three fucking thousand words." Nichole answred in an equally disapproving tone.
"Oh come on, it's not that bad if you think deep enough." Andrea retorted.
"Shut up you.. Damsel in distress." Nichole snaps humourously.
To explain it all, we are supposed to write a 3000 word essay answering a question. And the question is 'What is love?'
Personally, I don't think I would face any problems in answering it. I have read enough novels, watched enough movies to answer that question.
"You can use the novels and movies for reference, I am sure it won't be that hard." Zayn echoed my thoughts.
"Exactly." I agreed, catching Andrea nodding as well.
"I am just gonna download it off of internet." Louis said, shaking his head as if saying 'I can't do this even in my worst nightmares.'
"It has 10% credit, Louis." Liam points out, making Louis widen his eyes in surprise.
"What!?" He shrieked.
"Heard it right, boo." Nichole said teasingly, making his head jerk up in shock, I noticed the tiniest shade of redness starting to make it's way on his face.
Immediately, my gaze falls at Andrea who is looking at Louis with a knowing smile, and then turns to look at me.
"Guys we have to be at the groung in like, 5 minutes unless we wan't the coach to kick our asses." Liam reminds them and stands up hurriedly.
"Yeah, let's go." Louis got up as well, fixing his fringe softly with his fingers and looking over at Zayn who got up immediately.
"I have history now." Nichole siad, sighing and getting up lazily from her spot.
Andrea and I smile at her, because we have a free lecture, and we had decided to spend it in the library finding information about our assignment.
"Fuck you both." Nichole yelled over her shoulder as she walked out of the cafeteria.
Andrea shook her head at the direction where Nichole went and I tried hard to ignore the stares we were getting.
We finished our food and headed over to the library after a while.
"Let's start with Shakespeare. I am thinking of taking references and showing contrast of what love was amd what it has changed into these days." I voiced out my rough idea to Andrea as we entered the library.
Not a lot of students where present, just one or two scattered around.
"I was thinking more of a just renaissance love, no contrast. Just telling about how romantic and beautiful love was back in those days." Andrea replied, walking towards the fictional section as I followed her.
"That's a great idea as well." I agreed.
Indeed, love was more romantic in old times.
But it's more convenient these days.
Wait.
I can take Harry's help in this!
There's no need to even refer to any of these books. I can have the most authentic and perfect reference from Harry.
"So, tell me. What is love to you ?" Andrea asked me, picking up The Merchant of Venice from the shelf of Shakespeare.
"Umm, love to me is.." I pause to think it through before answering her.
"I think love is warmth. Just how you need food and water to live, you need love. There's an empty void without love. Not just in a romantic way, family and friends count too."
This is the first time I have said something even as little as this about my family.
So before she could ask me anything, I speak up.
"What is love to you ?"
"To me, love is acceptance without expectations."
"Wow, that is deep." I said thoughtfully, picking up Pride and Prejudice.
"Have you ever been in love, Violet ?"
Have I ?
Why did the word love brings only one name in my head ?
Harry.
No. Shut up Violet you are not capable of love, it's dangerous.
"No, I don't think I have. Have you ?"
"Yeah, once." She sighed, smiling to herself.
"Woah."
My eyes widen in surprise. I thought Andrea was one of those types of people who focuses on their careers so much that they don't have time for things like love.
"And I have learnt one thing from that love. You can be truely happy once you let go of that love."
"What ? I mean, what's the point in letting love go when you can keep it." I asked in confusion.
I had always thought that holding on was the right thing to do.
"You see, when you know that there's someone who loves you so much that nothing is good enough to compare it too, there's a satisfaction of this knowledge. And at some point, that satisfaction becomes more important than being with that person." She explained, piling more books in her arms as she spoke.
It took me a long time to absorb what she was saying.
"You're so much more mature than your age."
That was all I could say to her after a while.
She smiled knowingly. Seems like she has heard this sentence a lot of times.
"Maybe, love made me mature." She whispered.
Wow.
I couldn't stop thinking about Andrea's words for the rest of the day.
Even while driving home, I turned off the music because the thoughts in my head where too loud.
What if holding on was my mistake ?
Harry and I could be so much better if only my messed up thinking didn't come in between.
Harry is perfect, he might even be the one for me.
But the problem is me. I have more insecurities than feelings inside me.
Harry won't die, ofcourse. But he might get bored of me.
I don't think there's any chance between us.
But what if it's atleast worth a try ?
_________________________________________
What do you think is love ? Is it holding on as Violet thinks or is it letting go as Andrea thinks ?
Or is it something else totally ?
Tell me in the comments and do let me know what you think of this chapter.
Just a little spoiler, we'll get to know what Harry thinks love is in the next chapter !
Until next time...
Sincerely,
Meera.