love him like the autumn - neil perry imagines

love is strange

•How You Met•

You went to the girl's school right beside Welton.  The cheer and Colorguard teams would perform at Welton's football games and the two schools would commonly hold co-ed dances. It was at one of these dances where you met, Neil Perry.

Neil had always been a hopeless romantic, so he believed in love at first sight... And boy, did he fall for you.

You were across the room in a formal dress your mother had bought for you. Awakrdly leaning against the wall, drinking punch watching all the people slow dance in front of you. Feeling as if this whole night was a cruel joke from God. Neil looked at you and immediately thought you were some angel sent from the heavens.

Instead of going up and talking to you, he nervously admired you from afar. Meanwhile, Knox encouraged him to make his move while he still can. "C'mon Neil, go try your luck before some random guy sweeps her off her feet!" Knox looked around the room before self-assuredly smiling to himself, "You know what, I saw Charlie looking at her just a few minutes ago, and you know how he is with women."

Getting tired of Knox's sweet yet nagging consent encouragement and also a bit worried about the Charlie comment. He made his way over to you. Becoming tenser with each step.

"Hi" he managed to get out while filling up a cup of punch, "Hi" you shyly replied. Neil looked up at you and smiled, a voice in your head said "Oh, he's cute!" You smiled back, your few moments of eye contact making Neil go weak in his knees.

You slowly began to make small talk, speaking of classes, teachers, people you know, and things you want to do "Oh I always wanted to be an actress ever since I saw 'A Streetcar Named Desire' when I visited my sister in New York." You causally said, growing comfortable around the boy beside you. "Really!" Neil said with absolute delight in his voice "I've always wanted to be an actor!"

"Oh, we could be Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart!" You said playfully grabbing Neil's arm, not noticing how you let overly dotting words slip out of your mouth "Good God I hope I'm not making a fool of myself" You thought.

The words felt like honey to Neil "Oh we'd be marvelous!" Wrapping his arm in ours and dramatically leaning his head towards you as if it was a Hollywood love scene. You giggled and Neil's eyes lit up brighter than the stars "She must like me!" He thought. A Buddy Holly song began to echo throughout the crowded room. "Should we dance Ms. Bacall?" He asked gesturing his other arm to the dancing teenagers around you quirking his eyebrow. "Oh, I'd love to Mr. Bogart." You said in a fake sluttery voice

Neil slowly wrapped his arms around you after you got on the dance floor, resting your heads on each other, shoulders. Neil knew that he loved you, he'd only spoken to you for an hour but, he loved you. You in return were head over heels crazy for Neil and both of you didn't want the song or night to end. Just staying there holding on to each other was enough to live for.

Eventually, the song did end marking that the dance was over. Neil offered to walk you back to your dorm which was on the other side of the school but, he didn't mind.

You two walked back to your dorm with Neil's jacket draped over your shoulders, while you both talked about poetry, his arm wrapped around you, you'd blush every time he looked at you to quote a love verse from Shakespeare or John Keats.

Your stomach dropped when you approached your room knowing that you'd have to part with Neil soon. Stopping in front of your door Neil turned toward you and said "Please call me" In the most gentle voice you ever heard "I will if you call me too" You replied

Neil lovingly leaned to kiss your cheek, the song you danced to replaying in your head, Neil made a feel like the whole room was spinning. He pulled away with a slight red hue to his cheeks "Good night Y/n" he said

"Good night Neil"