Muse [h.s.]

2. we'll be alright

🎵Cry — Cigarettes After Sex

Harry's POV
an hour before the release
of Fine Line

It's almost eerie being out here at this hour of the night. The streets are quiet, the snow falling silently, cascading me in a blanket of white as I walk through the streets of London.

It almost feels like I'm the only one in the world at this moment. I have my headphones in, listening to the album once more before it comes out in — I glance down at the time on my phone — exactly 54 minutes. At least, here in England.

I've worked so hard on this album, filled it with my tears, pain, love, happiness, despair, all of it. Some of my most favorite songs I've ever written are on this album; I've bared my soul to the entire world in this album. I can only hope the world loves it as much as I do.

My mum thinks I'm silly for walking around London at this hour, risking being papped, but I laughed it off when she called me earlier. Being alone, listening to the album in its entirety before the rest of the world hears it was important for me to do.

The last track begins to play in my ears, but it's soon disrupted with my phone ringing with a call. Puzzled, I pull the phone out of my pocket to see an unfamiliar number. I narrow my brows, but still answer it.

"Hello?" I answer. The other line is silent except for the faint sound of honking in the background. Then, the person speaks.

"Hi."

It's almost as if the world begins to disintegrate around me. There's no more snow falling; instead, I'm transported to another time, another moment in my memory — there's sunlight and sunflowers and laughter. The sound of her voice is sweeter than the melodies I wrote about her, the ones that I was just listening to.

I have to sit down on a park bench so that I can collect myself. "Aurelia?" I ask. I can hear the shakiness in my voice.

"Hi, Harry," she says softly. I can almost hear the small smile in her voice. I can picture her in her apartment, sitting atop the ledge by the window in her bedroom, looking down at the city below her with the cellphone held up to her ear.

"Hi," I reply just as softly. I wrap my coat tighter around me, but I don't feel cold. The sound of her voice has breathed life back into me and the warmth is rushing throughout my veins.

"I, um..." She's struggling to speak, to form the words. "Um, how are you?" She asks. I smile to myself.

"I'm doing well...I'm just out for a walk," I reply, toying with the zipper on my jacket.

"In this rain? It's pouring!" Aurelia gasps and I chuckle at her reaction.

"No, no, I'm in England," I reply. "It is snowing here, though."

"Oh, right...I forgot you weren't in New York," she mumbles quietly. I smile at how adorable she is. I can almost see the crease between her brows that she gets when she's in thought. "Wait, isn't it like, midnight over there?"

I laugh quietly. "Yeah, almost...I'm out listening to the album before it releases in—"

She cuts me off. "In 45 minutes." I laugh and my heart warms when I hear her laugh with me.

"Are you alright? How are you?" I ask. I hear her take a deep breath before speaking.

"I'm good...I, um...I got the package you sent," she says softly and my heart races. I sent her the very first hard copy of the album — it's only fitting it was gifted to her; without her, there wouldn't be an album.

"Did you listen to it? Did you read the letter?" I ask just as softly and I almost hear her breath hitch.

"I didn't listen to it as yet...but I did read the letter," she replies. "Is it really the first copy?"

I smile. "Of course."

"Thank you," Aurelia says quietly and my heart surges. "I'm...I'm really proud of you, Harry."

Those words make my heart feel as though it will burst out of my chest.

My little muse, I think. This album is for you, this album was made because of you.

"That means everything to me, Ella," I say softly. "I'm proud of you...I heard you're leaving New York?" I ask. Lydia mentioned it to me the last time that we spoke, but she wouldn't tell me where Ella was headed.

"Yeah...I need a change of scenery and I finally have some things I'm proud to be doing on my own." I can hear the smile in her voice and it makes me smile. She's always had such big dreams and I couldn't be any more proud.

She takes a deep breath before she speaks again. "I just wanted to congratulate you on the album...I know this is a huge milestone and I'm so proud of you. You've always done amazing things, but I know this one will be hard to top," she says softly as the words rush out. I smile to myself.

"I wouldn't have been able to write the album without you," I say quietly. I don't know how she feels about that statement, as she's quiet and doesn't speak. The comfortable silence hangs between us before Aurelia speaks again.

"Well, I'll let you go..." she trails off. "The album comes out in half an hour now, go bask in its glory a little more before the world hears it." I can almost hear the smile in her voice and it makes me smile.

"I will," I say with a laugh. "Aurelia?" I ask.

"Yeah?"

"Take care of yourself, okay?" I say. My eyes trace the path of the snowflakes falling in front of me as I wait for her response.

"You too, Harry."

The phone clicks as she hangs up and I let loose a deep breath into the cold, winter air. The music begins to flood my ears again, picking up where it left off.

And the words I've written on the last track resonates with my feelings right now. I smile to myself.

We'll be alright.