I scanned the rather large apartment. I was certainly out of place there. There were mostly men drinking beer, and a few girls here and there, but none of them dressed as fancily as I was. I ignored the many stares that I was receiving and realized that I would definitely regret showing up unannounced at this party. As I turned into different rooms, I realized that, if I saw the wrong guy, everything would be ruined. I turned into a corner, and spotted him speaking with a few of his friends. I quickly made my way over to him, and watched his eyes lit up with a playful surprise. He said, "Emily, what are you doing here?"

I froze for a moment. I was going to have to go through with it. I looked him in the eye, and asked him, "Can I discuss something with you for a moment?"

I saw a back door behind him, and led him out there. His friends had barely noticed who I was; most of them were too drunk. Once we were finally alone, he looked at me expectantly. I wanted to say something, but I couldn't tear my eyes from his body. He was so tall, and muscular, and his lips looked so appealing. I took a step closer to him, and was about to tell him what I had planned to say. What I had planned now seemed boring, and not what Emily Johansson would do. Instead of saying my well-rehearsed speech, I leaned in and suddenly it was impossible to break away from his glance. I leaned in even farther, and suddenly our lips were touching. Kissing him was even better than I had imagined. The second our lips had touched, I almost felt as if I were on fire. He was a superb kisser, and I felt myself melting into him. My hands were in his hair, the hair that I had desperately wanted to touch before, and his hands were on my waist. I was acutely aware that Samuel was in the premises, and what I was doing was technically being unfaithful. I reluctantly pulled away, almost not believing what I had just done.

He looked exhilarated, and surprised. There was still one problem to fix. He was engaged. I whispered, "Richard."

He took my hands, "Emily, I'm…"

I stopped him, "Richard, if you want me, then you're going to have to do something about it soon."

I wanted to stay, to experiment more with him and that luscious body of his, but I walked out without looking back. I had to stay strong. I had to let Richard Gilmore know that I wasn't just any ordinary girl.

I rushed out to where Sweetie was waiting. She said, "Well, that certainly took awhile. So, which man is it?"

I shook my head, "I have to process this before I can even describe it."

She sped away from the campus, "Well, I'm here to talk when you're ready."

I sighed, "I have no idea what happened."

"Well, then, tell me about it. I'm dying to know. Are you engaged or not?"

I smiled at her, "Definitely not."

"Does Samuel know?"

"I certainly hope he doesn't. The only way he would know was… Oh my god, what if he saw us?"

She looked over at me, worried, "Emily? What did you do?"

I knew that what I had done was extremely improper and unladylike, but if anyone would understand, it would be Sweetie. I almost wished that Hopie was there with me. She would've been the one to cheer loudly and completely support me. I took a deep breath, "I meant to tell him that I wanted to be with him. Once I got there, the only way to tell him was to…"

She finished my sentence, "Actually be with him. Oh, Emily, I hope no one saw you."

"You know that it's not like me to be like this, Sweetie."

"No, in fact, if this were someone else, you'd be the first to proclaim them unfit for society."

I sighed, "I don't know what came over me. And now I have to wait another day. I just hope he breaks it off with that awful girl, and then I can tell Samuel no."

Sweetie said, "Emily, I know that you have never had strong feelings for anyone before. But I think Richard genuinely loved Pennilyn."

"Ridiculous. If he loved Pennilyn, then why would he be so interested in me? Why did he kiss me back?"

She replied, "I think that you and Richard are meant to be, Emily. What else would make a sensible girl like you behave like a…"

"Street urchin?"

She smiled, "If that's what you'd prefer to call yourself. I was just commenting that when two people are engaged, they usually mean something to each other. It's going to take Richard some time to get over Pennilyn."

I thought for a moment, "So you think that he's going to leave her?"

For the first time after I'd gotten back into the car, she smiled, "Emily. What sane man wouldn't leave Pennilyn Lott after seeing you in that dress?"

The next morning, I went to the library, and started studying for finals. Everything was perfectly as usual for the first few hours. As I was about to leave, I noticed a group of girls were staring at me. I wasn't one to bow down to pressure, so I just stared back at them. One of them came over. I recognized her from my European history class last semester.

She smiled at me fakely. I knew that something was wrong. She asked, "So, Emily, I used to hear you talking about Samuel Pierson all the time. What's happened lately?"

I smiled at her, "Why, Alissa, it is a pleasure to see you. Nothing's happened between Samuel and I, it's just the same as always."

Her smile became even more forced, "That's not what I heard. In fact, I heard that yesterday you showed up at a party and asked to speak to Richard Gilmore."

I kept my smile plastered onto my face, even though I wanted to scream at her to mind her own business, "Of course. We're quite good friends, and while I was on my way to visit my dear friend Sweetie at her betrothed's apartment, I stopped by so I could give him his watch that he left at one of our Smith parties." I didn't like the fact that I was lying through my teeth for her, but I hadn't been prepared to fend of rumors, at least not for another few days.

Alissa replied, "Oh, is that it? Funny, I'd heard otherwise. Give Samuel my regards, will you?"

"I will on our date tonight. It was lovely to see you, Alissa. We really should get together for brunch sometime."

She walked away, obviously disappointed. I wondered how long it would take until everyone found out the truth about us. I walked home to my apartment, and Richard was there.

I opened my mouth to speak, and he stopped me. "Listen, Emily, I want you to know that I broke it off with Pennilyn this morning."

I said, trying not to appear too excited, "Really? How did she take it?"

Richard sighed, "Not to well. She was really looking forward to the wedding, and she really loved me. I just wish that I could say the same about her."

I asked carefully, "So you didn't love her?"

Richard replied, "I did, a long time ago. Ever since we got engaged, it just hasn't felt right for me. And then I met you, Emily, and my ideas on love changed."

"What were your reasons for breaking up with her?"

"I told her the truth; that if we got married, then neither of us would be happy. I wouldn't be able to love her like she needed me too. I think that she understands. Everything was fine between us when we were younger, but we never experienced life with anyone else. I'm sure that if she had met a man as charming as you before I'd met you then she would be the one who left me."

I nodded, "So where do we stand?"

Richard replied, "I want to be with you, Emily. I've waited for so long."

"But you've just said that you still love Pennilyn Lott", I pointed out.

He said, "Ever since last night, I haven't been able to think of anyone else but you. I love Linny like a sister now. Are you and Samuel still together?"

I sighed, "He proposed to me."

"And what did you say?"

"I told him that I needed time to think. And I've thought enough. Richard, you must know me well enough now that I don't just act on impulse. Even though I didn't want to admit it, you do mean something to me. I wasn't about to live my life and always wonder what it would be like to be with you."

He said, "I'm glad that you came to me, Emily. I wouldn't have been able to find the courage to come to you."

I smiled at him, "I know."

We fell silent for a moment, and then I said, "Well, I have to respond to a proposal, and you need to collect your thoughts."

He nodded, "When will I see you again?"

I thought for a moment, "After winter break. Once you have time to get over whatever feelings you have for Pennilyn, and once I'm done worrying about finals."

He walked over to me, and gave me a short but extremely sweet kiss. "I'll be counting the days."

I would normally have brushed this comment off as pathetic from other men, but from Richard it sounded ridiculously sweet. I opened my apartment door for him, "Goodbye Richard."

Once he was gone, I got my car keys and headed towards Yale for the third time that weekend. This wasn't going to be easy, but it had to get done.