𝙄𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘽𝙀𝙂𝙂𝙄𝙉𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙄𝙏 𝙒𝘼𝙎 𝘿𝙀𝘼𝙏𝙃

𝚘𝚗𝚎. 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡

20 August 2022
Spain

Camila was wonderful today. In the light and azure dress, with the smile outlined on the sweetest lips in the world and the hair fluttering in the summer breeze... Far from the crowded London, just with me, in my house by the sea. I've never felt better than now when I sit on the terrace and watch her in silence as she reads a book.

If the boys were here, they would say that I fell in love like a fool, or that I behaved like a 15-year-old kid, or that I was talking about nothing but Camila.

They're right, no adult male I've known has watched every episode of Riverdale, like me. I did it just to see my girlfriend. Since we've been together, I wrote dozens of songs, all dedicated to her. My reputation as a womanizer has disappeared. I let my hair grow the way I had it in 2016, because she liked my curls. I argued with Simon, he wanted me to break up with Camila, then I argued with the boys, they had brought all my exes to my birthday. I finally got along with everyone. Why? Because she had told me, the most peaceful being in the world.

"Harry?"

Her crystal clear voice broke the silence. I smiled at her and grabbed her hand, kissing her gently. She laughed, amused by my gesture, and reached out to kiss me, this time on the lips.

"You blushed", I teased after we broke up.

"It's not my fault. You treat me so nicely, like I'm your goddess or something", she murmured embarrassed.

"You are," I replied, kissing her again.

Inside me, my emotions grew every second. I could feel in my pocket the sharp outline of the box containing the ring. I was going to ask her to marry me today, on her last day in southern Spain. Of course I was more scared than a stray dog, just the thought of her rejecting the proposal made me go crazy.

I drank my coffee in silence, without losing sight of Cami. My condition was both pathetic (because of my emotions) and very good (because she was with me). I didn't even know what to do at this point, until the inspiration struck me like lightning.

"How about drinking coffee on the beach?", I asked, hoping it didn't sound too weird. The terrace was where I used to do this every morning, I hadn't thought about drinking coffee on the sunbed because sand got into my cup.

"It's a good idea, that's how we feel the sea breeze closer," she agreed, and got up from the table with me. I let her pass in front of me so she wouldn't see my legs shaking. If my father were next to me, he would reproach me for being so scared, like a little girl.

I swallowed hard, as excited as I was on my first tour, when I had to sing in front of tens of thousands of people, and I awkwardly knelt on the warm sand, praying that everything would be fine. My heart was pounding so hard that I felt like it was coming out of my body, and the butterfly on my abdomen had moved into my stomach.

Damn, I can't do that.

Or I can. Or not? God, I'm going insane.

Maybe it's too early. But I can't wait. If we get to London it won't be the same, it won't be all that romantic and it will leave me without the little courage I still have. And if she refuses, what do I do? I can't live without her.

"Camila?" I whispered, driving away all negative thoughts from my mind. She didn't hear me. I cleared my throat and said her name again.

She turned to me and smiled uncontrollably at the sight of the box opened in my hand.