Speak |h.s. a.u.|

Chapter 53

I know it has only been a few days, but I have missed all of you (and Annabelle, and Harry), so much! Comment your favorite moments Harry and Annabelle have had so far. -K

"I love you." Harry's eyes were wide and hopeful. Annabelle's hands moved up to hold Harry's hands, begging him to say it again. She pressed her lips to his, taking him by surprise. He thought she would end up running away, or wanting nothing else to do with him ever again, but her reaction was the total opposite. She couldn't be happier with his words.

Harry kept his hands on her cheeks as they sweetly kissed. Annabelle didn't usually kiss Harry first, but after hearing those words leave his lips, she couldn't resist. Someone actually loved her- was in love with her- enough to want to tell her. Someone wanted to spend all of their time with her, take her to special places, be alone with her, and show her that they love her. The thought of someone, especially Harry, wanting to do all of these things with her and feeling all of these ways about her totally confused her, but made her the happiest she has been in years.

Annabelle needed time to think about whether she wanted to tell him she loved him or not. She wasn't totally sure if she was in love with him, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to let herself speak just yet. She has already let so many walls down, and not speaking was her biggest and most dangerous wall. Letting down that wall would be like letting down every single guard she has ever put around her heart. Even though Harry loved her and she possibly loved him the same way, she wasn't going to be able to just give up all of her protection. Annabelle still had the small insecurities that Harry would find someone better and trade her in for that better person. She knew Harry deserved the most gentle, loving, caring, mature, beautiful, hard-working woman in the world, and that woman definitely was not Annabelle.

Annabelle is different, she's unlike any girl that Harry has ever met in his life. She is caring and loving, and most definitely gentle and beautiful, but she didn't work. She didn't even have a job or her own place. Granted, she did only graduate recently, but most teenagers get a job during high school, graduate, then move off to college. Annabelle refused to go to college, she hated school so much that she couldn't stand even thinking about it. There were plenty of careers she could pursue without a college degree, but speaking is a critical skill needed to have almost any type of job. The biggest problem in Annabelle's life was talking, she just couldn't do it anymore. The reasons she closed up so drastically were many, and she would need just as many, if not more good reasons to begin talking again.

Anyone who knew Annabelle could talk, but didn't, would assume she was crazy. They'd assume she should be put into some mental hospital, because maybe she had a mental problem? Maybe she was abused? Harry didn't think those things, though. Harry knew how tender-hearted this girl was, but he also knew how intelligent and bright she could be. He knew how sarcastic and sassy she could be, how emotional and fragile she could be, how strong and stubborn she could be, and how loving and mature she could be. Annabelle was just like anyone else, only more special to Harry than anyone else, and some day she might just consider breaking down her cement walls around her heart and give into him; allowing his words and love to crack into the bricks until they collapse and stay down as long as she is with him.

When their lips parted and their eyes opened, they were both radiating pure happiness and innocence. Their actions were completely out of love and joy. Neither of them could focus on anything but the person in front of them, wondering how they both got so lucky. Harry's thumbs slowly moved up and down, enjoying the feeling of her soft cheeks and the sight of her wide and gleaming eyes. She brushed a few curls away from his face and tucked them behind his ear, making him lean into her touch and crave more of her.

"I'm sorry that I told you like this- I wanted to make it more romantic and wait a little longer, but-" Annabelle shook her head at his rambling and kissed his lips again. She didn't care how he said it or where, the fact that he said it and meant it was everything she could ever wish for. Harry sighed, relaxing under her touch. "I know it's a bit soon," he moved his hands to hold her hands again, "But I mean it more than you'll ever know. I could go on for ages about you- about everything that I love about you. I don't understand it and I know you don't either, but we'll figure it out together, yeah?" Annabelle nodded, leaning her head on his chest and wrapping her arms around his body. Being in his arms was all she wanted right now.

They spent the rest of the evening cuddling and sharing chaste kisses to the lips and cheeks, Harry mumbling things that he loved about her in her ear to make her blush and realize how true his words were, how he meant every single thing he said to her in that moment. He had mentioned her big puppy dog eyes that made him weak in the knees, her beautiful lips that were the perfect dark pink color that made the perfect smile, the random and adorable cuddle cravings and the way she always wanted to play with his hair. The way he was able to lay on her stomach or chest when they were sleeping so he could feel comforted and protecting at the same time, the way she was shy around new people, the way she played her video games like the dweeb she is, and her hands that were small compared to his. He made sure to prove how small her hands were by holding their hands up to compare, the tips of her fingers only reaching his middle knuckles on his fingers.

Annabelle's confidence had somehow risen a tiny bit with each compliment that escaped from Harry's pretty lips. She wanted to do the same for him, so when he got up to go to the bathroom, she grabbed the notepad and began writing a list of all the things she loved about him. Harry sat on the bed and she shyly handed him the paper, keeping the pin between her fingers and poking her lips with the cap.

"I love your hair, especially when you first wake up and it's tangled, your curls are everywhere and they're so fluffy." Harry read out loud, giggling as he looked up to see Annabelle blushing and staring at him, hoping he would enjoy the sweet sentiment. "I love your green eyes and the way they hold every single emotion you feel, how they always show me how to treat you and how to make you feel better. I love your lips that are so pink and kissable, and how they tend to stay in a straight line until you see something that makes you happy. I love your dimples, they're a great bonus to your perfect smile that could light up a room, and the way your whole face lights up when your family and I get along, or when you say something cheeky to make my cheeks turn pink from embarrassment. I love how you're taller than I am and somehow easily pick me up when you hug me or kiss me, as if I am the only person in the world you're able to love, when in reality you could win any girls heart with the snap of your fingers. I love how gentle you are with me and my feelings, always tending to my every need even though I don't deserve it. You're the perfect gentlemen and best boyfriend/best friend I could ever wish for. I love everything about you, physically, emotionally, and mentally." Harry finished reading the paper, wondering how she wrote all of that down in the short amount of time he was out of the room. He was overwhelmed with all of the best feelings he could ever have.

"Thank you, Annabelle." Harry tore the note off of the pad and stuck it in his jacket pocket so he could always have it with him. "You should write for me more often. You're good at that." He smiled, holding her closer and tucking her hair behind her ear.