Give Me Love (Finn Harries)

Chapter 22

(A/N): Here's Chapter 22! Sorry for the wait :(

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Engaged. I tossed the word around in my head, wondering how my life could be tipped upside down with just a few words. A day passed, normal schedules falling into place as I pondered the mistake I’d made not hours ago. How can I be so stupid? Wasn’t moving too fast the thing that got you in all that trouble back home? I loved him, I really did, but nobody ever stays together from teenage hood, do they? By definition, we were both teenagers, but I felt more mature than that. Even so, I wasn’t old enough to get married. Absently folding a pile of shirts, I began to ponder whether to tell Finn that I was unsure or not. I knew all too well that he would take it the wrong way, and it would end up in another one of our almighty fights, where we wouldn’t speak to each other for a week, only to be forced to apologise by either Jack or Emma, or both. Still, I needed to talk to him. I couldn’t pretend that I was comfortable with being a fiancée at 19, as much as I loved him.

When Finn came and stopped by, he sensed my growing discomfort. “Is everything alright, Liv?” he asked, tilting my head up with his left index finger, hands cupped around my flushed face. In the moment, I couldn’t think of the right words to say, so I just stood silently, words not passing my lips as I stared into those perfect green eyes. “I was thinking about things this morning.”

“What kind of things, Finny?”

“Come with me, Liv,” he said simply.

“But-“

“Emma will cover for you,” he interrupted, taking me by the hand, despite my confused looks. What the hell is he doing? I wondered, not protesting as he led me through the streets of London for what felt like forever. I tried to remember the turns: left, right, straight ahead, another left, but it all became too confusing.

“Finn,” I whined. “Where are we?” Of course, he didn’t reply. Finally, I began to notice a few familiar signs and buildings around us, and immediately, I knew where we were going. “Hyde Park,” I muttered. Why would he bring me here? I had given up trying to guess what the hell it was that he was doing, so I just went with it. After nearly 4 months of living in England, I still couldn’t get over how beautiful it could be. It was the kind that made you want to take a billion photos so you could revel in its beauty days, weeks, months, or even years later. Memories flooded back of mine and Finn’s first real date, of the passionate kiss we shared, and I involuntarily smiled. We stopped at the exact spot where I’d so boldly locked lips with him, and again, my breath was taken away. A long lane of tall trees stood before us, leaves yellowing in preparation for the season ahead. Summer had, unfortunately, drawn to a close, leaving only a trail of chill in its wake. I shivered slightly in the long sleeve uniform top, and being the gentleman that Finn is, he dropped his coat off of his shoulders and slipped them on to mine, but not before taking something out of the pocket. Instantly, I was engulfed by his scent, the same body wash as always, clinging to me like fog. “Baby, it’s beautiful, but why are we here?”

“Because, Olive, I know you think it’s too soon. And I want to fix that,” he murmured, ignoring the chill in the air as he opened the small black box in his hand. I breathed out a sigh, unable to tear my eyes away from the large cluster of diamonds that lay on a thin silver band. “It’s a promise ring. I want you to promise me that we’ll stay together. We don’t have to get married, or even engaged, I just want you to know that I’ll never leave.”

Before I said anything, I wrapped my arms around Finn, relishing the moment while it lasted. “I love you so much, Finn,” I whispered in his ear.

“So is that a promise?” he asked playfully, detaching himself from me for a moment, a cheeky grin tilting the corners of his mouth upwards.

“It’s a pinky promise,” I replied, equally as playfully. He slipped the ring onto my right ring finger, purposely avoiding my left one, so as not to confuse our promise for an engagement. I saw the inscription on the inside.

I am, and always will be, yours.

My heart swelled with joy, and I knew I was happier than I ever could be. I felt really and truly in love as I wrapped my pinky around his. “Who knows? Maybe we will get properly engaged one day, but not today,” he said thoughtfully, wrapping his hand through mine. I couldn’t help but stretch out my fingers, admiring the large rock that lay on my ring finger. That must’ve been bloody expensive, I thought, mentally scolding Finn for spending so much money on me. It wasn’t his first big splurge either: a few days ago, he bought me a whole new laptop, because mine was falling apart. And it wasn’t just one of those stock-standard computers either; it was a MacBook Pro, which are around the £1,000-£1,200 mark. Not to mention the whole trip to Thailand, which I didn’t really like to remember. Well, parts of it anyway.

“I hope so,” I murmured. “You do know that I would’ve been just as happy with a plastic toy ring, right, baby?”

“I wanted to buy it for you, Liv,” he said softly, brushing a finger along my cheek as we walked down the picturesque scene before us.

“I’ll let this one slide, Finny, but no more extravagant gifts, deal?”

He nodded, bursting into a big grin as he placed a sweet kiss on my lips. “You have no idea how happy you’ve made me,” he said.

“I could say the same to you, Mr Harries,” I reciprocated, holding tightly to his arm. I sighed in contentment. My previous worries had been washed away, and although it wasn’t a promise that we would marry, it was a promise that we would remain happy, and together, for as long as we could.