WILD // (Harry Styles)

F I F T Y

THE 50TH AND FINAL CHAPTER WILD

CLAIRE

"Harry!" I squeal, covering my mouth with my hands. The moonlight reflects in the clear stone, fragments of light hitting different spots in the trees. The ring has a diamond the size of the nail on my pinky finger, accompanied by two gorgeous purple crystals on either side of it.

"Have you gone completely mad?!" I laugh excitedly, taking a step towards the small velvet box, resting in his palm.

"I'm 17!" I say, but his grin only grows. He takes his hands off the lid of the box, taking my hand in it. He squeezes it, his eyes gleaming brighter than the ring.

"I'm not asking you to marry me," he says, his teeth showing in his breathtaking smile.

"I'm asking you to spend the rest of your life with me," he speaks.

I see a faint tremble in his lips, as his eyes watch mine with such intent that I have to ground myself again.

"Will we get married one day? Yes. But this right here, this ring... If you accept it, you promise that we will spend the rest of our lives together, no matter if your last name is Styles," he breathes. I feel the heat of his palm reach my heart, and I melt into his eyes. His eyebrow raises slightly, as a few seconds of silence passes. I'm at a loss of words.

When I said goodbye to Harry in his apartment about a week ago, and it all came back to me... I thought I would never see him again. The love of my life was right in front of me, and I couldn't be held by him. I couldn't tell him how sorry I was. I couldn't forget everything else and just give into him. I had to leave him. I had to leave yet another tear in his heart. I don't think anything has hurt as much.

I take second to glance at the lights of California. They seem brighter than the last time we were here. I was looking at the exact same lights when he gave me the plane tickets to New York. It's crazy to think about how it's only been 4 months. With all that we've been through, it feels like it was years ago.

I used to think that it was a bad thing to be dependent on him. And that he was dependent on me. For months, it felt like we needed each other to survive. That we kept each other thriving. And I don't know why, but I considered that a bad thing. That there is such a thing to be too dependent on a person, and maybe there is. But it works for us. I don't think I could ever be without him again, ever. Is that a bad thing?

No. The only thing that makes sense to me, is us. And I don't think that'll ever change. I'm 17, I don't know what I'll want for myself in the future. But what I do know, is that I want him right there next to me. Forever.

"Yes."

"Yes?" Harry blinks, and his eyes widen. His beautiful teeth show as he smiles, his eyebrows raising.

"Yes!" I shout joyfully, covering my mouth with my hand as my eyes gaze at the fragments of light in the stone. He carefully takes the ring out of the box, placing it onto my finger, and I notice how his fingers tremble. He's nervous.

He jumps up right after the ring is placed at the base of my ring finger, and his arms surround me, holding me tightly. I wrap my hands around his neck and he picks me off the ground for a second, making me giggle. We're finally here. After all this time.

There is a moment of silence as I stare into his green eyes. My feet aren't touching the ground, and it feels like that those green eyes are the reason. I slick his hair back, to get a better view. I resent the time when I didn't recognize them.

"I love you," I whisper, my voice breaking. His brows furrow and he lets me down when he notices my eyes watering.

"I love you too, what's wrong?" He asks, wiping a tear away before it rolls down my cheek. His hand is tightly placed on my waist, and I feel my body absorbing the warmth radiating off of him.