Used To Be • Harry Styles

Twenty Seven

I was lying next to a sleeping Annie in bed when I got a text from my mum asking if she could call me.

"Hello!" She cheered through face time and I smiled without saying a word. "I was just about to go to bed and I felt like I hadn't spoken to you in ages."

"Hi, mum," I whispered.

"Why are you whispering? Is this a bad time? Where are you? Did I wake you up?"

Annie rolled over in bed.

"No," I spoke at a normal level when I caught a glimpse of her smiling up at me. "Annie was just taking a nap-"

"Oh no! Did I wake her? Tell her I'm sorry-"

"She can hear you, mum," I laughed.

"Oh! Can I see her? I wanna say hi to her," she eagerly spoke.

Annie pushed herself up towards me and came up under my arm which I wrapped around her.

"Hi," Annie waved into the camera as the live video of us filled the little box in the corner of my screen while my mum smiled and covered her mouth.

"Hi!" She exclaimed. "It's so nice to finally see you! You're so pretty, oh, I'm so sorry I woke you up sweetie-"

"It's alright," Annie shook her head. "I couldn't put off meeting you any longer," we all chuckled. "It's so lovely to meet you."

"Likewise, Annie," my mum smiled. "I hope you're taking good care of my baby boy out there."

"Of course she is," I smile.

"You're just so far I have to make sure."

"You're welcome out here anytime," Annie said. "Please, if we don't make it out there in a bit, surprise us."

"Thank you so much, you're welcome here whenever as well," my mum smiled. "You two are so precious together," she couldn't stop gushing.

"Mum," I couldn't help but laugh at her. "Can you, uh, go into my old room and get something out my nightstand drawer for me?"

"What? What is it? Why? Oh my God? Is it what I think it is?"

"I just want to show Annie the ring I got her,"I laugh and she lets out a little scream.

"You asked her?" My mum couldn't stop.

"Kind of, but it's nothing definite," I looked down at Annie who was laughing as well. "I just wanna show her what it was that I bought."

"Alright, alright" My mum gets up and leaves the camera under her chin while she walks to my room.

I left a kiss on Annie's forehead before I began whispering to her.

"You feel better?"

"Yeah," she frowned and nodded.

"Here it is!" My mom held the velvet box up to her face. "How do I turn this camera around again?"

"The little button with the camera and the arrows," I helped her out.

"Oh, got it!" She said excitedly. "Here you go, Annie."

She opened the box up and in it was the little gold ring I got with the tiny diamond in the center.

"It's beautiful," Annie sat up and admired the image.

"It's not much, but," I started, "Now I can buy you a ring three times its size."

"I don't care about the size," she shook her head. "I want that one. It's perfect."