the cool side of the pillow {styles au}

twenty eight

Songs for this chapter:

I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

Back to Black - Beyoncé & André 3000

Out of My League - Stephen Speaks

Stickwitu - The Pussycat Dolls

Cleo's POV:

"Marry me."

The silence that follows Harry's request engulfs us and threatens to suffocate me. He has to be joking. Neither of us are even legal adults yet; there's no way he can be serious about making such a huge life decision. We're so young with so much ahead of us, and statistically speaking, getting married this young is about the biggest mistake we can make if we want to last.

I swallow and speak through the giant lump in my throat, "You can't be serious."

The complete darkness of my room makes it hard, but I scrutinize Harry's facial expressions as he speaks, "Of course I am."

"You're crazy," is my response.

He shrugs, "Maybe, but I love you and that's never going to change."

I open and close my mouth a few times before I figure out what to say next, "We're too young."

"We don't have to get married right now. I'm not asking you to runaway with me to Vegas and elope. I'm just asking if you will... Someday. Ten days from now, ten months, ten years. I don't care when, as long as you will."

"Are you seriously proposing to me right now?" I know this whole idea is ridiculous, I know that even if I say yes, so many things can change between now and when I'm ready - which will be years down the road. But I still can't help the butterflies fluttering hysterically in my stomach and the way my eyes water. I can't help how madly in love I am with this boy, and how I desperately want to say yes.

Harry nods, "Mhmm. You don't have to wear a ring or anything, and we don't have to make some big announcement and have an engagement party. It's more of a promise from me to you, that one day I will marry you."

Silent tears roll down my cheeks, "What if we break up?"

"Then we break up. Things happen, people need time apart. But no matter what, nothing will stop me from marrying you one day. You are the person I want to spend the rest of my life with."

"What if you change your mind?" I cringe as the question leaves my mouth. Speaking my biggest fear aloud makes me feel like I'm going to vomit, and I honestly don't want the answer to that question.

"I won't." He says it so simply, like it's a fact - like there's nothing in this world that could make him not want to marry me. "So, will you?"

A giant smile takes over my face, "Ask me properly."

Clumsily, Harry moves off of my bed and pulls me to the edge so I'm sitting with my legs dangling over the side. He takes my hand between both of his and drops down on one knee, "Cleo James, I promise to love you until I'm all old and wrinkly and so disgusting looking that you don't even want me anymore." I can't help but giggle at that. "I will love you fiercely until my weak, old man heart gives out, until Heaven - or whatever comes after this, ends, until there is nothing left. And even then, when there's nothing and no one, I will love you. I promise that whenever you'll have me, I'll be the best husband anyone's ever had."

Harry begins to tear up and I climb down and curl up in his lap, our bodies a tangled heap on my bedroom floor, "Whenever you're truly ready, I'll ask again in a proper way, with a grand romantic gesture. But for right now, this will have to do."