Taken // h.s

Picnics and Pop quizzez

We lay in the bed together. I was awake and Harry was sound asleep, lying on his back. My eyes roamed his muscled chest, admiring all of his tattoos. Without thinking, I ran my hand across them, feeling the inked skin below. It felt odd to me, how someone could just mark themselves permanently. But I guess he did it for a reason.

Harry’s mouth curled into a smirk, his eyes still closed. “Mmm. That feels good.”

I smiled and continued to trace his tattoos. He turned over, pulling me closer, placing a lingering kiss on my lips. Then, he rolled out of bed and threw a shirt and pair of pants on. “Go get dressed. We’re going on a picnic.”

I did as I was told, sliding a sweater on and a pair of skinny jeans. As the days passed, the temperature was becoming colder. It was now December and only a couple of weeks until my birthday. I was excited for two reasons. One: I would be eighteen and two: I wanted to know what Harry had planned for me.

Walking into the kitchen, Harry rounded the counter, holding a brown basket. “Shall we?” He asked, holding his elbow out for me to take.

“We shall,” I grabbed his arm lightly.

We both walked out the door, locking it behind us. There were flurries of snow floating in the air, creating a dusty feel. Harry started the car and we peeled from the driveway. The ride there was silent. I didn’t recognize my surroundings as he drove. We were hidden in what looked like a forest. There were lush green trees everywhere, vines wrapping around the trunks.

“Harry, this is beautiful,” I spoke breathlessly.

He smiled and led me under a giant Oak tree. There, he unfolded a blanket and sat it down on the semi-prickly grass. I was loving this romantic gesture.

“So, what did you bring?” I asked, curious to know the contents of the woven basket.

“Lots of things. Various fruits, chicken sandwiches, and some peanut butter cookies.”

As he listed the items, he pulled out each one, fixing a plate for the both of us. Eager, I grabbed an apple slice and held it to Harry’s lips. He took it with his teeth with a smile, crunching loudly on the fruit. The whole thing sort of reminded me of Lady and the Tramp, without the spaghetti, and we didn’t kiss.

“Can I quiz you on how much you know about me?” I asked randomly. I had nothing else to say, so why not make a game out of it.

Harry raised an eyebrow, mischief evident. “What’s in it for me?”

I tapped my chin lightly, trying to think of something. “For every question you get right, I’ll kiss you.”

He swallowed in approval. “Sounds like a deal.”

I raised a finger. “But if you get one wrong, you have to wait on me hand and foot.”

Harry smiled, nodding. I folded my arms across my chest. “What’s my favorite movie?”

Harry rubbed his hands together, bracing hisself to answer. “You don’t have one. You’ve seen too many that are good.”

He was correct on that one. I had seen too many movies and I couldn’t pick between all of them. Leaning forward, I placed a light kiss on his lips. A smile lingered on both of our faces.

I contemplated my next question, trying to think of something harder. “Who’s my favorite superhero.”

Harry’s eyes narrowed, looking me straight in the eye. “Easy. Nightcrawler. You like that he can teleport.”

Again, I leaned forward and kissed him, lingering just a bit. “You know a lot about me.”

He leaned back on the tree, placing his hands behind his head. “Face it, baby. I’m too good to lose.”

I rolled my eyes playfully. “Who’s my favorite actor?”

“Hugh Jackman.”

He was correct again. As the game went on, I just couldn’t fool him. He knew everything there was to know about me. In fact, I almost think he knew more about me than I knew more about myself.

“Favorite book?” I finally asked my last question. This was my only hope, but I could already tell he was going to get it right.

“The Great Gatsby, of course,” he said smugly, taking a deep breath.

I gave him one last kiss, only for him to grab both of my cheeks between his hands. He held me in place, kissing me like there was no tomorrow. Then, we both fell back laughing. I clutched my stomach, as did Harry.

“Isn’t it amazing how far we’ve come,” I spoke, sighing. “I mean, I hated you when you took me. Now, all I think about is us being together.”

Harry turned, placing his hand on my cheek, rubbing smooth circles. “And that’s how it’s supposed to be. Forever and always.”

I smiled, grabbing his hand. We lay there, taking in each other’s gazes for a while. I was right. We had come along way. I remembered how scared and frightened I was at the beginning, yet somehow I was drawn to Harry. It seemed we would end of together anyway, no matter how much I didn’t want us to.

I loved Harry and he loved me.

He had made me feel better about myself. He had made me feel wanted, loved, and beautiful all at the same time. I just wished that I could return the passion he felt for me. I felt obligated to, actually.

We went back home in silence, just like the ride here. Nothing really needed to be said, our presence was all that was needed. Harry placed the picnic basket back in the kitchen. I plopped down on the couch, waiting for him to join me.

It was all routine now. Everything we did felt normal to me.

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