The Time Capsule (Harry Styles Fanfic)

Chapter 44

Harry's POV
23 years old

I check the watch on my wrist for what feels like the millionth time today. No matter how much I wish I could stop time, I know that's just not going to happen. Seems useless to keep trying to prolong the inevitable, but I just can't help myself.

5:00, is what my watch says.

The ceremony has been going on for over 30 minutes now. They're actually probably done by now. Madden would have said yes by now.

Kissed her new husband.

Been announced to the crowd with her new name, and it wasn't mine at the end.

I try to ignore the gaping, aching, hole that has formed in my chest at the thought of her no longer being my Madden. No longer my anything, except a girl I used to know and could have sworn I would marry someday.

My dad and mom of course had gone to the wedding, and they took August with them. I was skeptical about letting him go at first, but now I'm thankful for the time alone to try and get through my shit without anyone bearing witness to it.

   I swore I wouldn't be like this today, but I can't help it. It's completely out of my control. Anything that has ever had to do with her has never been in my control, it just was. And I just followed.

Sitting on the beach alone had always been something she had done, and how ironic this was the only place I wanted to be on the day I knew I was going to have to say goodbye to her for the last time.

   I had done all I could do, said all the right things and chased her as long as I could. She wasn't liking to be chased anymore, and I knew it was time for me to give up. To do my best to move on too.

I was so enthralled by my thoughts and watching the ocean roll in and out, that I wouldn't have heard her arrival if it wasn't for the car.

Or more specifically, the car stopping and the sound of rubber burning against the asphalt making an awful screeching noise.

I was sure I was hallucinating as I watched Madden jump out of the front seat of her moms car, in a fucking wedding dress.

She didn't have to search the beach long before her eyes found me sitting here, and then she came running for me.

I stood up from the sand as she neared closer to me, having no idea what to think about what the hell was happening.

When she stops in front of me, neither of us say a word. We just look at one another in stony silence.

   Madden's hair is braided and put up all fancy, and there isn't a millimeter on her face that's free of make up. She looks absolutely breathtaking, just like I always knew she would on this day.

   But none of that helps me make sense of why she's here with me and not at the venue with West.

"What are you doing here?" I finally ask, once I'm able to articulate words.

"Coming to find you." She says breathlessly.

"Why? Aren't you supposed to be a little busy today?"

"Was supposed to be." She laughs. "But then I got a letter from a certain someone who made me realize what a giant fucking mistake I was making if I ever married anyone that wasn't him."

Did I hear her right?

"You didn't marry him?"

She shakes her head and laughs as tears start rolling down her cheeks. "No, how could I? He's not you. No one is you. And I've known that, I've always known that. I just tried to make myself believe different."