Roman Holiday | h.s

Seventeen

~~~

Anna couldn't bear to read anymore. She felt suffocated and needed air. Her eyes darted around and she noticed that Harry had a balcony so she walked over and swung open the doors to sit out there.

Everyone knew who she was.

What did this mean for her?

Harry wasn't sure whether to follow Anna outside or not, he could tell she was doing a lot of processing and he didn't know if he was helping or hindering her. But when he saw her shoulders shake and heard a sob from the balcony, he couldn't help himself as he quickly leapt up to go outside and embrace her on the floor.

She clung impossibly tight to him as her tears soaked his T-shirt.

"I'm not angry at you." She mumbled, looking up at him for a few seconds.

"It's okay if you are." He assured her, softly stroking her long brown tresses.

"Okay I am a little bit for not telling me sooner. But I'm more angry at them," she started but her voice cracked as she gestured into the air. Harry nodded, understanding completely.

"What gives them the right to invade our privacy like that, taking so many photos of us and selling them online. Stalking me to find out all this information, even about my sister - she's a teenager." Anna cried, she was worried about her safety and how things would be at school for her if things blew up.

"It's not her fault at all - by any means. But Sophie posted a picture of us all at the orchard the other day and tagged me which alerted a lot of people. Again, not her fault and it's okay." Harry explained, being careful with his words as he didn't want to upset her further.

"No wonder they alerted people. We look so in love." This made her choke a laugh.

"We are so in love." He told her.

"I understand if it's too much and you don't want to be with me after this." He followed up his comment which made her pull away from his hug.

"Don't do that." She snapped.

"Do what?" Harry asked, the air had gotten thicker.

"Don't just spring this news on me like this and then say that, it's cazzate and you know it." (bullshit). Anna was feeling all kinds of emotions and she wasn't in the mood to hear a pity comment. If she didn't want to be with him, she would've left already.

"Sorry," he apologised.

"What do we do now?" She asked him, completely lost on what to do next. Luckily, she wasn't due to return to the work office for a few days so she could lay low while she collected her thoughts and emotions.

"My manager is doing her best to kill the stories as they come but there's so many, countless sources and social media to contend with." He explained, and she nodded but had a gut feeling telling her to go onto her social media - to assess the damage.

"Please don't look at comments." Harry pleaded, realising what she was doing.

"Why?" She asked, looking up as him as she clicked on her Instagram app.

"In my experience... some people can say horrible things. Things that aren't true. The majority are positive, but there are some really horrible people on the internet." Harry was scared for Anna's reaction to her social media. He had dealt with many social media shitstorms previously, pertaining to his previous relationships.

"Do you want me to archive the photos of you? There's none of your face." She said softly, showing him photos he had yet to see. They were close ups from when she was taking photos on her camera weeks ago, there was one of their hands next to each other - showcasing their matching polish (and his cross tattoo). There was another one which was a silhouette photo of the pair beneath a sunset. There were a few more too.

They were shared memories. Beautiful photos.

"You don't have to. You're good at taking photos, by the way." Harry complimented her photography skills with a shy smile.

"Okay." She replied and locked her phone.

The pair of lovers sat on Harry's balcony, cuddled into each other for about an hour after that in comfortable silence. They listened to the owls outside and the music coming from the bar down the street.

Things hadn't changed that much, but they felt like they had.