Undercover | H.S.

7.

Author's note: please let me know if you're reading and enjoying the story! I'd love to hear from you!
-Sav

Even I am surprised by my boldness. I am not sure what has taken over my body and made me this confident and daring person. All I know is that when I'm around Harry, I feel invincible. By the time we pull away from the kiss we are both breathless.

"I've been thinking about doing that since the other night" his words fall from his lips slow and soft. I blush in response and look away.

"Why me?" I wonder out loud

He's quiet for a moment and then speaks. "You're different than everyone else around me. Everyone I've met for the last five years always wants something from me. They want an autograph, or a picture, or whatever, but then I met you. Maybe I'm crazy, we only talked for a few minutes last time, but you didn't freak out when you saw me you just let me be a person for a while."

"You are a person, Harry" I say confusion evident on my face.

"Maybe, but you're one of the few people who treat me like one. Everyone else treats me like property. Something to have. Most of the time I feel like owe it to them, you know? Especially the fans, I mean without them I wouldn't even be doing this. Other times though, I'd really just like to be normal. To be able to go somewhere, spur of the moment, and not be bothered. I know that makes me sound like a prick, but at the same time, I feel like it's such a simple thing to want." He finishes and clears us throat before looking over to me.

I stare back as I'm not sure how to respond to that. The thing he wants most is the thing I want so desperately to be free of. He wants to be invisible and I want to be seen. Maybe we could find some kind of happy medium.

"I never realized how much you had to give up for your job," I finally offer.

"I don't mind most of the time. It's just when I'm overwhelmed or homesick, I wish I could wander off and not worry about getting caught or taking security or any of the other bullshit."

For the first time when I look at him my vision isn't blurred by the love I have for his music. I'm seeing him for him, a 21 year old just trying to figure out life.

We chat about less serious topics, his family, his music, my college plans and such until the sun begins to sink and the sky turns a pinkish purple that from this vantage point is simply stunning. Harry takes a picture of the sunset on his phone before flipping the camera to selfie mode. He gets a mischievous look on his face and before I can protest he pulls me close and snaps the picture.

"Cute," he says as he shows me the image. The picture is perfect. I hardly recognize the girl in it. She is beautiful, obviously happy and she looks like she belongs here. Here, on a gorgeous overlook with a beautiful boy in her interesting life. Is that me? Obviously, I recognize that physically it is me in the picture, but I am still stunned at how much and how quickly my life has changed. I only hope that it stays this way for a while.

•

By the time we make it back to where the driver dropped me off it's dark out.

"Can I see you again?" He almost whispers into the night. I am acutely aware of how close we are standing and the hitch in his voice. Do I make him nervous? Selfishly I hope so, then I'd feel less stupid for the butterflies beating in my stomach.

"I don't know, can you?" I say with a smirk.

"Ha. Ha." He mocks with an eye roll. "You're going to be trouble for me, Ellie. I see it now."