Undercover | H.S.

Epilogue

New Year's Eve 2019
Ellie

My palms are sweaty as I knock on the door in front of me. He was the one who called me here but I haven't seen him in so long I don't know if I'm prepared to face him. So much has changed since I've seen him last. We've both grown so much, I'm not even sure he'll recognize who I have become, if he'll like who I am now.

I only get a few moments to gather myself before the knob turns and he peeks around the door. His green eyes meet mine and I feel something in me release. A tension I didn't know had been festering let's go and I feel like I'm taking the first real breath I've had in ages.

"Ellie" he breathes and opens the door to let me in. This is a change of pace for us. A stray from our New Year's Eve norm. For the last three years we'd met in the quiet and hidden playground where our story had began, but this year was different he'd texted me last week and asked if we could meet at his place instead. It makes sense, last year we were spotted out together and this year he'd been seen arriving back to LA two days ago so we thought our usual spot might pose risk to our yearly tradition. So here I stand, just inside his front door staring at the man who's had my heart since he turned round on a child's swing.

"Hi, Harry" I saw weakly.

"I've missed you" He says, his voice just above a whisper. He reaches out gently placing his hand on the small of his back and pulling me to him. I bury my face in his chest absorbing his sweet scent.

"I missed you too"

We pull apart and he takes my hand leading me into his living room. His place hasn't changed at all and as he pulls me onto his couch I notice it's still as uncomfortable as ever. I glance over to the coffee table and see three bottles of our favorite wine already there. I grab the opener and uncork the first bottle pouring a large glass for each of us. I hand Harry his and then take my own. I raise my glass slightly "to traditions, and a new year" I offer with a smile before clinking our glasses and taking a large sip. Harry does the same and settles his gaze on me.

"So, you graduated in December" he says with a small smile.

"I did, 'bachelors of business management with a concentration in entertainment' it's a real mouth full"  I laugh.

"I'm really proud you, El"

I meet his gaze and he's looking at me in the way that makes my heart race and my hands sweat. I clear my throat and look away. "Me? What about you Mr. Solo World tour." I lightly shove his knee and he smiles. "I, um....I came to a show"

"What?" He's staring at me bewildered.

"Your last show of the tour, the one in LA. I was there"

"Why didn't you call? I would've seen you. We could've..."

"The timing wasn't right, baby." His head shoots up at the pet name, but I play it off. He seems at a loss for words but finally replies with a change in subject.

"How's Jack?"

Jack is the boy I'd met at school. He'd been a friend of a friend and we ended up getting pretty serious. I swirl the wine in my glass before pressing it to my lips and downing the rest of the dark liquid. "We broke up in August." I reply looking directly into his eyes. He's surprised and I see the flash of hope fly across his features.

"I'm sorry" but I fail to see any hint of sympathy on his face.

"It was never going to work. You can't really commit to someone when you spend all year looking forward to your traditional meet up with your kind-of ex"

Silence looms between us as he seems to contemplate my words. "I'm not touring for at least a year. I have no major project lined up, just some co-writing and producing here in LA. You're out of college and back home, I can give you a glowing recommendation for an opening with my management company maybe you could even work on my team. Everything is finally lining up for us, El" he's shaking slightly from enthusiasm and it's such a beautiful look on him.

"I know" I whisper as my heart fights to keep from bursting.

"Maybe this is it" he continues "our time, to finally see if this could work"

"I want to, but we've been building this up for such a long time, Harry. We have to be mindful that life isn't a fairytale and even though we've both wanted this for so long there's a chance it still may not work out"

"I'm willing to take the risk" he says quietly as I here the countdown start on the tv.

"This gives me a sense of dejavu" I say thinking back to a New Year's Eve a few years ago, when this little rendezvous tradition of ours began.

"I'm hoping for a slightly different ending this time" He says as he closes the space between us and presses his lips to mine as the ball in Time Square finishes its descent.

"I know you usually have to leave after midnight...but this year, do you think you could stay?" His words are breathy and rushed his nerves getting the best of him.

"There's nothing I want more Styles" I say as I crash my lips to his.

Thank you for reading! If you want Harry and El's story to continue leave me a comment and I'll think about a sequel! In the mean time make sure to check out my other stories!