Golden [h.s.]

23. more than a title

🎵Radio — Lana Del Rey

I wince. The sweet doctor in front of me smiles apologetically.

"Sorry, sweetie," she says. "We're almost done here." I smile back at her, trying to ignore the feeling as she finishes up the stitches on my knee.

Leave it to me to bust my fucking knee. This is what I get for day-drinking. The door suddenly busts open.

"What the fuck am I gonna do with you, Ella? I leave you for 5 minutes and you get knocked over!" Lydia's loud voice echoes and the doctor shushes her.

"Miss, are you family? I can't have you back here unless you're injured as well or direct family," the lady says, but Lydia ignores her. She walks around the doctor and wraps her arms around me. I wince a little; there's a small scrape on my elbow and it stings.

"I'm fine, Lyds," I sigh. This is all just fucking embarrassing.

"Ella, you've got stitches on your knee! I should have waited with you, I'm so sorry, look at you—"

I cut her off. "Lydia, I'm fine. It's my fault for rushing in the first place...Did you clear it up with Luke for me?"

Lydia scoffs. "Of course, you're lucky he didn't come here himself! He's so worried, he's not upset at all, you know him."

"Honey, you really can't be here," the doctor says again, and this time Lydia listens. She sighs but nods before quickly kissing my cheek.

"I'll be right outside." She walks over to the door, opening it and turning to look at me. "So much for making plans for your birthday!" She groans loudly, and the doctor shushes her again, waving her out. I smile apologetically.

Suddenly, I hear a familiar accent just outside the door. "B-A-R-D-O-T, yes. Please be discreet, I don't want anyone knowing I'm here...just please, can you tell me where she is?" I lift my head up so quickly I fear that I might get whiplash.

Harry.

Harry is here.

Oh, that voice is like music to my ears.

"Now, who is that?" The doctor mumbles softly to herself. "Making a ruckus!"

"Aurelia Bardot....she's my girlfriend, now will you please tell me where she is?"

I swear, the knee that the doctor is stitching up almost kicks her in the face with the way my body reacts. My body comes alive with just the sound of his voice, and with this one word, it's as if my heart is beating outside of my chest.

Girlfriend.

The door suddenly opens, entering the man who's flipped my world, and my heart, upside down. He's wearing a black tshirt with a regular pair of jeans. His eyes meet mine, the color of jade, but they soften once he sees me.

The doctor turns, but is almost awestruck for a few seconds; she must recognize him. She composes herself quickly, getting up and smiling at me.

"All set, dear. Let me go get the paperwork finished...and this handsome man can take you home," she smiles. "These stitches will heal just in 10 days, just in time for your birthday!" With that, she walks out, after staring wide-eyed at Harry again.

Yeah, I'm looking pretty wide-eyed myself, doc.

"Girlfriend?" I blurt out the same time as Harry says, "Birthday?" I almost laugh at both of us speaking at the same time, but I'm still in shock.

Harry shakes his head and lets out a soft, relieved laugh. He crosses the room to me, and crashes his lips to my mine. The kiss is so soft, tender and sweet. His thumbs trace my cheekbones lightly as he pulls away.

"Aurelia Moon, what am I going to do with you?" Harry shakes his head again, leaning his forward to mine. "I went to the bar looking for you, and Luke told me you were in an accident...I never rushed anywhere faster in my life, to find out it was over some mimosas!"

He laughs again. "Didn't think the bartender couldn't hold her liquor," he teases. He looks at my knee, before leaning down and placing a soft kiss on the bandage wrapped around it. My heart almost falters at the sweet action.

I barely register his words. "Girlfriend?" I squeak out again. Harry laughs, moving to sit beside me. He nervously rubs the back of his neck, looking down.

"I....I know we should have spoke about this, about us having..." He seems to be struggling to form words.

"A title?" I ask, fiddling with my fingers.

"Title doesn't seem to fit...girlfriend is more than a title," Harry says. "You're not just some girl I'm hooking up with, it's almost like...like we've bared our souls to each other. I'm so serious about you, Ella. I didn't want to do the clichè asking you to be my girlfriend, because...what we have isn't clichè."

He takes a breath before continuing. "My body craves you, my heart craves you, my entire being craves you in a way that isn't just physical. I miss you when you're gone, today I was worried out of my mind, and it just clicked into my brain. I want you to be my girlfriend, you are my girlfriend, in my eyes....if..if this isn't what you want as yet, we can—"

I cut him off by turning to kiss him. Our lips melt together; the kiss is passionate. I feel his arms wrap around me as mine wrap around his neck. I pull away, too soon, but only to speak.

"In that case...I'll ask. Will you be my boyfriend?" I giggle when Harry taps my nose playfully. "Harry...seriously. You make me feel so alive...I haven't had much experience in relationships, but...it seems so cheesy, but you've lit the fire in me, I was just empty before, you know this. I'm so serious about you, there's no one else that I want..."

And it's true. Being with Harry feels as if the world is lit up by a thousand embers; he's the flame, I'm just the coal. Life is the like the sweetest of candy since meeting him. I want to share this aspect of life with him. He's the reason, after all.

"I know we've only just started this, but I want you more than anything. I want to experience life with you, have the craziest of adventures, make the most memories, all with you. You're my boyfriend," I grin, feeling giddy.

The words sound even crazier out loud. This entire day feels like something out of a movie; scratch that, my whole life lately feels like a motion picture.

"You're my girlfriend." Harry leaves numerous kisses on my cheek and I laugh again. "Let's get out of here, yeah? You must be exhausted...girlfriend." He says this with that smirk that I adore.

Harry says he'll meet me at the hospital's side entrance while I sign the paperwork and receive the painkillers I'm supposed to take twice a day for the next week. I nearly skip down the hallway, not even registering the pain in my knee. I'm just so happy; Harry is my boyfriend. I laugh to myself. I sound like a fourteen-year-old.

I nearly sprint up to his car, but my knee starts to hurt, so I'm forced to walk briskly until I get to the door, climbing in carefully.

"Careful with that knee, love," Harry warns, reaching a hand out to me as I climb into the seat. I buckle my seatbelt, nearly bouncing in my seat. I turn to look at Harry as he drives off. He has a small smile on his face as he quickly glances over at me.

"Happy, are you?" He asks.

"Only because of you," I reply softly. Harry's eyes seem to twinkle as he reaches over to me, grasping my hand and intertwining our fingers. I look out the window, watching as Harry turns onto the bridge.

It feels like I'm living in a dream. Who would have thought, from that chance night at the bar, that Harry and I would be here? It's as if all the pieces have fallen into the place, it all makes sense.

I don't realize just how exhausted I am until we make it across the bridge. I lean against the window, listening to Harry's soft hum to the song that's playing. My eyes shut.

I've just drifted off to sleep when I feel Harry let go of my hand. I feel his palm between my head and the seat; he's holding me to make sure I don't hit my head as he drives. I smile before I allow sleep to take over me.

"Sleep, my golden girl."