Sorry guys, just had some trouble with my internet...
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We drove past the cars on the busy London streets, my heart was fluttering do high that it was becoming hard to concentrate..
The restaurant I had picked was not very far away by then.
"Harry?" Nicole's voice interrupted my reverie.
"Hmm?" I still couldn't concentrate like I should've.
"You know I love you right?" She asked out of the blue.
"Of course I do and I love you too." I replied as earnestly I could.
"I don't know what you are trying to establish here. I told you it was all over. You don't have to make it up to me." She sounded... almost desperate as if not wanting to go.
"Nicole. Its nothing really. You don't have to worry. It will be worth it." I tried to calm her down.
I sneaked a look on her face. She seemed almost as nervous as I was at the time.
I parked outside the expensive but cozy restaurant I had booked for us. What worried me more than my proposal was the media that might turn up at anytime or the wrong time. Even though perfect, I was starting to question the risk I was taking.
The valet took the car from me along with the keys and I took in my princess through the glass doors.
I cleared my throat at the reception where a business-like man stood with his eyes hooked to the screen.
"How may I help you?" He looked up abruptly.
"By Harry Styles."
"Oh. Sorry sir. I'll have someone show you." The man looked around, looking for a waiter when he saw one. "Jimmy! Jimmy! Come here." He ordered a short-heighted man who brisked towards us. "Jimmy, please kindly show these two to table 786." The man looked back at the screen and our waiter directed us to our table.
"So fancy Styles... hmm... what are you up to?" She put her hand under her chin and narrowed her eyes mischeviously.
"Lets see... I am here with my girlfriend on a date. I don't see whats wrong in doing that." I played along.
"So you are-" She was cut off as the waiter came to take our orders.
"I'll have some Ceasar salad and some spicy rice. Thank you." She said and I was surprised that was all since... forget it... it was a girl problem.
"And what would you like sir?" The waiter looked towards me.
I ordered some healthy main course because I knew I needed that to freshen up my mind.
"Nicole... you know, we have spent all this time together. Do you think it will ever last?" I asked, trying to confirm my path.
"I'd say it won't unless one of us does something unbearable or something we're not ready for or just can't handle for now." She said, playing with her fork and our champagne arrived shortly after.
"I'm sorry Nicole but I don't know what you want to think right here but after all this time together... I just wanted to ask you something." I asked for permission to speak further.
"Go ahead." She straightened up in her seat and clapped her hands together on the table, well... that posture made me nervous.
"Umm... You know we love each other and you know we spend most our day together, you know my friends and my circle, even though I don't have a clue about yours. But I think we can do it but-" The waiter arrived with our food and I stopped in the midst of my sentence, trying to postpone a little.
I played with my spaghetti, not eating it. I had merely touched it. The champagne was doing its work all the time since I was taking sips now and then as Nicole had her food in an awkward silence.
But then all of a sudden, Nicole put her fork down with a low bang, making me wince.
"Spill it Styles. You want to say something. Now say it." She said, just the way Simon did when he had us to apologize.
But I hadn't done anything wrong here people!
Okay... so you can do it. Sigh... you have nothing to be afraid of. I can do this.
"Here's the thing. I've wanted to do this for quite a time. Nicole Jane Montgummery, I love you very much that I want to spend my forever with you so please will you become my bride?" There I said it. But I didn't know what her response was to be.
I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for her to say something but she didn't. Finally, I looked up to see her smiling. I was very pleasantly surprised.
"You aren't mad?" I asked in a monotone, not exactly believing what was happening.
"Why would I be mad? God! Harry, you just proposed to me and you think I'll be mad?" Her mouth was twisted into an unrecognizable emotion. I couldn't tell either that she was smiling or having a straight face.
I pulled out the small, black box.which seemed to have gotten a lot heavier due to my lousy, shaking hands. I put the box on the table and opened it to reveal the ring I had chosen.
It was a four, small diamond ring, set in a straight line over the white gold material of the ring. It was beautiful and simply was the best I could've found but I wished I had taken El with me.
Nicole didn't respond again, her eyes were welling up, but then her face turned bright and she dazzled a smile.
"This is all a joke. Right?" And there came all my hopes shattering.
"No. Of course not. Why would I joke about something like this?"
"Okay. So now, I have to give an answer." She said as if to herself. "Harry I think after all this time you have been with me and you know all about me but maybe you'll find out more about my family either and I haven't seen your family other than being on the internet." She paused and I was waiting for the worst conclusion. "But being with you all this time and through all our ups and downs and trouble that I have brought into your life..." She paused again and I thought I knew the answer then. "I think it will be best if I say..."
And there my heart was breaking, coming down to pieces.
"If I say, Yes." She finally said it.
"Okay. So its not a problem, you made your decision. Wait!" It was a surprise, I hadn't expected it. "Did you just say yes?" I didn't listen carefully.
"Uh-huh." She took a large gulp of Champagne.
"Are you okay?" She didn''t look well.
"My boyfriend just proposed to me. How do you possibly think I am?" I could feel the restraint in her voice from excitement.
"I just have to use the restroom. You should pay, I'll meet you out." She said and got up and I was unable to umderstand the notions of womenism.
I called the waiter, asking for the bill which he brought in a few minutes. Nicole returned minute after, her face bright and smiling, she didn't say anything.
"Come on. Lets go." I said, getting up but she was a little confused by my actions.
"Okay." She said in a monotone due to which I realized what was wrong. The ring I had bought was still on the table, untouched.
"Come on out." I said, slipping her arm through mine and walking to the door. At that time I was confident and knew nothing could ruin the moment, even if the stupid media had found out about it... I couldn't care less.
We walked through the exit and I directed Nicole through the gardens where I knew would be perfect silence and I could create a moment and win the day.
When in the midde, I bent down on one knee and let my heart speak its mind.
"Nicole Jane Montgummery, I have made mistakes, maybe all the same mistakes have been repeated. I know I may not be perfect but all we have been through together and all the time you have been there to make my day and some nights. I want to protect and preserve you so I can love you forever. And for that, please, will you marry me?" I pulled out the ring of its box and let it fall.
"Yes." This time, she didn't think and brought her hand and I easily slippped the ring in.
I couldn't believe it! We were engaged, Nicole accepted and sooner or later I would have Nicole all to myself without having to worry for anything. I had her and I couldn't feel any happier.
I pulled her up and threw her in the air, and I swear she had lost a lot of wait. She screamed a low one at the surprise as she landed back in my arms. In the moment, I knew nothing except who I was with. Slowly, she bent into the kiss I wanted all day, and I never wanted to let go. I slowly brought her down and brought my hands to her face... I wasn't getting enough but I had to take a time to breathe.
We both let go and she smiled aat me, a few tears in her eyes. I tried to remove them with my thumb but they just weren't stopping.
"Why are you crying baby?" I asked, not able to take the tears.
"I'm just so happy." She hugged me and I rubbed her back and could feel her heart beat.
"Oh, how romantic." I froze, I recognized that voice... but what was it doing here. I let go of my love and looked around to see the man I hated most in this world but how could he be there?
"M-Mason?" Nicole stuttured from behind me. "What a-are you doing here?" She was afraid.
"I was just leaving the country after someone bailed me out today but before leaving, it just occured to me to pay you guys a visit." He walked towards us and I moved Nicole behind me.
"Oh come on Harry, after all that you ruined mine and friends' life, you don't expect me to be so helpfull to you. Do you?" He smiled m, showing off cruelty.
"Mason. Stay away." My voice had taken a cold path.
"Or what?" He came forward. " You're gonna call the police?" He fished in his pocket and pulled out a silver revolver."Go ahead. Call." He pointed the gun at us.
I tightened my arms against my fiancè's hips.
"Why aren't you calling Styles? Thinking I won't let you?" He made an innocent face which did not suit him. "Yeah, you're right." He said after a beat.
"Who bailed you out?" I tried to divert the situation.
"Why do you care?" He said as if remembering something disgusting. "Okay so now. I was just here to take back whats mine. Give her to me and I'll go." He pointed the gun at Nicole.
"No."I couldn't help the growl.
"Don't be difficult or I'll kill you both right here and no one will ever know because by the time they find out, I'll be long out of the city." He moved forward a step.
"Mason. I know what we did to you might have got you into trouble but you were the one who started this in the first place. You have no right to do this!" This was exasperating.
"Don't teach me morality right now. I just want what I want or you'll end up dead. Give me the girl. Now!" He said the last part with force.
"Nicole. I'm so sorry." I started my act, turning towards her. I bent my face to her level so our lips could meet. I could feel the salt on her lips along with the moist tears.
I wished to stay like that for long but in that reverie, it was like out of near, there was a sound of gun shot and I was pushed out of the way. I hit the cold, wet grass.
When I looked back, I could see it all in slow motion... My love's hands flailed in the air, her back was to me. She fell knee first on the grass and then went off to the grass. I couldn't believe my eyes.
You'd say it was so dramatic or this only happened in crappy sad books or movies but you can't change reality, it does happen. I wish you never have to experience it but the idea of all this started from reality.
I got up to go to her limp body but something smacked hard on my head and it became hard to hold onto consciousness.
And then everything went black.
***
"I love you. I'm so sorry." I guess this was just a dream which was making me struggle to gain back the light.
The darkness was turning to light due to the few words being repeated in my head. At first it was just a melody, but then it turned into a song, then words. I couldn't recognize them until I knew it was of someone I loved so dearly.
My eyes slowly opened to reveal the white walls of a room. I could hear voices and machines but the voices were not very clear as if whispers.
"Nicole?" I don't know why I said itcat that time but it was the first thing that popped up when I found my voice.
"Harry?" It was a male voice, comforting but not the one I expected to hear. I stayed silent, still hearing with all my might for the comforting voice.
"Harry? Thank God you're awake." Louis got closer, I could see his face which held a lot of worry and concern.
*****
"Where did you last see Ms. Montgummery?" The. PD asked me as I sat on the living room couch.
Everyone thinks I am in denial or hit my head very hard that I couldn't remember what happened that night. But they are all wrong but I can't understand how they believed me when I said Nicole was shot.
"That night. She was shot and then someone hit my head." I answered, crossing my ankles.
"But where is her body then?" He had asked this question thrice and this time he was exasperated.
"I don't know. I was the one who asked the question when I first woke up." My answer was also the same, except the last part.
"Okay... Then who shot her?" That was a new question which I was more then willing to answer.
"Mason. Mason Tyler, he had a gun and he was the one who shot her."I couldn't even bear to say her name.
"Mr. Tyler is in prison Mr. Styles. He also has an allaby for that night." He said as if obvious. And then again... thats where everyone thought I was mad.
"I am not lying! He was there! He asked for Nicole but I just couldn't give her away-" I tried to explain the point no one understood.
"I'll come back again later. We have your statement and we'll have more investigation done on the case." He cut me off and got up, saying appropriate words.
Louis returned into the living room and went out to see the PD off. He came back after a few minutes and sat down beside me. He stayed silent for a moment.
"I'm sorry, Harry. We'll find her." He put a hand on my shoulder but I didn't turn to him.
I was lost in thoughts of my own.
It was all my fault, I shouldn't have turned... I could feel her lips on mine at that time, I could feel my eyes close to remember it all.
But now, even I question the fact that what I remembered was reality. I had to come back to reality, continue with life, maybe not the same way but just let it take me on.
What I was living in now was reality, like we all say 'It is what it is.' And we have to face it the way it is.
I just keep coming back to the same thing I began with. I think I need to wake up. Maybe tomorrow I'll be closer to the truth then I was yesterday. I hope I can see what I am doing wrong and hope the end will change so that I don't make all the Same Mistakes.
So guys... What do you think? I hope you liked it. This might be the end or not. It depends on you... I have somethings in my mind that will continue the story. Give me 20 votes and 6 comments if you want a sequel. But for now, this is officially the last chapter for this book. Stay tuned... I'll update the news about the sequel after the votes are done. Thank you guys for all your support on this story and hope you loved to read it as much as I took pleasure writing it. Love-yA!
-Annie