Three Weeks Later, Los Angeles.
As I flick through my most recently developed photos, I cannot help but smile from ear to ear at each one. I was gifted with a professional camera from Anne and Robin for Christmas and I have since been documenting a lot of moments. Harry had said he suggested the gift to them when he noticed that I was experimenting with his own camera to take photos while we were on tour. There's something so surreal to me about photographs, about how they capture a moment in time to look back on forever. The most recent photos I took are from a day in the studio this week with Julian and John, where Harry joined us when he was free for the day.
Now that he has time off before commencing rehearsals for the Where We Are tour, Harry has followed me to Los Angeles where I have started up work again. It has been nearly two weeks since we traded the winter weather of our homeland for the warmer Californian climate, and in truth, it feels a little weird that Harry is following me for work and not the other way around. He partly hasn't known what to do with himself - it's just as strange for him as it is for me - so he has mainly joined me at work. Whether it be to keep us company or work collaboratively with us, and even roam the halls of the record labels to see if any other artists are writing and recording in the building.
Gemma's gift to me for Christmas was a travel journal. She had claimed that I can stick the photos I take with my camera on my travels in there, and that's what I've started to do. I reach into my bag by my feet for the journal and open up to a fresh page. My selected photo is me pointing the camera at a mirror in the studio with Harry, Julian and John making faces behind me from their spots around the room. I stick double sided tape to the back of the photo before sticking it to the page and writing the date and place the photo was taken.
Since Julian and I are taking a break, Harry left our little recording studio room a few minutes ago to roam the halls of Republic Records, where we have met with Julian today. John is tied up elsewhere with other songwriters. Keeping Harry's spot on the sofa warm is the guitar I gave him as a Christmas gift. Keeping that guitar hidden from him was no easy task, and a collaborative effort with Mum and Anne. But seeing his reaction when I was finally able to give it to him made it more than worthwhile.
"Close your eyes."
"Seriously?"
"Don't make me blindfold you," I chide.
This elicits a deep sigh and dimpled smile from Harry before he complies and covers his eyes with both hands. I make a funny face at him to make sure he can't see me, and when I receive no reaction, I quickly retrieve the guitar case from Anne and Robin's hallway cupboard before returning to my spot in front of Harry in the lounge room.
All of our family members have left and it's starting to get dark, which means Christmas Day is slipping away from us. Mum, Anne and Gemma are in the kitchen washing up from the day, while Dad and Robin are cleaning up the backyard. Even though they cannot see us unless they walk past the doorway separating the kitchen and dining room from the lounge, I know that Mum, Anne and Gemma are eavesdropping as best as they can.
I nervously bring my bottom lip between my teeth as I smile at Harry, waiting as patiently as he can. I rest my elbow on top of the case with my chin in my palm.
"You can open your eyes now."
He wastes no time in uncovering his eyes and they immediately widen at the sight before him. I give him a cheeky grin as I make a ta-da gesture with my free hand. He instantly shoots up from his seat and I straighten up.
"You didn't."
"Oh, but I did," I grin as I hold it out to him.
Up until now, Harry didn't actually have his very own guitar. He has mostly learnt and practised on Niall's. So I knew that I had to ask Niall and Dan for advice on a decent yet reasonably priced guitar for Harry, because he would have scolded me to no end if I bought him something too extravagant and therefore pricey. After explaining that to him - about knowing that he didn't officially have his own guitar, and consulting Niall and Dan about it - he finally takes it out of its case to hold it in shock for a while.
I can't help but laugh as I sit down next to him on the arm of the sofa. "Well, go on, play something!"
His expression of shock dissipates as soon as the first chord fills up the room and is replaced by one of the biggest smiles I've ever seen on his face. Almost immediately after the sound of the first chord, Anne, Gemma and Mum are poking their heads in the doorway, excited to see Harry's reaction and guitar playing.
"Get out of here, you lot, I have to give Liv her present now," he teases before putting the guitar back in the case. It is only when they disappear from view that he pulls me into his side and pecks my lips. "Thank you, Liv. I truly love it."
My hand instinctively touches the necklace around my neck as I recall the memory of it being given to me with a soft smile on my lips and tears in my eyes.
Harry urges me to wait where I am as he makes his way over to the Christmas tree, squatting down to pick up his gift to me. He hands me a box that fits in my lap, with green wrapping and a white bow. It feels light under my hands as I purse my lips in thought, wondering what could be inside. He quietly laughs when I give the gift a little shake to produce a bit of noise. I find a section of wrapping to tear and peel it back to reveal a plain black box. I cannot help but look up at him to make a face of disapproval.
"How many boxes am I going to unwrap before I get to the actual thing?"
"That's the only one!" He chuckles as he hold his hands up, but I don't believe him.
"Yeah, right!" I scoff through a laugh and shove his shoulder. My fingers move to the lid of the box. "Harry, you know that I cannot stand this shit of multiple lay-"
I cut myself short when I look down into the box. Inside, is a turquoise coloured rectangular box and white ribbon wrapped around it. My hand flies to my mouth in shock when I recognize the infamous packaging and I look up at Harry when he softly laughs at my reaction.
"Well, that shut you right up," he makes fun of my switch of mood.
I am too in shock to move so Harry takes the opportunity to open the Tiffany box to reveal the silver heart necklace inside. It is an open heart necklace where the chain begins from a smaller heart and hangs through it to drop through larger heart that hangs from the other end of the chain.
"Harry," I move my hand to say in a whisper. The tears filling my eyes make my voice shaky. Seeing me so emotional starts getting the better of Harry too.
"I want you to have this," he begins with a deep breath. "Because you have opened up my heart in every way possible, and you will always be its keeper. Wear it, and even when we are apart, we will always be together. I love you."
It was the best Christmas I can recall for a long time, and that's certainly saying something. Every Christmas as far back that I can remember has been special. But I believe this one was more incredibly so since we had a great deal of family with us in Holmes Chapel; aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents from all sides. Though it is impossible to get all of our family members under one roof at one time, it was heartwarming to have the ones we did have with us.
It has also been quite strange being away from our friends for so long. Niall and Eliza spent their first Christmas together with Eliza's family in Manchester before jetting to Ireland for New Years. Since Liam and Sophia are both from Wolverhampton, they have mainly stayed there. Louis and Eleanor merged their family Christmas in London, and Zayn and Perrie did the same before both couples jetted off for separate holidays.
We haven't seen each other for weeks but we keep in contact with little updates of where we are and how we're going, and the occasional FaceTime here and there. There will be more than enough time in a couple months to spend enough time around each other to get on each other's nerves. The Where We Are tour will start in April, and I am looking forward to exploring new countries and cities, and making more music with my friends. But Harry and I have our birthdays and a few other things to get through before then.
The door of our studio room suddenly bursts open, signalling Harry's return from his walk around the building. I look up and grin in amusement as he closes the door behind him, realising that he is trying to cover up that he's out of breath. It seems as though Julian notices this as well as he swivels around in his desk chair.
"You alright there, H? You look like you just ran a marathon," Julian claims, making me giggle.
Harry ignores Julian as he looks at me, taking a deep breath before he speaks.
"Liv, you'll never guess who is in a studio here-," another deep breath, "-and she wants to work with us."
I raise my eyebrows at this information, not fully believing that there is an artist in the building that would want to work with me.
Harry, I understand, but, "Both of us?"
Harry smirks a little. "I told her that I don't write without my partner."
Julian makes a fake gagging noise from behind me. "You two are so disgustingly in love."
We both laugh before Harry springs into action.
"Come on," he urges as he picks up his guitar to put in its case. "Are we ditching the old man or what?"
Julian crosses his arms over his chest with a surprised smile on his face, raising an eyebrow at Harry. "Well, excuse you."
I roll my eyes in good nature at the bickering between my boss and my boyfriend. Their level of banter with each other is just next level sometimes, but it I cannot deny that it provides great entertainment.
"That depends on who this mysterious 'she' is," I finally answer Harry's question as he straightens up and picks up his journal.
He slips it in the front pocket of the guitar case before looking me dead in the eye and proudly uttering, "Ariana Gr-"
I shoot up from my seat before he can finish, making him burst into laughter as I begin to pack my bag. "Julian, I love you and respect you but-"
"Yeah, yeah," he waves me off with a chuckle. "I'm not gonna be the guy that stops you from writing with Ariana Grande."
"I'll make it up to you," I promise.
It is only as we are halfway out the door that Julian calls for us, making us freeze in our places. Harry has the door open with his guitar over his shoulder, while I am standing under his arm that is keeping the door open. Julian straightens up in his seat as we await what he is about to say.
"You can make it up to me by being that songwriting power couple I know you two are and giving Ariana one for her next album."
I turn to look at Harry the same time he looks at me, and we both smile at each other before turning back to Julian.
"Yes, boss," I say with a salute Julian's way.
With that, we file out into the hallway and I begin to follow Harry to the studio Ariana is working in. I make it about five steps down before I begin to panic. As if sensing my distress, Harry turns around and doubles back.
"Hey," he begins as he adjusts the strap on his shoulder before taking my hand. "We've got this. You and me are the greatest team. There's nothing we cannot do when we work together."
I cannot help but smile up him. Harry is right. We are a great team and we always have been; both in work and in life.
The best part is that we are still just getting started.
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