"You'll never get this done, you know?" The satisfaction was evident in his voice.
"You could leave me alone so I can actually get this finished. Or pick up a brush." I gestured to the abundance of supplies I had purchased.
"Mmm, no thanks. Don't re...
We finished breakfast in silence and returned to our room to get changed into beach attire. Everyone was still asleep so Harry and I did our best to tip toe as quietly as we could, but we couldn't stop the few giggles and laughs that echoed around the room.
Harry had thrown on a pair of black board shorts and an unbuttoned Hawaiian t-shirt while I had thrown on a bikini I hadn't worn in years. I was about to put on a beach cover until the fabric was snatched from my grip.
"I haven't seen you in an outfit like this, gimme a spin gorgeous." I rolled my eyes at his praise, it had become almost ritualistic for him to ask me to 'give him a spin' or 'do a twirl' to show off my outfit.
"You're such a loser." His toothy grin only grew at my response.
His hand reached for mine and I was soon being tugged out to the living room. Instantly, the thought of being in a communal area where Ella could see me in a bikini made me want to hurl. But the way his eyes looked at me with such admiration, that feeling began to fizzle out. My body was lightly shoved out onto the balcony, the early morning sun hitting my skin and bringing a sense of calmness over my body.
"We have to capture evidence that you had the audacity to look that good this early in the morning. C'mon, strike a pose. Work the camera, baby." His phone was now in his hand and pointed in my direction.
Not taking his request seriously, I started jokingly posing against the railing. His constant praise and reassurance fuelled my ego as the words 'stunning' and 'goddess' came naturally to him. We stood on the balcony for at least five minutes taking pictures of me, he ignored my requests for him to join me or be the model himself.
Once he had had his fun, we collected our things and began heading towards the beach front. The smell of salt water filled the air and brought a smile to my face. I loved the beach, just not the water. Harry once again decided on a spot that was away from the waterfront to place our towels down.
No matter how many times I told him he was more than welcome to go into the water if he wishes, he continued to give the same answer, 'I'll have all day to be in the water with Michael and Adrian, but I have all morning to sit on the sand with you and enjoy the view.'
His empathy was applaudable, there had been many times at University when Leo and I would drive to the beach and he would try and persuade me to 'just dip my toes in' or 'just come in at knee level'. He wanted me to enjoy the things I used to love but never went about it the right way.
"These photos are incredible, if I may say so myself. The lighting, the angles - you must have a world-class photographer," he joked while scrolling through the photos he had taken, "but this one is my favourite."
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I glanced over at the photo and for a moment, I didn't recognise myself. I had almost a glow about me, one that screamed happiness. As much as I wish I could say it was a self-guided journey to this newfound happiness, I knew as well as anyone it was completely thanks to him. Without him, I would still be miserable, alone, possibly even dead. He would never understand the depth of my gratitude.
