Guarded

Prologue

2008

“Harry!” I laughed, whacking him on the head.

He peered down at me through his curly locks. I pushed his hair out of his eyes. He laughed and pulled me in tight to him.

“I love you, Annaleise,” he said. He pressed his lips gently to mine.

I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed him tight. I kissed him back. “I know,” I said a bit saucy. I kissed him once more and wriggled out of his arms, escaping from him. I gave him a daring look, tempting him to chase me.

He lunged after me and I squealed, running as fast as I could before I felt strong arms catch me around my waist. I tried to free myself, but he pulled me in tighter. My breath caught and I looked up at him.

He picked me up and looked around him, walking briskly towards the fountain in the middle of the park. The dead leaves crunched under his feet. It was mid-October and the sun was beginning to set, the sky beginning to turn a dusky pink.

“What are you doing?” My voice was higher-pitched than normal.

He stopped in front of the fountain. “Say it!” he demanded.

“Say what?” I asked teasingly, knowing he wouldn’t really drop me in the cold water.

He let go of me a bit so I began to drop. “Harry! No!” I began to laugh.

He kissed me on the cheek. “Say it!” He let me drop a little bit more.

“Okay, okay, okay! I’ll say it!”

He looked at me expectantly. “Annaleise..” His tone was playful even though he tried to look serious.

“I love you, Harry Styles!” I shouted. He whooped a little bit and stepped back from the fountain, twirling me around.

“I’m the luckiest man in the world!” he exclaimed. He continued to twirl me around until he lost his footing and we both collapsed in a heap on the ground amongst the grass and leaves.  

“I’m the luckiest girl in the world,” I told him. He lay on top of me, his green eyes shining brightly as he grinned down at me.

“I won’t argue with that,” he said, pressing his lips against mine once more.

I smiled up at him and sighed contentedly. He rolled off of me and lay next to me. We both started up at the sky, watching the clouds slowly pass by and the sky grow brighter with more pink and purple tones as night began to come.

I took his hand into mine and kissed it. He looked over at me. “I do love you,” I said.

“I know,” he replied. “Promise me something, Annaleise?”

“Anything.”