the necklace ⇢ z.m

Chapter Nineteen

"It's gonna be forever, or it's gonna go down in flames."

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I was exhausted from the ride, so I took the elevator up to Harry's quarters. When the doors opened I walked out and took the familiar path to the gardens. I had to walk through Harry's bedroom to the balcony then down the steps to the garden.

I furrowed my eyebrows as I looked at the unfamiliar path in front of me. "When'd that get there?" I murmured, and followed it to see where it lead. The path winded through a part of the garden that I had never seen before.

"Harry?" I questioned as I saw the end of the path. He was standing in a gazebo type building. "What's this?" I asked as I stepped up onto the platform. "It's what I should've done in the first place." He spoke and grabbed my hand.

"What is?" I asked, feeling nervous. "Just shut up really quick, okay?" He said and I nodded slowly. "I want to be with you, Crystal, forever. I'm not saying this just because, I really want this. I don't care if it's months, years, from now, but..."

He trailed off and kneeled down on the ground. My eyes widened in realization on where this was headed. He grabbed something in his jacket and he pulled out a little black box. "Harry-" I began to interrupt, but he shushed me.

"Just let me talk, okay?" He pleaded and I sighed, but nodded. "Like I said, I don't care if it's years from now, but I just need you to hear me out." He said with a sigh. "I love you, Crystal, and I don't want to be with anyone else."

"Will you marry me, Crystal?" He spoke. I froze in my place hearing his words. Why was he doing this? There's no rush for us to be married. What does a diamond ring stand for anyways? You get a ring and suddenly sign your life over to them? 

I realized I was lost in thought as Harry shifted uncomfortably in front of me. I kept opening and closing my mouth like a fish and I felt like an idiot. I had no idea what to say. What would mom say? She'd tell me to accept. I mean, how could I actually say no?

"Yes, Harry. I'll marry you."

**

I climbed the stairs two at a time until I reached my floor. Harry had told me to pack my things from my room and move up with him. This was all driving me insane. I keep thinking I may have made a mistake, but I push the thought from my mind as soon as it gets there.

I hurried to Sasha and Anette's room and quickly knocked on the door. "Anette, please come to my room as soon as you can!" I yelled through the door and scurried to my own room. A few moments later Anette barged into my room.

"What happened?" She asked as she came over to me. "I-It all happened to fast! I d-didn't know what to say!" I rushed out with a huge breath. "Slow down." She said as she tried to calm me down. "What happened?" She asked slowly.

I didn't have to say anything, I just held up my left hand. "Oh my God!" She yelled and grabbed my hand. "What the hell?" She said with her eyes wide. "Please tell me this is a promise ring or something." She said with her eyes looking worried.

"It's not. I wish it was. How was I supposed to say no? He owns me, Anette." I whimpered. "I know, honey. It's okay. You do like him though, right?" She questioned and I nodded. "A lot." I added. "Put the wedding off until you're ready. I'm sure he'd wait forever." She chuckled.

"He probably would." I said with a slight chuckle. "So, don't stress. Everything will turn out fine. I promise." She said with a smile. "Can you help me?" I asked and she furrowed her eyebrows. "With what?" She asked.

"I need to move my things up to Harry's. He told me to." I told her with a sigh and she nodded. "Of course." She said and began pulling some of my things from the dressers. She put clothes into make-do cardboard boxes.

It's not like I needed a bunch of special suitcases, I'm only moving things a few floors up. "You can start taking things up. I'll just get the stuff from the bathroom." I told Anette as she threw some things into a box.

"Okay, I'll be back." She said and grabbed two boxes and exited the room. I heard a few knocks on the door as I raided my bathroom. "Come in!" I yelled as I threw some of my bathroom products into a box. "I heard you're getting hitched." 

I snapped my head around and saw Sasha. I groaned quietly in annoyance and turned back to the cabinets. "Yeah. Who told you?" I asked and closed the box in front of me. "Anette." She spoke with her arms crossed.

"Did you come to congratulate me or to kick me in the shin?" I asked as I laid the box down on top of another one. "Do you need any help?" She said with a sigh. "That'd be great, actually. Thanks." I smiled and handed her two boxes.

I grabbed the last two and then began to go to upstairs. "Where are you going?" She asked as I made a right. "To the elevator."  I told her as I adjusted my grip on the boxes. "You can come with me." I said shooting her soft glance.

"Oh, right." She said and turned back towards me while we waited for the elevator to arrive. Once it did we got on and Sasha clicked the top floor button and the elevator lurched upwards. When the doors opened I hurried out and led the way to Harry's room, our room.

"I've never been up here." Sasha stated as she looked around the area. "Really?" I asked, trying to mask my surprise. "Yeah." She said with a small frown. I didn't respond to what she said, I just continued walking the familiar halls. 

When we got to the room, I knocked a few times before Harry opened the door. "This is your room now too. You don't need to knock." He laughed and leaned in and kissed my lips lightly. "Force of habit." I smiled at him.

"Sasha." He nodded curtly at her and she put her head down slightly. "Lord Harry." She returned in the same tone he had used. It sounded strange hearing someone call him Lord Harry, but I guess I've been too caught up in everything. 

I attempted to push past Harry, but he wouldn't let me. "Let me through, Harry." I said and tried to shove past him. "You told me I didn't have to knock, so let me in." I chuckled and pushed past him, this time he let me.

Sasha followed closely behind me and laid the boxes on the ground. "Where's Anette?" I asked, seeing Sasha's facial expression. "She left like a minute before you two got here." Harry informed us. "Oh, well, I should be going." Sasha said quietly.

I gave her a wave as she exited the room. "Finally." Harry said with a breath of relief. "Wh-" I was cut off when Harry shoved me into the wall. "Stop." I whined as I pushed him away slightly. "No, you're mine now." He said with a smirk.

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