lovelorn [h.s.]

e p i l o g u e

about 3 months later

HARRY

"I can't believe I'm nineteen today," Scarlett says as she lays on our bed, her face screwed up in slight disgust. "I'm so fucking old."

I let out a scoff from where I'm stood on the other side of the room, rummaging through my top drawer. "Are you saying that I'm old then?"

"No," she replies, glancing over at me. "But I feel like you're just going to get more handsome with age, and I'm going to turn into an ugly, withered old woman."

"You could never be ugly, babe," I assure her, letting out an annoyed huff when I search through another drawer and still can't find what I'm looking for. "Honestly, where is all my stuff? You've organised this place way too much."

Scarlett just smiles, because she knows it's true. In fact, since she moved in about two months ago, she's practically redesigned the whole apartment, including my bedroom and also Liam's, because she told him that no girl would step foot in his room if he left it in such a state. Needless to say, in true Scarlett fashion, she's definitely made herself at home.

Speaking of making herself at home, after a week of living here and already becoming bored, she decided to apply for late-enrolment at the same university as Liam and I, and she's already been accepted to major in business communications. She won't begin until late January, so for the past few weeks she's been working in a hotel restaurant. The owner loves Scarlett so much that she keeps trying to convince her to stay on as the manager, but for once, Scarlett actually seems passionate about getting an education instead. She really has changed for the better, and I couldn't be prouder.

Since we're both going to be quite busy with studying once the semester begins, we've been trying to spend as much time together as possible. Liam got a new job so he hasn't been around much, which is good for when Scarlett and I are getting tangled up in the sheets together, which seems to be quite often these days. So many years of our friendship was wasted on fooling ourselves that we were just friends, and would never be anything more. We're just making up for lost time, I guess.

Turning my attention back to my search, I open the wardrobe and rummage around the top until my fingers brush against the familiar velvet box. With a smile, I pull it out and then turn back around, walking over to the bed with the box held behind my back. As I approach, Scarlett shoots me an inquisitive look, arching an eyebrow. "What are you doing?" she asks in a suspicious tone.

I don't reply, instead just climbing onto the bed next to her with a large smile pulling at my lips. "I want to give you your birthday present now, before all the New Year's partying starts tonight."

She shoots me a disapproving look, pulling herself up into a sitting position. "I told you that you didn't have to get me anything," she says for about the tenth time now, but obviously, I've ignored her each time. "You already spent enough on my Christmas presents."

I roll my eyes. "Shut up. You're my girlfriend, I'm allowed to spoil you a bit."

"Ok," she replies happily, lips stretched into a grin. "You don't have to tell me twice."

I just laugh at her, outstretching my hand to reveal the velvet box I've been hiding for the past few weeks. Her brown eyes flicker up to mine curiously, but I just gesture for her to take the box, which she does hesitantly. I watch in anticipation as she slowly unties the red ribbon wrapped around it, finding myself growing nervous as she fully pulls of the ribbon and then slowly, lifts the lid of the box. I'm practically holding my breath as her eyes land on the pair of earrings inside, although I soon let out a breath of relief when her lips arch into a large, bright grin.