Harry's POV

"Ready?"

I look at my sister and nod my head once, not really sure if I agree with myself. I'm not ready at all, actually, but I'm not sure if I'll ever be. Seeing the girl you were once desperately in love with, and may very well still be, isn't something to take without nerves. I adjust my jacket and tie as I get out of the cab in front of the gallery. I knew she could do it, I just always thought I'd be the one standing beside her when she did.

My sister's boyfriend gets out of the front of the cab, taking her hand as we walk across the street to get to the designated building, easily recognized with all the lights and fancy-dressed people heading towards it. I hope this night is a success for her. She deserves that.

As we get to the doors Gemma looks back at me, giving me a reassuring smile. Does she know I'm here? Will she be upset? Maybe this was a mistake. This is a huge night for her and I don't want to ruin it. She probably doesn't want to see me anyway. Gemma's face pulls into a frown when she notices my hesitation.

"I'll be right behind you. I just need a minute," I tell her. She nods and walks in with Dan, the boyfriend.

It's been three years since I've last seen her, that time at Gemma's graduation. After that neither of us made much of an effort to stay in touch and honestly, I was so tired of trying so hard. At a certain point enough is enough and you just need to move on. I got angry and let her go, something I've regretted every day since.

She never comes back to Holmes Chapel. She probably has no idea that I own a restaurant now, that I'm the head chef. I opened a small hole-in-the wall last year that quickly turned into one of the most popular restaurants in the city. I even recently had some investors looking to open up a location here in London. We're booked up for weeks at a time. I didn't know how well she was doing either, to be fair. Gem told me about this night a few weeks ago and I didn't decide until this morning that I was going to come.

You can do this, I think to myself. I adjust my tie again before walking through the huge glass doors into the large room. The walls are all white and the floor is a warm wood tone, not dark enough to contrast the walls too severely. There are waiters walking around with appetizers and glasses of champagne, lots of different kinds of people milling around admiring the art.

And the art. It's indescribable, really. I always knew that Adie was talented, but going to that school was clearly an asset to her. The walls are adorned by paintings, drawings, and a few three dimensional pieces that are very eye catching. Everything seems to fit together somehow, the story of her life seemingly packed into each canvas. I've heard that she also got a job at a fashion company, a position that almost never goes to someone with her lack of experience since she just graduated a few months ago. She's clearly doing well and she's doing the thing she loves most. I'm so happy for her.

I scan the room for my sister since I feel like a fool standing here by myself. My eyes land on a slender figure adorned by a tight white dress that stops just above the knee. Blue high heels on her feet and hair swept up elegantly at the back of her head, this girl is beautiful. I can tell.

When someone calls her name I realize it's her. Adie turns to the sound and smiles at someone, her smile immediately making my knees feel weak. She's gorgeous. My memory hasn't failed me, I know she's always been beautiful, but as she's gotten older her face and body have matured as well. She looks like a woman now, rather than the girl I once knew. She's breathtaking.

As a waiter passes by I snatch a glass of champagne, downing half of it as I turn to search for Gemma. I'm not ready to talk to her, not yet. If I do ruin her night then I might as well wait as long as possible to do it.

Adison's POV

"Adison!"

I turn towards whoever called my name, acutely aware of someone watching me. I shake the feeling off as one of my buyers comes p to me, congratulating me on the gallery and how well the night is going. I smile and add into the conversation when necessary, looking to my left to see if anyone's eyes are on me. Instead I catch a dark head of curly hair disappearing into the crowd and my heart almost stops beating. It can't be...

No. He wouldn't be here. We haven't spoken in years, why would he come? I try to pay attention to the compliments being showered on me, but I find myself distracted.

"The guest of honour is looking rather gorgeous," someone says in my ear. I spin around and my jaw drops with I see Louis standing in front of me, Eleanor at his side.

"Louis!" I throw my arms around his neck and he laughs a little. We've stayed really close ever since I moved to London and now he's living here too so it's even better. I haven't seen him in a while, though, since he travels so much for his jon. I didn't think he would make it tonight.

"I'm so glad you made it," I say, my smile growing as I hug Eleanor. She's absolutely perfect for him and I love them both to death.

"Well we couldn't miss your big night," Lou says, looking around my gallery.

I have to admit, I'm really proud of myself. People actually showed up, which is insane. It's so exciting. I can't help but miss him though, the one person I always thought would be around when all my dreams came true. I thought we would make it, I thought maybe we could do it. But maybe our love wasn't as great as I thought it was. I think about him all the time; I wonder if he thinks about me.

"Adie!"

"What?" Louis smiles sadly at me and I shake my head a bit to clear my thoughts. "Sorry."

"Did you invite him?" he asks carefully. I shake my head, no, my mind immediately conjuring the image of his addressed invitation still sitting in my apartment. Louis drops the subject when I ask about his trip.

The night continues without a hitch, people seeming to enjoy the food, drinks, and art all at the same time. I wasn't expecting so many to show up, but it is so encouraging. I never thought I would have my own gallery and what has become my dream job. During my last year of school I had a lot of major companies trying to woo me and I ended up taking a position with Burberry.

Thankfully this night doesn't require any kind of toast or speech on my part. People know that I'm grateful and I get the chance to talk to most of them. Four of my pieces sell before the end of the night and I've decided that this just couldn't get any better. I spot Gemma in the crowd and quickly make my way over to my former roommate.

"Adie!" She hugs me tightly. "This is amazing! I can't believe it, it's so incredible."

"Thanks."

"Adie, this is Dan, the guy I've been telling you about," she says, sliding her hand into a tall stranger's. He smiles adoringly at her and extends his free hand for me to shake.

"Congratulations. It's nice to finally meet you Adie," he says politely.

"Thank you," I say, smiling at Gemma. He turns to get drinks and I mouth 'he's cute' to her. She nods and giggles a bit, smiling innocently when he asks what she's laughing about. A deep voice appearing beside her wipes the smile clear off her face.

"Gem, did you see the one at the back? It's-"

My eyes go wide and everything freezes when I see Harry standing in front of me. He stares back, not as surprised since he know I'd be at my own gallery opening, but clearly just as frozen. He opens his mouth to say something but I don't give him the chance, turning and walking quickly through the crowds and towards the back area. He's here? I was not expecting that. I guess it was him I saw earlier. When I get back to the storage/ prep area where the caterers have set up I lean back against the concrete wall, relishing in the cool surface. He's been here all night in the same room as me. How did I not know that?

"Excuse me, Miss Jones?"

I turn to see one of the waiters looking at me with a concerned expression.

"Sorry, am I in the way?" I ask quietly. He shakes his head.

"No ma'am. I just wanted to ask if you're alright," he says with a kind smile.

"Oh. Umm..." I almost lie and tell him I'm fine, but he's an impartial stranger that I probably won't ever see again. What the hell, right? "Not really. My ex is here and I wasn't expecting to see him."

"And you still love him?"

The bluntness of his question startles me and I just stare at him for a moment. He doesn't seem bothered by having such a personal conversation with a complete stranger. Do I love him? I want to say that I don't since not getting over him after three years apart is probably pathetic, but that would be a lie. I've seen a few guys for brief periods of time but I always find a reason to end it before it could go anywhere.

"I..I'm not sure," I say quietly. He gives me a sympathetic smile. "What should I do?"

"Talk to him," he says simply. "Hiding back here isn't going to help. If he makes you happy, then go to him."

"Thank you." I smile at him and he nods before taking his full tray out to the party. I take my compact our of my bag to make sure I don't look like a mess before going back out into the crowd. I fee shaken up, nervous like I'm expecting to see him everywhere. Instead I can't find him. I do, however, find Louis and Gemma taking in hushed voices, probably about me.

"Hey guys." They stop talking and give me guilty smiles. "Subtle. Where is he?"

Gemma looks at Louis and then back at me with sad eyes. "He left, Adie. I'm sorry. He said he didn't want to ruin this for you."

"Ruin..." I shake my head and place my palm against my forehead. He's gone? Just like that? I didn't even get a chance...

"You okay?" Lou asks, putting his hand on my arm. I don't answer, just stand there looking at his chest. Am I okay? I thought I was. I thought I was find without him, I thought I could do this on my own. Now that I've seen him I just feel...I don't even know.

I feel like I want to leave, that I do know. I can't, though, not with so many people still here. It's my party, I can't just take off. I'm not sure if I can focus on this now, though.

"Alright, here's the plan," Louis says, putting his hands on my shoulders. "I'm going to go back there and tell them to stop serving food and drinks. People will start leaving and you can get out of here sooner, okay?"

I nod. "Thank you."

"I'm also going to be really annoying so they leave even faster," he says proudly, walking away before I can argue. Eleanor laughs and squeezes my arm reassuringly before chasing after him. Gemma steps in front of me next.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"I just....I don't understand. Why did he come if he wasn't going to speak to me?"

"Did you want him to?" she asks.

"I don't know. Yeah, I guess so. I had no idea he was coming."

"He wasn't sure if you'd want him to come since you didn't send him an invitation," she explains. "He wanted to see you but...it's hard for him. For both of you, I assume."

"Yeah," I breathe. It was so long ago that I just assumed we wouldn't be in that place anymore. Maybe we are.

"Here, why don't you call him. I'm sure he's still in the city," she continues. she pulls out her phone and hands it to me with his name on the screen. Of course his number has changed by now. I stare at it for a moment before hitting the call button and holding the phone to my ear, my heart pounding in my chest. I wait patiently, but after the second ring it goes straight to voicemail. At least he didn't know it was me and not his sister.

"He hung up," I report, handing the phone back to her. She frowns.

"What an ass!"

I laugh and she puts her pone back in her purse, muttering about how a good brother would answer his phone when she calls. I don't bother reminding her that she wasn't the one calling him. I guess that's that.

---

Louis eventually tells me to go home and promises to make sure everything gets cleaned up and locked up safely. The gallery is my baby, but I definitely trust them with it. I get a cab with Gemma and Dan and they drop me by my building on the way back to her place. When I get up to my apartment I lean against the door, not waiting any long to slip my heels off. This night has been so emotional for me.

I unlock the door and step inside, flicking the lights on and relocking the door before tossing my keys in the bowl I have beside it. I look down at my wrist and twist the pendant of my bracelet so it's facing up.

"You still wear it?"

I jump about ten feet in the air and let out a high pitch scream, spinning towards my living room where the voice came from. My hand flies to my heart and Harry sends me an apologetic smile.

"What the hell!" I yell. His smile grows.

"Still jumpy as ever I see," he says lowly. "Some things never change."

"You broke into my apartment where I live alone, I think my reaction was warranted."

He nods and the reality of the situation finally dawns on me. Harry. He's here, in my home. I just stare at him incredulously; I really wasn't expecting to see him for a second time tongiht. I take in every aspect of his face. Stubble peppers his skin around his jaw, the lines and angles of his face a bit sharper as he's lost some of the boyish chubbiness his cheeks once held. His curly hair is combed back into a messy quiff and it's even longer than it used to be, the curls not as tight as they once were. His eyes are still the same piercing shade of green and as I stare at him that damn adorable dimple presents himself in a crooked smile. He's definitely not a boy anymore.

"Why did...what are you..." I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Sentence. "Why are you here?"

"I don't know," he says quietly, shrugging his shoulders. He runs his fingers through his curls and I follow the motion with a pang of longing in my chest. Everything about him is still so familiar, so welcoming to me.

"You left..." I remind him. He nods.

"Yeah. I just...I don't know. I wanted to talk to you but after I saw you I didn't know how. I was going to go straight back to Holmes Chapel but...somehow I ended up here."

I'm not entirely sure how he got into my apartment or how he even knows where I live, but it's not important right now. He's here, that's what matters. He walks around the chair and comes right up to me, my heart rate increasing with every step that carries him closer.

"Ads, I-" he stops and squeezes his eyes shut, covering his face with his hands. "Fuck."

I want so badly to reach out to him, to sweep my hand through his hair and wrap my arms around him and hold him. But I don't know if I can. I don't know if that's what he wants.

Harry's POV

Damn it. What do I say now? I fucking broke into her place, she probably thinks I'm mentally unstable now. I should have known that would scare the shit out of her. I had to say something, though. I was surprised she was wearing the bracelet I gave her.

I slowly uncover my face so I can look at her beautiful eyes. She seems as stuck as I am, unsure of how to proceed since neither of us knows what the other wants. Who am I kidding? There's no way she still wants me, not the way I want her. I wasn't sure before, but as soon as I saw her in the gallery I realized that I still love her. I don't think I'll ever stop, just like I promised her when we were kids.

"Congratulations," I say finally, my voice quiet. Defeated. She swallows nervously and nods her head once. "Really, the gallery is amazing."

"Thank you," she says, smiling a little. I just want to touch her. "I...it meant a lot to me that you came."

"Really?" I ask hopefully. She bites her lip and looks down at my chest, something she always did when she was nervous.

"It meant a lot to me," she continues.

"You already said that," I remind her, smiling to myself. Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink.

"Right."

"Why?"

"Why what?" she asks, looking up at me again. I step a little closer and she watches me with wide, scared eyes.

"Why did it mean a lot to you?" I clarify. Her eyes jump back and forth between mine and I look quickly down at her lips before I can stop myself. She doesn't answer. We both know why, but I need to hear her say it. I need to be sure.

"I...you know why," she says quietly. Her eyes gloss over and I feel guilt wash through my chest. I don't want to upset her, that's the last thing that I want.

"Tell me," I demand quietly. I reach my hand up to cup her cheek. Her eyes flutter closed and she leans into my hand. "Do you ever think about me?"

Her eyes open again and she stares up at me. I need her to tell me, I need to her it from her lips.

"Do you?" she counters. I want to be cheeky and say that I asked her first, but now is not the time for that. She's feeling vulnerable and scared right now, just like I am.

"All the time," I whisper. Her eyes close again and this time a tear rolls down her cheek. "I miss you so much, Adie. I know I told you that I couldn't fight for you anymore but..."

"But?" she encourages, her eyes still closed. As I take another stop forward I lean my forehead against hers.

"I still love you," I say in a shaky voice. Her breathing hitches and I raise my other hand to her cheek. "Do you still love me?"

"Harry..."

"Ads, please. Tell me you love me. I'll do whatever it takes, we can really make it work this time. I can't lose you again." My thumbs graze her cheekbones while I wait for her to answer. Why isn't she answering?

I feel her hands against my chest and she takes hold of the collar of my jacket, pulling my body closer. I open my eyes and immediately shut them again when I feel her lips against mine. I swear there's fireworks going off somewhere in this apartment. An undeniable need burns through me and I wrap my arms tight around her waist, hugging her as close as possible. Her one hand slides up to rest against the back of my neck, holding me against her. She's definitely not the shy, scared, inexperienced Adie she once was.

I break the kiss so I can catch my breath, my skin on fire wherever I'm touching her. I hadn't realized how much I craved her. She breathes heavily against my lips and her hand slides back down to my collar, gently taking hold of my tie. I pull my face back from hers and look down at her, our eyes glued to each other as she gently starts tugging my tie loose.

"I'm never letting you go again," she says calmly. "Got it?"

"Fine by me," I agree, smiling widely. She starts walking backwards, her eyes still locked with mine as she leads me blindly through her home. Over her shoulder I see what must be the bedroom. I suddenly pick her up and she wraps her legs around my waist, pulling the tie over my head and throwing it on the ground. She starts undoing the buttons of my shirt as I walk to the bed. I crawl on my knees and gently lay her back against the mattress, pulling off my jacket before lying on top of her. She gently pulls my face down to hers and our lips move together hungrily, trying desperately to make up for the years that we lost.

After a while she stops kissing me, both of us once again out of breath. She stares up at me and brushes her fingers through my hair, my eyes closing while I absorb what it feels like to have her do that again. I missed so many things about her.

Adison's POV

Harry's eyes flutter closed as I finally comb my fingers through his hair. We both need this; we both missed it. I can tell he's feeling the same longing that I am. I don't know what I did to deserve his love, but I do know that I'm never letting him go again. I need him much more than I care to admit. I always have and I always will. His eyes open and his green irises burn into mine.

"I'm so in love with you," I whisper, placing my palm against his cheek. His eyes close again and he kisses my palm.

"You have no idea how amazing it is to hear you say that," he says hoarsely. He looks down at me again. "I missed you so much."

"You don't have to miss me anymore, not ever," I promise. He smiles and once again presses his lips to mine. We're going to do it this time. We're going to make this work no matter what it takes.



I don't believe in soul-mates or fate or that everyone's destiny is written in the stars like some kind of story we have no control over. I believe in ordinary love; love that has the power to sweep you off your feet, to catch you off guard and make you feel things you didn't know existed outside of the movies and fairytales, the kind that makes you smile for no reason at all. It doesn't have to be tragic or dramatic or grand in any way. That is the kind of love I found with him. that is the kind of love I know I can count on, because even when we got lost I know that it didn't. It brought us back together and I know that it will always keep us that way.

Notes

last chapterrrrrrrr :(
so there it is. you wanted them together and they are. had you guessin for a while there eh :P

im so sad the story is over! huge huge huge huge hugeeeee thank you to all of you guys for reading and voting and most importantly, for commenting. whenever id come onto the site and see alerts for comments it literally makes my day. seriously, it means the world to me to see you guys get so involved in the story. love you guys :)

now the final question: epilogue? do you want one more or do we leave it at that?

thank you guys so much :) you're the best. i loved writing this story and a big part of that was the amazing responses i got form you guys. you're all amazing :)