February 14th, 2015

Valentines Day.

I nervously bounce from foot to foot as I stare out the glass doors that give me the view of Gracechurch St. I'm waiting on a woman, something I haven't done in a very long time. Tonight is the first business Gala for me to attend, I was kindly invited as part of the learning section of my internship. As explained to me, tonight is about learning how to network, socialise and talk business with the men and women who can probably crush me like a bug.

I take a deep breath, anxiously flicking my loam-grey eyes to glance down at the watch on my wrist. Part of me can't help but wonder if she is going to bail on me, she has no reason to, but maybe she decided a business gala on valentines day wasn't her thing.

I don't blame her, I wouldn't want to be here either, but if she can pull through with the next few hours I do have her favourite cake in my fridge at my apartment, along with some wine and roses. I also made a reservation at her favourite restaurant for tomorrow night as a surprise. Elise made me promise that we wouldn't celebrate Valentine's day since we have only been together for three weeks, which is understandable— It made sense to not want to celebrate the day of love when we don't know what love lies between us.

A smile forms on my raspberry-red lips as I see Elise in a cab before she can even manage to open the door, I beat her to it and open the door before offering her my hand. She takes it and steps out, allowing her baby blue coat-dress to fall just over her knee, "thank you," she beams, leaning up and kissing my cheek.

She's stunning as she wears something simplistic yet so elegant. I don't even know how it's possible but I somehow feel like the luckiest man alive to have her hand in my own.

She looks at me with her lemur round eyes. They are seductive and beautiful. My heart nearly stops when she gazes at me— how can someone as beautiful as she, be with someone like me? "You look lovely," I compliment Elise as she puts some distance between us and adjusts her attire. She looks so fucking beautiful.

"Thank you, how far is the walk to the building?" Elise questions as she pushes her hair to fall over her shoulder.

"Not far, right here," I chuckle as I gesture towards the glass doors to the building I intern in and the one that is currently holding the business gala.

Elise looks up at the building before glancing over at me, "Wait, you intern for Royal London Asset Management?" Her voice is low with a hint of syrup sweetness and filled with surprise as she speaks, and I can't help but be intrigued by her surprise.

I bite my orchid-pink lips and nod, "you seem surprised, why?"

"No reason," Elise shakes her head as I take her hand and intertwine my fingers with hers. I don't bother to question her, mainly because I don't think I'm going to get an answer for what's running through that mind of hers.

"I should be able to leave by ten and then I have a surprise at my apartment."

"A surprise, hm?" She questions with a tone of uncertainty.

My eyes grow wide as I process that my comment probably sounds like I'm initiating something sexual. "Oh, Christ. It's not what it sounds like."

My mind begins to race at the thought of her getting the wrong impression or idea of me. I am not the guy who wants to just take her back to my apartment to shag or anything. Damnit.

"What does it sound like?" Elise asks and I frown for a moment, unsure how to dig myself out of this hole. Oops.

I open the glass doors for her and allow her in before I step inside behind her and retake her hand with mine, "like I was insinuating adult activities on Valentine's Day, and I wasn't. Not trying to lure you to my apartment in an attempt to... you know.. I'm not that guy, and I swear it is just cake and some wine." ... "only if you want."

I catch a giggle escape her sugar plum sweet and silk soft lips and part of me suddenly releases a breath and I feel relieved.

She's fucking with me. She knew I didn't mean things the way it sounded.

"Are you done stuttering and stressing?"

"Are you done causing my stuttering?"

"Indeed," she nods with a grin.

"Woman, you're going to send me to an early grave, I swear."

"You're so cute when you're all stutter-y. I know you're not that guy, wouldn't have come tonight if I thought you'd lure me to your apartment just for a shag."

"I'd never," I shake my head and look over at her to see her smiling.

✿✿✿

Elise and I have made a few rounds with talking to some people and the best part about tonight isn't the fact that this is a significant step up for my career, because of the fact, I have Elise beside me. If she wasn't here, I can almost guarantee that I would be a mess and standing by the bar with a glass of whiskey in my hand while tapping my foot nervously. I don't know what pull she has on me but she appears to keep me a little more grounded and calm. I can't tell if it is a good thing or a bad thing at this point in time. Time will only tell— Who knows where this road is supposed to lead. We have nothing but time.

"Elise?" I hear someone calling politely for Elise. My eyes flick around the area, unsure of where the person is located.

"Can we go get drinks?" Elise challenges as she tugs on my arm. I go to agree but I am stopped when I see my boss, well not really my boss, he signs my internship hours and is teaching me how to rein the business world when I am not fetching coffees and files.

He grins over at us, "Elise," he exclaims happier than I have ever seen him, perhaps it is the alcohol or maybe he does have some sort of personality outside the office.

Who knows?

I frown as I notice Elise mumble something inaudible under her breath, "you know Jamie Cartier?" I whisper as she flicks her head towards Jamie and offers him a smile.

"Hi Mr.Cartier," Elise greets politely, "it is a nice event you have here."

The man chuckles, "you're lying, but thank you for being kind."

"You're welcome, Harry here was just telling me about your latest global equity funds."

"Oh, really? And what are your thoughts on that?" Jamie asks with a smirk, his attention entirely on Elise. I frown for a moment, unsure of whether I should be concerned or not.

"Well, all I got out of it was something to do with a concentrated portfolio of global stocks from developed and emerging markets, then he lost me," Elise informs my boss and he nods his head, seeming partially amused by Elise.

"And how do you two know each other?" Jamie gestures between Elise and I and I can't help but grin to myself.

"Elise is my girlfriend," I proudly respond, quite liking the sound of her being my girlfriend. If anyone had told me that the girl I had been drooling over since I first saw her in August last year would be dating me, I would have laughed.

I am still quite surprised that she said yes to me over a dinner date at my apartment that I lured her to. "Ah, I see," Jamie nods, "well, I will let the two of you go. Harry, don't forget to network. You know some of these people, don't waste the chances." Jamie informs me and I nod, taking his advice.

Elise and I walk away and before I can start to question on how she knows Jamie, I am thrown into a world of business conversations about Royal London Asset Management. RLAM is a UK-based investment management company with assets under management of more than £101 billion, interning under the CEO of the company is an honour, and having the opportunity to talk business with some of the biggest CEO's in the country is an honour in itself.

✿✿✿

"You seem to know everyone here or they seem to know you," Elise nudges me benevolently and I look down at her lovingly. "I can see in those effulgent eyes of yours you have something pondering through that mind. What is it?" Elise challenges as she cocks her head to the side.

"The business world is so astronomical, yet so diminutive, everyone knows everyone. If you don't —then you might as well be exiled because you are fucked."

"Wise words from a wise man."

I lift my shoulders into a shrug, "wouldn't say I'm wise, but I'm getting there."

"Humble, I see." I grin down at her and she leans up and kisses me sweetly, "I'm going to get a drink, I'll be back in a minute," Elise informs me and I nod, watching as she wanders towards the bar.

✿✿✿

I glance around the room of elite businessmen and women and I can't help but wonder if this will one day be my life. If one day I'll be hosting these events and drawing in businessmen and women to do business with me. I wonder if this is how my life will be and if it'll be shared with Elise.

I smile as Elise has managed to fit in and find a comfort in talking to one of the other girlfriends at the event. The moment that they introduced each other, Elise hasn't looked my way since. I like how she fits into the social setting better than I do, she has this energy and vibe to her that is attractive and alluring. I wouldn't say she's a social butterfly but I also wouldn't say that she wasn't one. She's like a cold glass of wine on a summer day, everyone wants to taste the sweetness but not everyone gets the chance.

My clay-grey eyes transform from their usual grey to a sudden firing red of distaste as my eyes meet a pair of languorous, rapture-blue eyes, blue eyes that don't seem to leave me alone— they follow me everywhere I go and they're becoming my worst nightmare. No matter how hard I try to escape this damn sinkhole of disaster, the more it keeps following me and swallowing me whole. I moved away from Cheshire so I could cleanse my soul and wipe myself clean of the devastation, brokenness and bitterness etched into the fields of gold back home. I left Cheshire to forget the memories, the good, the bad and the ugly ones. I left Cheshire to leave behind my darkest and deepest scars caused by my bravest demons. I left to get a clean slate, to start fresh and not have to worry about my cryptic past, my secrets and my sorrows. No matter how much distance I put between me and Cheshire, the demons seem to follow me, they wrap themselves around me and strangle me at my core. They slowly but surely find me, one way or another.

I dance my eyes between Elise and the bar, debating whether to drown myself in a glass of whiskey or whether to take Elise and just go home. I think for a moment or two and come to my conclusion; I'm going to do neither. There's no point in hiding from my demons, they're possessed to continue to find me. I'll handle it head-on.

I make my way through the melee of the crowd and Logan's voyager-blue eyes meet mine, "what the hell are you doing here?"

"That's not a nice way to greet someone, Harry."

"Logan, what are you doing?" I repeat my question, doing my best to stay calm and not cause a scene despite the fact I can't stand the man that is in front of me.

"I'm trying to get an understanding of the business world. I assume just like you."

I shake my head, disapproving of his decisions. "Oh, no. No. You're not fucking this up for me. This is my thing, get your own."

"This is my thing, too."

"You're going to be my worst nightmare, aren't you?"

"Not trying to be, but I guess so."

"Logan, do me a favour and stay the fuck away from my business shit and anything to do with my degree. Got it?"

"What about your girlfriend? Is she off limits, too?"

"Logan, I swear on our father's drunken soul–"

"Relax," Logan cuts me off and I glare at him, unamused by the love child that helped split my family.

Of all the places of study he could have attended, he had to follow me and bring his-our- past with him. It is bad enough I have to see this love child around campus and now at business holdings. I'll be damned if I let him near Elise or anyone I care about. I have done my best to keep him away from my mother and sister, isolating him and abolishing him from all family ties around me. My mother and sister don't even know about Logan at the moment. I don't think my mother can handle the information and as for my sister, well, I am not sure what her reaction may be. It is best if I deal with the love child dilemma on my own; I have dealt with the problem for three years now, I think I can keep hiding it on my own.

✿✿✿

I reach my apartment, and the first thing I observe is my guitar in the corner, my first instinct is to wrap my hands gently around it and to sit with it on my couch. I strum a couple chords and take a few deep breaths, attempting to discover my sweet serenity and safe haven with the sound of a few chords. I spend a few moments just letting my fingers find their way before I discover myself playing the chords to 'I Don't Want To Miss A Thing,' by Aerosmith. I'm taken back to a time where music was my happy place. I go back to the times I spent in NYC at a studio learning how to play, it was a small studio but large in the dewy, mist valley-green eyes of a young boy.

As I got older, I kept going back to the same studio, finding it to be my safe haven. The owner was a loving guy, and always had his doors open to anyone that had a small hankering for music and melodies. Every Wednesday night he would close down the studio and recording area and would allow anyone that wanted to learn the fundamentals of music and instruments into his studio. He would spend hours teaching and amazing young kids with dreams of being future musicians. I was one of the few that always showed up when I visited New York, the owner always seemed to gravitate to me and the way I would play any instrument with such grace.

When I was seventeen, right before I had to start University and buckle down, I dragged my sister to New York with me for the summer, we spent most of our time in and out of different, small coffee shops and stores, and every other night we would go to the studio where the two of us would sit the owner, talk, laugh, sometimes even cry, while also playing a few chords of our favourite melodies. Without a doubt, we would always end up humming and singing along to, 'I Don't Want To Be', by Gavin DeGraw.

It seemed to always fit the scenes of my life.

Those walls' grasp more heartfelt lyrics than anywhere else— those walls' hold the character of others that will never be shared— they hold esoteric talent that will never escape. Personally, those walls' grip the part of me that I had to leave behind— the part of me that couldn't continue its journey when I came to University and became who I am today— they hold the thoughts and harmony of a seventeen-year-old who didn't have an understanding of the real world.

As I strum a couple chords and get myself lost in my melody, I can't help but think about how in such a short period of time, Elise has become a person I never thought I needed in my life until now. I was fine on my own and single. I never knew that there was something missing from me until I met her. I don't know if I am just crazy or if the universe put her in front of me for a reason, but she has managed to match the piece I didn't know I was missing. It is strange and difficult to explain, hell, I presumably sound a bit psychotic. But deep down, I know there is something about her that is meant to captivate my world and change it for the better. Perhaps it is wishful thinking, but either way, I am grateful for such the short time I have been granted with her.

If it wasn't for Elise, I would have forgotten all about my birthday two weeks ago. Birthdays have never been my thing, they are usually nothing but an emotional wreck for several different reasons. I was never the one to get a birthday party every year, and when I did get thrown a birthday party, it usually ended up in someone crying, whether it be myself, my sister, my mother or anyone else who showed up. My birthday is always laced with some sort of melancholy and fighting. There were years I didn't even see my mother because she was busy working or sorting things out. My birthday became just another day to me, something I didn't wish to celebrate once I reached sixteen. One can only take so much disappointment before it gets to a point where the plug needs to be pulled. But this year it was different, Elise found out somehow about my birthday and met me after work, she waited until I closed the store. It was the sweetest thing that made my heart melt, her simple gestures and her angelic smile was enough to revive the good birthday sensations I hadn't felt in a long time.

I suddenly stop strumming my guitar as I hear Elise clear her throat. She must have entered my apartment quietly. "Hey," I beam as I turn to her and place my guitar down.

"Hey, that was a nice melody. I didn't know you were musically talented."

I shake my head, "I'm not," I try to alter my voice to not sound so dismissive but I can't help it. My love for music is tainted and no matter what I do, I can't get it back to its purity.

Elise nods and I stand to my feet to give her the proper greeting she deserves; a sweet kiss. "Thank you for coming with me tonight, I do appreciate it."

"You're welcome," she replies.

"I know I am probably the world's worst boyfriend; I didn't get you some big fancy gift. I did get you your favourite cake from that coffee shop we went to the first night we officially met and I did cave and buy you a teddy bear," I smirk at Elise as I take her hand and lead her to the kitchen where I have her cake and teddy bear already on the counter. "I know it isn't diamonds or an extravagant dinner, but this is all I can offer. One day I will buy you diamonds."

Elise smiles up at me, "I don't need diamonds or a fancy dinner, still just need you and your sweet and somewhat reserved self."

"Mhm, you say that now," I chuckle as she wraps her arms around me and looks up at me.

"I mean it," Elise assures me, "so how about we eat this cake and spend the last hour of valentine's day on the couch?"

"Seems perfect to me," I agree, leaning down and kissing her lips delicately before we part ways and she cuts the cake.

Elise hands me my plate and I guide her to the living room where she gets comfortable on the couch, "so, I have a question for you."

"Go ahead." Elise nods.

"How do you know Jamie?" I challenge, well aware that they have to know each other somehow considering he knew her name.

Elise grows quiet for a moment before she looks up at me, "well, we are related, he is my Dad's brother."

My eyes grow wide, "your family are apart of RLAM?"

"Just my uncle," Elise corrects me.

"So, your uncle, who I intern for, manages £106 billion of assets?"

"Yes. Jamie is my uncle." Elise informs me and for a moment I feel like my world crashes down on me. I had not intended for this to happen. Now it looks like I am privileged because I just happen to be dating the niece of one of the biggest CEO's.

Shit. Now I feel bad for the times I thought he was a lonely man who didn't seem to leave his office often.

"What a small world," I murmur and Elise cocks her head to the side and looks at me.

"That doesn't change anything, does it?"

I am not sure what it could change besides my career. Fuck.

I shake my head, "of course not, still wanna be with yeh," I assure her with a smirk and a subtle wink, "does this mean I get to go in late and sleep in for a change?" I joke around with her and she rolls her eyes at me, "no? Fine," I grin, "why didn't you tell me sooner it was your uncle?"

Elise shrugs, "I didn't know until we were at his building. You never told me the company you interned for."

"That makes sense," I respond.

Elise and I avoid work-related conversations for the rest of the night, and we make the best of the last hour of Valentines Day we have, cuddled on the couch and relaxed.