52 Harry's POV
I could tell that Dougie was sensing that something was wrong with me, but couldn't tell what it was. I wasn't about to tell him though, not yet anyway. Worrying him over what my parents were capable of wouldn't help anything. He was already too stressed for words, adding that 'oh yeah, did I forget to mention that my parents are really damn rich and powerful, so have infinite resources' would not be helping anybody. It was best to carry on as normal, keeping the stress level to the lowest possible level.
We couldn't actually stop anything anyway, if my parents wanted me to back, they would get me. I knew that, had resigned myself to that in fact. But if they did get me back, then at least the boys would know where I was and could direct the police in the right direction to get me back, if that didn't work... Well I'd think of something, I had escaped once, I could do it again. Security around the house was probably increased by a ridiculous amount, and I doubt either of my siblings would be trusted alone with me again, but I would come up with something. I had spent a lot of my life sneaking around a ridiculously posh boarding school, I could get around my parents house.
Right now, the best I could do was lay here and be close with Dougie. I didn't want to be distant with him, but I couldn't annoy my parents more, or tip off the public either. At home I wanted to be close again, but I was so preoccupied that I forgot to hold him close and tell him how much I loved him. That was why I was stroking his hair and holding him close now, making the most of the time we had together, and reassuring him that I still wanted to be with him. God I wanted to be with him. Every day, all the time. Like we used to be, before this happened. We used to be almost glued together, Tom and Danny used to joke that we were surgically attached to each other. Now it was almost like there were cracks between us, cracks I never wanted to appear. All because of my parents and their prejudice.
If my parents weren't so anti-Dougie, I would have married him by now, would have proposed by his 18th birthday. Dougie was the only one for me, nobody else even compared to him. And I had known that from day one. We got along so well, had become a solid team that nobody could break. He understood me more than anybody else did, and I understood him too. Despite our hugely different upbringings, we just clicked so easily, something I hadn't ever experienced before, and probably never would again. I wouldn't let him slip through my fingers if I could help it.
I had it all planned out in my head too. I'd take him out for a nice dinner, one of his favourite restaurants, before taking him on a walk somewhere quiet. Dougie didn't like being in the spotlight too much, and proposing in front of a tonne of people would have only embarrassed him, so taking him somewhere quiet and out of the way would be vital. If it was a clear night, we would star gaze together, because Dougie loved space, and when the timing was perfect, I'd get down on one knee and ask him to marry me. It sounded cliché, but in my head it sounded perfect.
"I love you." I whispered after Dougie had fallen asleep, kissing his hair gently so I didn't wake him. In response he pressed closer, his hand curling around my arm protectively.
I smiled to myself at him, thinking that he was so cute like this. I hated breaking his heart in every interview we did by denying that I was in love with him. It was necessary but I still hated to do it to him. Once we got to come out properly it would be better, we could be as open as we liked, I could shout out my love if I fancied it. And I would do so, and as soon as I was sure that we were safe from my parents, I would propose. Yes, I would propose after all this was over. That sounded like a great idea.
Yes, I would make up for all of us by proposing as soon as I was sure that it was okay to do so. Once the press and my parents were calmer about this, I would propose and we would finally be happy again.
Actually, thinking about it. I wouldn't take us to a field to star gaze, I'd take Dougie on a long weekend on a boat. He loved all things to do with pirates, and was always talking about spending a few days on a boat and experiencing what it would be like. I'd take him for that boat trip, just the two of us, and we'd sail together for a while, experiencing life at sea, star gazing at night and going whole hog with the whole boating experience. And on our last night at sea, under the stars, I'd pop the question, down on one knee and everything. Yeah, Dougie would like that more than standing in some field after a nice meal. I'd do that, as soon as this all blew over, after we were both out in the open, and my parents were okay with what was between us. I'd propose then, and we would be so happy together.
If only I knew how long I would have to wait for that.
