We met eight months ago in Rome. Me, 31, taking a break from music for a bit and visiting friends. You, 23, newly graduated from university and on a girls trip for a couple weeks to celebrate. When we first met in that quiet bar it was like a meet cute that belonged in a chick flick.

Your friends found their own holiday romances, and I saw you sitting at the bar, glass of wine in hand, sunkissed with the most beautiful smile, and I just had to talk to you. We shared a bottle of wine on the patio, the sun setting beautifully behind us as we talked about anything and everything. I found out what you studied at uni, what makes you laugh, that you were a fan but not a superfan. You didn't immediately turn to Instagram or TikTok to share that we met, which I greatly appreciated. You just treated me like Harry. I was hooked.

Over the two weeks, we'd seen each other a few times and by the time we both returned home, we were already planning a date. We were careful when we went out, mindful of the cameras and any PDA in public. You're not famous in any way, you've never had your life scrutinised by the public and I want to keep it that way. I don't want you to have to hide when all you want to do is go out for lunch with your friends, or go to the shop for groceries. We thought we'd done a good enough job at being discrete. Until this morning.

Yesterday, we'd gone out for a coffee and the street seemed quiet enough. You'd said something cheeky and I didn't think there was anyone about, much less someone snapping pictures of us, and I kissed you. One little kiss, that's all it was. Short and sweet, and currently blowing up the internet.

The photos are from a distance and a little grainy, but the fans know what they're doing. They found you easily.

You'd gotten that many instagram notifications your phone vibrating woke us up. Follower after follower, comment after comment, DM after DM all came flooding in. You panicked. Of course you did. You privated your accounts straight away, deleted any followers you didn't know, deleted comments and DMs.

I feel awful. I should have known there would be someone with a phone or camera pointed at us somewhere. This is what I didn't want. I wanted us to go public when we were ready, when you had time to make sure everything online was private and you were comfortable with it.

You're still sat up in bed exactly where I left you when I went to make us some tea and toast, even though I know neither of us are probably in the mood to eat.

"Baby, I'm so sorry," I say softly, putting the tea and toast down on the bedside table for you, your fingers moving methodically across your phonescreen.

You pause and look up at me, a sad smile on your face. "It's okay. It's not your fault-"

"It is though," I cut you off, placing my hand on your knee as I sit down beside you, "I should have known, I should have been more careful."

I've been so scared since we started our relationship that the media would ruin us. I want to be able to love you without being judged for it.

"Stop," you reply, softly but firmly, "I've almost removed all of the new followers, all my accounts are private and we just deal with what's next. Together."

"Together," I echo, a slight smile tugging at my lips.

"You know it's funny," you continue, though there's no humor in your tone"all these girls were posting on TikTok not that long ago about how they'd love to be your 'controversially younger girlfriend' and those are some of the people giving me shit in my DMs and comments."

I sigh quietly, rubbing a hand over my jaw. "They don't know the reality, and I'm sorry you have to know it now. I never wanted this to happen, not before we were ready. I love you, and I don't want the judgement or the backlash to ruin what we have, to ruin us... I'll do anything to make sure you're safe."