Prideful {l.s.}

7- Concerned Parents (x6)

The Story So Far:

Adam was getting bullied at school, and in the process of intervening, Olivia got hit. Cheyenne is pregnant and married to Niall. Harry got an offer for a job but hasn't told Louis yet.

Cheyenne brought a bottle of sparkling white grape juice for the Friday night dinner. They rotated houses. Cheyenne and Niall had it last week, so it was Zayn and Liam's turn. The large Great Dane greeted Cheyenne with a bark, hopping up and setting his paws on Niall's shoulders. Watson gave kisses to Niall before deciding that the smell from the kitchen might fall to the floor to be eaten. 

"How's my favorite round woman?" Louis exclaimed as he embraced Cheyenne.

She giggled and hugged him back. "I'm barely showing!"

"You're already glowing," Harry said from where he was leaning against the wall, waiting his turn. Cheyenne releases Louis to go to her other friend. After greetings, they moved into the kitchen that Harry and Cheyenne had designed for Zayn and Liam. The couple began pouring drinks for their friends, beer for everyone except designated drivers and pregnant women. 

Harry moved throughout the kitchen from the spice cabinet to the stovetop like a waiter walking through the guests at a dinner party. He glided with a certain amount of grace for such a tall lanky person. Harry took a break from the pan to come over to the group talking. He stopped at Louis' side, sneaking a kiss in before going back to cooking. 

"You two don't even cook in your own house?" Niall asked Liam and Zayn with a bit of surprise as they watched Harry dice up tomatoes. 

"He offered," Zayn replied. "I was not going to turn him down. I love his food too much."

"Okay well wait until we host next time," Cheyenne defended her cooking skills. "I found my grandma's recipe for her original pasta Alfredo sauce. I will blow Harry's cooking out of the water."

"I accept your challenge," Harry countered as he turned down the heat on the stove top. He came back over to the group and takes a swig of his beer. 

Once the meal was finished on served onto their plates, they made their way to the backyard to sit around the patio table there. A couple of months ago Liam hung up a string of lights that crisscross over the patio a couple times, and it provided a nice soft light as the sun began to set.

"Where is Olivia?" Zayn asked, somewhat sad since his favorite goddaughter isn't there. 

"She's sleeping over at a friend's," Harry replied, and everyone noticed the glance that Harry and Louis shared. 

"What's wrong?" Liam followed up, sensing the tension. Harry shifted in his seat uncomfortably. 

Louis took the question. "She came home with this friend, Adam, and she had a bruise on her cheek..."

"Like she got hit," Harry added on the big concern. Everyone at the table reacted, from yelling to sitting back in shock. No one could imagine someone laying their hand on their sassy little girl. The whole friend group saw her as their own daughter; she had six parents, and they were all pissed off. It was a pretty dangerous combination. 

"Who would hit her?" Cheyenne said from her place beside Niall, and everyone goes silent. Niall reaches over and holds her hand. 

Liam's face was the most terrifying. His whole body seemed tense from a clenched jaw to closed fists. He remembered being the first one there when she fell out of the tree and broke her arm. He remembered sitting her in his lap in the waiting room. 

"Babe, she's okay. She's safe now," Zayn reiterated to Liam as he gently rubbed his partner's arm to comfort him. 

"Just how could someone do this?" Liam asked out loud with frustration in his voice. 

"She's good at speaking her mind," Harry reminded everyone. "It's a dangerous thing. That's my guess. I keep trying to ask her about it, but she keeps lying to me. And I know she's lying. She can barely look at me when she replies."

"She might be defending someone," Cheyenne continued Harry's thought. "She always stands up for what she believes in, but she also stands up for people she believes in. Could that have caused problems?"

"Maybe Adam is getting bullied," Harry replied with a realization. "Olivia said they were going to go paint his nails, but his nails had paint on them. It was like quickly taken off. No boy can have it easy in a public school wearing nail polish. I remember getting bullied for it."

Louis glanced over sadly at Harry. He imagined a high school jock pushing a young Harry into the lockers and dropping the f word as the jock and his friends go past. Public school can be a blood bath, and it's not any easier for boys with painted nails.

"Maybe talk to Adam's dad," Cheyenne suggested. There were numerous nods of agreement, and it was decided that talkling to Adam's dad is the next step. 

Their bottles emptied, and dirty plates moved to the sink. They were no longer young partying 20 year olds. They were couples and parents. They no longer stayed awake until the early morning just talking and drinking. Harry loved nothing more than reading with Olivia at 9 pm and then putting her to bed. Louis and him followed suite and would be in bed by 10. As the clock ticked, the group dispersed and began to head home. 

Harry drove their Range Rover Sport home with Louis riding shotgun. Music played softly on the radio as the breeze came through the open window to ruffle their hair. 

"Lou, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about," Harry started, his voice slightly shaking. Louis looked over to him with concern. There aren't many things that make Harry anxious like this. 

"You can tell me anything love."

Pain shot through Harry's chest when he heard outloud the trust that Louis had in him to stay honest. Louis believed in Harry, and he did feel regret for not telling him earlier. 

"I got a job interview," Harry started, not even looking over at Louis in fear of his reaction. "It was a long shot. I had some people suggest it to me, and I submitted my application. I didn't even expect to hear something back."

"But you got an interview."

"I did."

"Where is the job?"

Harry hesitated for a moment before sighing. "London."

A/N

I'm kind of back. Figured my boyfriend breaking up with me gives me some more free time, so I'll be using some of that free time coming back to you guys because hey! You guys don't leave me like all of my significant others do. 

xoxo Claire