In love with my stepbrother || Harry styles // english version

Chapter 21

Niall's P.O.V. 

A stormy ringing at the front door awakened me and Hope from our peaceful dreams. I growled annoyed and sat up on the bed. With both hands I stroked over my face and tried to rub the sleep away from my eyes vainly. My eyes were still heavy as lead and half opened. 

"I'm coming!" I called out sleepily as the ringing gradually repeated itself and hoped that the endless ringing would stop even if I knew the person couldn't hear me. 

"Niall..." Hope murmured exhausted and put the blanket over her head to muffle the sound of ringing.

"I'll get it." 

Sighing, I got up and ran with rapid steps to the door. 

When I arrived at the front door, I opened it with a fast swing and looked surprised into Harry's eyes.

Harry's P.O.V.

With a quick swing the door opened and a total sleepy but also surprised Niall stand in front of me. I stared into his eyes for a second and I couldn't hold back my fear and my concern any longer. 

"Harry, what the actual fuck-" 

"Where is she?" I asked in one breath and entered. 

"Who do you mean?" He replied confused and looked at me with a frown whereupon you could see three small wrinkles on his forehead. 

"Hope. I tried to call her since last night, but she isn't answering her cell phone and-" While I was talking, I let my eyes wander through the apartment until an all too familiar voice called out my name and my surprised eyes shot in it's direction. 

Hope's P.O.V. 

Surprised because of all the screaming I ran out of Niall's room and stood still. 

"Harry?" I exclaimed in surprise and looked at the brown-haired boy standing with his back to me. 

When his name left my lips, he turned around immediately and looked me in the eyes. 

Blue eyes met green. 

A moment later, he closed his eyes briefly in relief as if he would send a thanks to heaven. When he opened them again, he came up to me slowly and carefully lifted his hand. He laid it gently on my cheek and let his thumb run over my lower lip but never broke our eye contact. 

"You'll be the death of me." He whispered, his gaze intensified. 

I bit into the inside of my right cheek and gulped softly. 

"I'm sorry..." I muttered and glanced at the floor. 

"Look at me." 

My eyes obeyed and found his green ones. 

"Go and change your clothes, we're going home." He muttered in thought and sighed softly. 

I nodded and did what he had told me. I went back into the bedroom, took off my own clothes, folded Niall's carefully and put them on his bed. When I then stepped out of the room, I walked up to Niall and hugged him. 

"Thank you, Niall." I mumbled against his neck and pulled away from him. 

~ 

The whole ride went silent. None of us dared to say anything. When we arrived, I got out and went into the house. Sighing, I let my bag fall to the ground and heard my stomach began to growl. 

"Someone is hungry, huh?" Harry muttered, grinning slightly to break the ice which had settled between us and closed the door behind him. 

I nodded slightly embarrassed and smiled. 

"I'll make you something to eat." He said and gently kissed my forehead as he walked past me to get into the kitchen. 

Like a little dog, I followed behind him and let myself fall on the chair in the kitchen. 

"Pancakes?" Harry asked, looking around in the cupboards as if he were looking for something specific. 

I nodded again but I then noticed that he couldn't see me. I opened my mouth and mumbled a little, "Yes." 

~ 

"Thank you, Harry." I thanked him and swallowed my last bite. 

"No problem, love." He smiled and took his last bite.

I sat on the kitchen counter and Harry was standing right between my legs. 

"What?" I asked with a grin as I had noticed that he was staring at me. 

"You're cute." He admitted and started to intertwine our fingers. 

I smiled at him a little and then leaned my head against his chest. For a brief moment I closed my eyes and enjoyed it to be in his arms and to feel his heartbeat but then I remembered one thing that occupied me a bit more. I opened my eyes slowly, took my head off his chest and looked at him disappointedly. 

"Harry?" 

"Yes?" 

I bit my lower lip and gathered my thoughts shortly. 

"What do you think about the thing that Shelly spreads around?" I muttered sheepishly and looked at him. 

I know that the question was stupid but I wanted to know what he thought of the whole thing. 

"You mean the rumors?" 

I nodded hesitantly, looked him in the eyes and waited for an answer. 

"I don't know. Why do you ask anyway? Has something happened?" He asked worriedly and looked at me searchingly. 

I just shook my head and looked down at my legs. 

"Tell me." Harry insisted and pressed my chin up gently with his index finger. 

"Nothing has happened, I just wanted to hear your opinion." I muttered, shrugging my shoulders. 

"So you really want to hear my opinion on this?" 

Once again I nodded. 

"She's telling the truth." 

"Harry!" I exclaimed in shock and looked him in the eyes. 

"What? It's the truth!" He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders slightly as if it were the most normal thing in the world. 

"Yes, but you shouldn't say such a thing!" 

I tried to look shocked but at the sight of Harry's laughter and his dimples I couldn't help but smile. 

"And what if I'm saying it anyway?" He asked, grinning slightly and came so close to me so that his breath tickled my lips. 

My heart stopped for a moment and my mouth went dry. He was dangerously close. I swallowed softly and Harry's expression became serious at once. 

"Huh? What if I'm saying it?" Harry repeated with a deeper voice and looked intensely into my eyes. 

He looked at my lips and bit on his lower lip. I said nothing because I was paralyzed. The only thing I could feel was my heart which was beating fast and loud against my chest and when I had at least expected it he put his lips onto mine and kissed me passionately...