Strict | H.S.

Chapter 18.

[Ava]

I trusted Harry as we entered the house with me walking very closely beside him. My hand hovered over the end of his shirt for comfort. Once we merged in the crowd, I grappled his white shirt into my hand. His arm wrapped around my shoulders and side hugged me.

"Harry! Mate, how are you?" smiled another brunette man, except his hair was buzzed. The two men hugged.

"Great! Liam, this is Ava," Harry replied, giving me an upper back pat. "Ava, this is my good friend Liam."

Liam smiled. "It's wonderful to meet you."

I half-smiled and waved. I wasn't good at meeting new people. Liam seemed kind. I liked his smile.

"She's a little shy," Harry patted my back.

"Awe, that's cute," Liam smiled. Then, he tapped Harry's shoulder. "Hey, Niall's here."

Harry grinned, mischievously.

Louis appeared jumping on top of Harry's back. Harry laughed, flipping the smaller man over his shoulder. Liam caught Louis before he fell on the floor. "Heeeey, mate!" Liam laughed, "Watch it. You're going to bash in your noggin."

"Nah, Harry wouldn't let me get hurt," Louis smirked, leaning on Harry's shoulder.

"Yeah I would've caught you," Harry smiled. Then, all of a sudden fear flashed across Harry's green eyes. "Lou, where's Emily?"

"Relax, mate. She's with Niall and Freddie by the kiddie pool out back," Louis said.

"Let's go see Niall and check on the kids," Harry replied, heading to the back door.

I quickly followed after him, fear gripped my chest as he took long strides away from me. It kind of made me mad that he took off like that but I understood that he was worried about where Emily was at.

I was amazed at how large the pool was. It looked amazing. In the very back of the yard past the massive pool was a small plastic blue kiddie pool. Emily was splashing in it with a little blond boy and there was a blond man watching them and laughing.

"Niallar!" Louis shouted, happily. The blond man looked up smiling.

"Mates!" The blond called out in an Irish accent.

Harry, Louis, and Liam joined Niall at the kiddie pool with the kids. I felt like a third wheel, just following Harry around. I stood awkwardly behind them as they laughed and joked with each other.

Harry noticed my sad mood and suggested we go to the bigger pool. That sounded kind of fun even though I couldn't swim. I could stay in the shallow end.

"Daddy! I want to go big boy pool," Freddie pouted.

"To the shallow end!" Louis smiled, picking up his little boy. "Let's go boys!"

Emily pouted. "Don't leave me."

"Baby, I could never do that," Harry cooed, reaching out to her. She clung to him like a little koala bear. As he walked by, Harry held my hand and I gladly clung to him too.

"I'll watch the little ones this time," Liam said, grabbing Freddie and turning him upside down in his arms. Freddie was giggling. He really did look identical to Louis.

"Ava, please go put sunscreen on," Harry said. "I know you haven't done it yet."

I frowned up at him. I really didn't want to, but I wasn't about to cause a big scene at the party. Harry would've lectured me if I had told him no. It would've been really bad. He would've definitely punished me if I didn't listen. "Okay," I sighed, going to the Rover to get the bottle from the seat.