I Do?

Facebook Mom

The following day Harry finds himself seated at the piano bench in his apartment. Zair's suggestion of playing a song for his friends and family has rolled around his head for the last couple of days. Being able to put his thoughts and feelings aside for a while to plan this event would be a nice change of pace. Of course, Harry would have to spend a ton of time learning a song in the short span, but he's positive he could make it work.

His fingers hover over the keys, but he can't think of a single thing to play. Of course, having a piano recital would require learning a song to play, and learning a song would require having a song in mind. It's not like Harry has any piano books lying around and he wouldn't know how to read the music if he tried. Then again, if he were to do this recital he would have to find a song that he could learn that wouldn't be too challenging or too easy for him. Suddenly, the plan of pulling this recital off seems like too much to shoulder.

Sighing, Harry pulls his phone out of his pocket. Too many notifications crowd his home screen. He thumbs through them, deleting emails and text messages from people he doesn't care to answer. At the bottom of the list, he sees a notification from an app he hardly uses and, frankly, thought he uninstalled.

Curiously, Harry taps on the notification, and the app launches. It's been a while since he's been on Facebook and he only keeps his account so his mom can tag him in things now and again. Moments like these, for instance.

Anne Styles

20m

So thankful for my two beautiful children and what amazing adults they have turned into. Who knew what my sweet girl Gemma Styles and my caring boy Harry Styles would become? I am truly and forever blessed to be called this mom <3

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Harry likes the post but chooses not to comment anything. Of course his mother would post something like this despite the mess that Thanksgiving was. It's always been about appearances. To the public, their family could never be happier.

The post, however, leads Harry to tap on his mother's profile and navigating to the pictures. It's been a while since he's been on, after all, so he might as well make sure his mother hasn't been posting any horrid photos of him.

Most of the photos his mom has uploaded are ones of her and his father or their family cat. Harry feels a sense of nostalgia as he scrolls through the many photos his mom has uploaded. Her Facebook account has become a virtual scrapbook. Harry watches himself age back as he scrolls further. His high school graduation, sports teams, family trips around the world, middle school, and so on.

He doesn't know how much time has passed when he comes across the first thing his mother ever uploaded. Curiously, Harry clicks on the post and is brought to a grainy video. The first thing that Harry notices is his mother.

She was always beautiful, even now, but she was even prettier back then. The style of the early 2000s is evident in her white capris and striped cardigan that hugs her form. He sees Gemma in his mother, maybe in a world where they could've had a normal childhood Gemma would've ended up like her one day. Harry sees himself in her too, their hair sharing the same shade and the confident way she holds herself. He taps play on the video.

A loud laugh echoes from his mother as the video starts. Warm orange lighting glows in Harry's first home. They lived more modestly back then. Their family had always been wealthy, but they didn't always flaunt it. The camera moves back and forth before focusing on his mother who sways with a small figure standing in front of her.

Harry notices himself after a minute. The Blues Clues shirt he wears in the video used to be his favorite. He watches as the younger version of himself stands on his mom's toes and dances around the kitchen. A song plays in the background but it plays so softly Harry can't hear it.

"Can I film Daddy," Gemma's voice calls from out of frame.

"Sure, Sweet Pea," His father answers. Hearing his father's voice shocks Harry for a moment. It's not like it is now, there was a sweetness and kindness in his father's voice as he answered Gemma. The video angle becomes lower as Gemma holds it.

His mother turns towards the camera and makes a motion for someone to join them. Another second passes and Harry sees a younger version of his father come into frame. A smile sits across his unaged face. Harry can't remember the last time he saw his father smile. The expression looks foreign on the man.

Harry can feel a sting behind his eyes as he watches his father take his hand and pick him up. The boy in the video laughs loudly as his father tosses him in the air. His father sets the boy back down and takes one of his small hands and dances with his mother and him. The song seems to get louder as the laughs die down and Harry recognizes it.

He clicks out of the app as soon as the video ends, not wanting to rewatch it. Seeing himself happy and untouched by life opens something he's not sure he wants to be opened. Jealousy for who he used to be and a loving father aches in him.

Harry opens google and searches for the song "Could I Have This Dance" followed by 'piano'. At first, he worries nothing will show up but is relieved to see a couple of videos do. He taps on the first one he sees and scrolls through it. It doesn't look too challenging for him. Surely he should have enough time to learn this before Christmas in three weeks.

Having made his decision, Harry sets his phone on the piano and begins to play. 

~_~_~

Hey guys!! Finally starting to get my second wind for this. There's about 10 chapters left until the end of this book!! I'm super excited for you guys to see where this story goes. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed! ~B