Strange [h.s.]

Thirty One

Harry Styles

Peace.

It's been the strongest feeling I can put my finger on since waking up.

The morning sun is peeking through the curtains in my childhood room, taking me back to when I was a little kid during the summer. I never woke up to any loud noises in my house from that morning or my sister or mom barging into my room. It was always the sunlight shining into my room that disrupted my dreams.

Those few moments in the morning, just me and the sun, were some of my favorites. It gave me a moment to breathe, as if I had a lot to worry about at such a young age. A moment to learn to appreciate the quietness of the world. When everyone was waking up, starting their day off together but apart.

I let my head fall to the side, my eyes landing on the sleeping girl beside me. Her body is turned away from me, facing the wall, and I watch her side rise up and down as she takes little, sleeping breaths. I reach my arm across my body, gently resting my fingertips against the exposed skin on her arm, running them delicately up and down her arm.

Ella doesn't stir, completely taken by her tiredness from traveling yesterday. I bring both of my hands up to my face, rubbing at my eyes and then letting them run down my face as I push out a quiet breath. I slowly sit up in bed, carefully pushing the covers off me and swinging my feet off the bed. I turn my head, making sure that my movement hasn't disturbed Ella in any way.

I stand up, creeping over to the door, quietly pulling it open, stepping out into the hallway and shut the door behind me. I walk down the hallway, making a quick pit stop at the bathroom to brush my teeth before I head towards the stairs and down to the main floor of the house.

I go down until I'm rounding the corner into the kitchen. I see my mum standing with her back pressed against the counter, a mug in one hand as she scrolls through her phone with the other.

"Good morning," I say, making my way over to the counter space that is home to the coffee machine.

My mum lifts her head from her phone, a smile popping onto her face as she shuts it off, shoving it into her pocket, "Good morning, sweetheart."

I press the power button of the machine, feeling her come up beside me. She places a kiss on my cheek, something she has done every morning since I was a little kid. I feel a smile land on my face, reaching for two mugs from my mum's collection in the cabinet above me.

"How was your first night back home?" She asks. I spin on my feet, leaning my lower back against the counter as the machine begins to warm up behind me.

"Good, actually. Nice to be home," I tell her. She nods at me, turning around to pour the rest of whatever was left in her cup down the sink drain.

"You have plans for today, correct?" She asks, setting the mug down in the empty sink and turning her head to look at me. She gives me that mum look, the one that makes your skin crawl because you feel like you're in trouble even though there is no possible way you could be.

"Yes," I swallow the lump in my throat, "We have plans for today."

"Speaking of, where is she?" My mum asks, wiping her hands on the towel hanging on the handle below her.

"Still sleeping," I say with a laugh.

My mum smiles at me, rounding the corner of the kitchen. I follow behind her, wanting to wish her a good day at work. She has about two bags wrapped around her arm, "I'll be back later tonight. Have fun today."

"Will do," I say, leaning to kiss her on the cheek, "Love you, mum."

"I love you too," She says, making her way out the door for the day.