CHARITY (harry styles au) [discontinued]

○ three ○

It was the next morning and Cadence hadn't left Harry's mind once. He wanted nothing more than to be back at home, thinking about her in the privacy of his own home. But, to his dismay, he'd already made plans to meet his friends Louis and Calum for breakfast and he was too much of a pussy to cancel.

So, there he sat, at a table alone. As usual, his friends were late. Harry was okay with that though, as it gave him a few last minutes to ponder the Cadence situation. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get their kiss of his mind. He wanted more. Not only did he want to kiss her more, but he wanted to make love to her. He wanted her to realize how beautiful she was. He wanted to make her feel special. Run his fingers through her hair, press soft kisses against her skin...

"Haz!"

"What's up, bro!"

Harry's thoughts were interrupted by his friends rowdy cheers. He looked up, and they were both sat in front of him, grinning from ear to ear.

"G 'morning, guys." Harry said, nodding at them. The three of them made small talk until the waitress came and took their orders. When she disappeared into the kitchen, Calum looked at Harry with a devious smile.

"So, what happened to you last night, Styles?" he asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively. Louis followed suit. Harry laughed and shook his head at his friends.

"I didn't get any pussy, if that's what you're suggesting." He said, taking a sip from his cofee mug.

"Yeah right! So you just disappeared for no reason?" Louis asked. Harry nodded. "I call bullshit!" Louis announced, wagging his finger in the air. Harry laughed, with a shrug.

"Seriously dude, what happened?" Calum asked, drumming his fingers on the table. Harry stared at his friends, mentally debating whether or not he should confess what actually happened.

"I ran into an old friend. An ex, actually." he admitted. His friends leaned forward, prompting him to go on. "Do you guys remember Cadence Harrison?" he asked. They thought for a while.

"That black girl who just disappeared one day?" Louis asked, crinkling his brows. Harry wanted to curse him out and tell him that she was more than that, but he figured now wasn't the time.

"That's the one." Harry nodded.

"I heard she's a big fucking slut, these days!" Calum suddenly laughed, caused Harry's blood to boil. "Ashton told me that she sucked his di-"

"Don't talk about her like that." Harry warned, but his friends barley heard him.

"Dude, that's what she's up to now!? No way!" Louis cried, slapping his hands on the table.
"I know! She used to be so smart. Now she's just cheap trash, dude!"

"I need her number, bro! I haven't gotten black pussy in a minute!"

"I don't know bro... You don't know what kind of diseases she may have..." Calum said, laughing loudly. Harry couldn't take it anymore.

"ENOUGH!" he howled, scaring the living daylights out of his friends. They both flinched, pressing their mouths into tight lines. "Can you boys shut the fuck up for 30 seconds and let me fucking talk? God damn." Harry shook his head in disapproval, taking another sip of his coffee. "I ran into Cadence last night. She works at the club we were at. But she's not just some slut, or whatever else you think she may be. She's just trying to make money the best way she knows how because she has a fucking child."

"Oh shit." Louis breathed. "A kid?" he asked, eyes slightly wide.

"Yeah. A kid." Harry repeated. "I'm not sure exactly what happened, but she didn't have any family to help her out. She's doing the best she can, but she seems really unhappy." he went on. "Not everyone can have their daddy spoil them like us, fellas. Which is why it's not okay for you to make shitty comments like that about her."

Louis and Calum nodded, both looking down shamefully.

"You're right, sorry dude." Calum mumbled. "You talk to her last night?" he questioned.

"Yeah, I spoke to her. Asked her a few questions." Harry shrugged. "But then... I kissed her." he admitted, causing his friends mouths to drop.

"What? Why?" Louis asked incredoulously. Harry shrugged again, avoiding eye contact with the other boy.

"Did she kiss you back?" Calum asked, and Harry nodded. "How was it? " Was Calum's follow up question. Harry sighed dreamily.

"It was marvelous. It was like we were still together." he said, replaying the moment in his head.

Harry had a certain look on his face that Calum hadn't seen in a while. The two had been friends for almost 10 years, and Calum pretty much knew Harry like the back of his hand.

"You still love her, don't you?" he asked. Harry looked up in shock. The last thing he expected was for Calum to call him out like that.

"No." he snapped. Calum and Louis raised their brows at him simultaneously. He sighed. "Maybe. I don't know." 

"What are you gonna do?" Louis asked. Harry knew exactly what he planned on doing, but he didn't know if he should share it with his friends. After a couple seconds, their expectant faces were enough to make Harry crack.

"I'm... uh, going to invite her to live with me." he mused quietly. His friends' faces instantly dropped.

"What?" Calum asked in disbelief.

"Her and her daughter. They could stay long enough for Cadence to get on her feet. Find a new job. It's summer anyway, so I'll be home." Harry explained. "I've got plenty of room. I'll stay on the couch, Cadence can have my room, and her daughter can have her own room."

"Harry..." Calum said cautiously. "Are you sure that's a good idea mate?" he asked. Harry didn't know why, but that question made his insides ignite.

"Why wouldn't it be?" he snapped. Calum held up his hands defenselessly.

"I think what Calum is trying to say is..." Louis cut it, but his words were short lived.

"I know exactly what Calum's trying to say. And I don't give a fuck."

With that, Harry dug in his pocket and fished out a ten dollar bill. He slammed it on the table, made bitter eye contact with his friends, and he was off. He got up from the table, knocking his chair over in the process. By the time he got to the restaurant's door, all eyes were on him.

"That kid sure knows how to make a dramatic exit." Louis muttered, sipping his tea, which was now cold. "Should we follow him?"

Calum stared out the window, watching Harry dramatically slam his car door.

"He'll be alright."

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- pam