Damaged Goods. (A Harry Styles Fanic)

Chapter Fifteen

“I’m just happy. Sometimes people cry when they are happy too”

“Oh”

There was a few moments of silence before Jake asked another question, sensing in his small mind that something wasn’t quite right.

“Lola can you tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“Tell me why you and I don’t have a Dad…because Harry a-and Gemma have one. And my friends at school do too. Cause their Daddies take them on…on trips and stuff. And to the park. And when we do plays at school, they come and watch us. So…why don’t we have one?” he scrunched his petite nose up in confusion.

“Well, the difference is that me and you” she pointed between her and Jake “We have different Dads”

Lola’s Dad was one person she knew barely anything about anymore. They had the perfect father daughter relationship until he just left one day when she was five years old, leaving Lola confused and upset as she waited for him to return. His Mum, Lola’s Gran, still lived nearby in the village and Lola saw her occasionally. All she knew is that her Dad lives somewhere near the coast. Although most days he crossed her mind, as she longed to find out more, and meet him again eleven years after the last time they saw each other.

She often wondered though, what if they had crossed each other in the street, or in a supermarket, or in another town? And neither of them were aware that the stranger they just passed was their own blood and flesh. They were strangers to each other now and it saddened her beyond belief due to the weak relationship Lola already had with her Mum.

Jake however was the result of a three week relationship with an American man Christina met six years ago. She never told him that she was pregnant, or that he now had a six year old son. He lived in America ever since and they know nothing about him.

“Does that mean we aren’t brother and sister?”

“No, no of course not. We are, 100%” Lola insisted “We don’t need a Dad”

“I want one….a bit”

“Well…..maybe one day” she knew it wasn’t really going to happen, but how can you explain to a six year old boy that you can’t just go and purchase Fathers from the local corner shop?

Just as Lola finished talking, the door opened again. A very annoyed and dissappointed John entered the room with a sympathetic look, Harry lingering a metre or so behind him, head down and hands shoved in his pockets.

“Jake why don’t you go play in your room?” Lola suggested, and Jake hopped down and left the room.

“Can’t get through. She’s not answering the phone and none of her friends or collegues know where she is. I don’t know what else I can do” John lifted and dropped his arms in a ‘giving up’ motion and sat back onto the edge of Lola’s bed.

Harry leant his back against the doorframe, pinching the bridge of his nose as a million thoughts raced through his mind. He was thinking about his conversation with Lola earlier before this new Christina situation arised, the scars he saw on her thighs, the worry his Dad was going through at the current moment and the constant thought of his ill stepdad in the back of his mind. His head was pounding.

“I told you, I wouldn’t bother. She’s probably ran off with a man she’s been cheating on you with”

Lola felt guilty as she saw John gulp, an undoubtable expression of dissappointment on his face. It wasn’t confirmed as true but Lola would put money on that being the reason her Mum had dissappeared. John was a genuine good man and absolutely didn’t deserve this, or as shallow of a woman as Christina.

“I’m…..gonna have to go stay with…Jac..no…I can’t, I don’t know, my Gran or something?” Lola tried to conjure up some kind of possible plan or arrangement. There wasn’t really anything she could do. She knew she had to find somewhere new to live now that her Mum had left them, and knew Jackie would be happy to take her in. But she couldn’t live relying on her family to keep Lola and Jake, it was too much to ask of them. The only other thing she could think of other than care, was her Gran, despite their undeveloped awkward relationship. But what other choice did she have?

“I need a suitcase” she mumbled, feeling her throat thicken up again as she faced the reality of what was happening.

“No, sit back down that’s not happening” John stated calmly causing Harry and Lola to both frown in confusion and look to him.

“No, not on my watch. I’m not letting you kids be responsible for yourselves and have uncomfortable living situations. No, you’ll be staying here. For as long as I can keep you here for”

Lola was utterly shocked that John was willing to take care of her and Jake when he had no reason to. Christina was gone, and he wasn’t exactly going to get paid for it, or any kind of reward. So other than genuine kindness and the goodness of his heart, he had no reason to volunteer this size of a favour.

“….Really?” Lola croaked, taken aback. She could feel Harry’s glare and the obvious unenthusiasm to this proposal coming from his Dad. John nodded.

“Well……t-thank you, i’m grateful” Lola spoke in a quiet voice, showing her appreciation nevertheless with her stunned tone of voice. She gave him a thanking hug and headed towards the bathroom, passing Harry on the way. He looked down at her with a soft and plain expression, indicating no hint of feeling. Lola felt a small wrench at the contrast to the amount of sympathy he showed her earlier on. She only wished that it might have been the start of something new and part of her wished he would show her it again.

But little people were aware of Harrys skills in hiding his feelings and thoughts, and how well he could put on an act. Heck, he did it every day, pretending he was a normal happy lively teenage lad around his friends. When really he was burying away a large amount of pain and suffering. He’d learnt how to flick between moods fast.

Lola now knew about the act he put on, and what was really going on behind closed doors. The family breakdown, the self harm he inflicted on himself. But had revealing her mutual method of cutting to Harry created a new level of common ground, and diminished some of the negative conflict between them? Or was Harry just destined to be cruel to Lola forever? Only time could tell.

THIS IS NOT MY STORY. All credit goes to xxfan1direction.tumblr.com go follow and check her out. She has an amazing blog and is a beautiful writer.