Lone [MATURE HS]

Chapter 13.

He groans. "But..."

Laughing lightly, I whisper, "I plan to torture you a little longer."

"I'm fine with that," he whispers back, reaching up to run his fingers through my hair. "And I can see why you like to be on top. You look so good playing the part now."

I bite my lip, knowing his intentions. The slight pause makes him break out into a grin, chuckling softly afterwards. "This is your way of retaliating, isn't it?"

"Oh yes," he laughs.

Smiling, I sit up and stay seated on him. He doesn't mind as he folds his hands behind his head, watching me endearingly as I speak. "My mom knows about you. Charlie went unannounced to my house the other day. I think he forgot I have you and I'm not a loner anymore."

"I don't particularly like him only because he has the habit of showing up at the most inconvenient times," he jokes, alluding to when Charlie barged into my room, finding Harry and I both half naked. The memory makes my cheeks tinge pink.

My fingers fiddle with the bottom of his hoodie, running the pas of my index finger over the metallic lining of the zipper. I look at him again, confessing, "I want you to meet my mom. I've met Katherine and Erin...and of course Nathan, who I almost left you for."

Harry bursts out into a small laugh, shocked, and exclaiming, "I knew he was sly! He'll never take you away from me."

I laugh in return. Harry bends his knees behind me and shifts a little, placing a hand on my thigh. He runs his hand up and down soothingly, while I add, "So would you want to meet my mom?"

"Of course. Your mum will clearly like me. I can already tell," he boasts, cockily sending me a smirk. I smirk back, knowing of his playful mannerism.

"You're not wrong. She'll love you. But speaking of her, I promised I'd be home earlier to help her and her friend decorate for this party tomorrow. You should come with me. You can meet my mother and get a taste of how sexy I look dancing to bachata," I tease, leaning down to give him a quick kiss.

He huffs. "You're leaving me? Just like that? And I will definitely go. To meet your mother, of course, not to gawk at my beautiful...sexy..."

"I want you to stop complimenting me, it's excruciating wanting to just...ugh! Every time, you know?" I stammer, shaking my head.

"No, I don't," he chuckles, sitting up with me.

I give him an exasperated look. "Thank you for understanding, baby."

Harry doesn't react to my suddenly new petname, but he smiles to himself and places a soft kiss on my cheek. "Go on, now. I'll talk to you soon. I've got to get to practice. Friday practices are intense."

"Okay, but if you plan on scaring me in anyway, we will fight," I dryly remark, and he huffs again before I'm standing up and sliding on my boots. I run my hands through my hair briefly, grabbing my bag and hugging my big sweater tightly to my body.

I give him one last dopey kiss and make my way out. Katherine wasn't home so I suspected she was working.

When I arrive home, I find that the front door is already open. How odd, I think to myself, grasping the doorknob. The apartment is dark as usual, the lighting terrible. The first floor wasn't occupied and the neighbor on the second floor hated speaking with us, so we just left him alone. I was about to start up the stairs until my phone startled me, knocking me off my suspecting thoughts. I sigh heavily to myself, rolling my eyes at my tension. "Hello?"

"Tara," my mother sighs. "I'm not home. I'm still buying decorations. I need you to do me a favor. Head down to the basement and grab the extra chairs. The ones that fold and don't bring the one with the broken thingy..or whatever. That one's no good."