Broken || h.s. AU (old version)

Chapter 16- Lavender

"Did he do that?" I whisper, reaching up and lightly touching the coloration. He glances nervously towards his father again, shifting a little uncomfortably.

"Harry, did he do this to you?" I press, my hand falling away from his face. He gives one sharp nod, his eyes flickering towards the porch again.

"Harry, I don't get it, why don't you just move out?" He sighs, looking down and taking my hands in his. "I don't have the money to be able to support myself." He replies softly, brows furrowed.

"Is this why you weren't at school?" I frown, watching his eyes. He gives a small shrug, a slight smile tugging on his lips "That and I had a test in Latin..." I can't help but smile back, stepping a bit closer.

"I appreciate the concern, Diana, I really do. But you should go home..." He murmurs, closing the distance and his hand coming up to cup my cheek. I smile, turning my head to kiss his palm.

"Are you sure you can be alone?" I ask, frowning a bit. His lips come down to brush mine lightly and he pauses, bringing his swollen lip between his teeth, his brows furrowing before he pulls away, a tight smile on his face. "I'll be alright..." He whispers, his head dipping once.

"You can come over...' I offer hopefully, my brows furrowing in worry. He gives that crooked grin I love so much, shaking his head as he steps away.

"I'm tough, you know that." He chuckles, bringing a small smile back to my lips. "Besides. My aunt is coming over later to take me to her friends' house with her." He rolls his eyes, still smiling. I nod a little, fiddling with the edge of my shirt nervously.

He takes the jacket from under his arm, tossing it onto his shoulder. "I love you, babe. I'll see you as soon as I can." He calls as he starts to walk back up his driveway. "I love you too..." I respond, glancing nervously at the porch.

Harry's hand raises in a wave without turning back to me as he walks up the porch steps. His head immediately ducks again, his confidence diminishing as he shies around his father, the door closing off my view of Harry.

Harry's P.O.V.

I start to rush up the stairs, cringing internally and hoping I'll just be allowed to go up without a second comment about Diana.

But my hopes are tossed carelessly aside when I hear dad rumble cautiously from behind me, "Who was that?" I close my eyes, inhaling quietly through clenched teeth. "That was my girlfriend." I mumble, my stomach doing anxious flips to get back to the haven of my bedroom.

Please stop asking, please stop asking, I beg silently.

"What's her name?" He continues, the floor boards creaking as he shifts his weight. I run my tongue over my lips nervously, silently scolding myself. It had been an awful habit of mine for the longest time.

"What is her name?" He enunciates slowly, his voice raising the slightest bit. I immediately feel myself cowering down, my shoulders hunching.

"Diana." I barely mumble. "Diana Rose."

"Look me in the eye when I'm talking to you, boy!" He barks and I jump, startled. I hesitantly turn to face him, my heart beating faster as I meet his olive eyes. "Yes, sir..." I can barely choke out.

"I don't want her here, bothering me all the time. You hear?" He points a finger at me, his brows furrowed sternly. I nod once, my eyes finding the ground.

"Did you hear me, boy?!" He suddenly bellows, my heart jumping into my throat. "Yes, sir." I mumble timidly, hurriedly turning and rushing up the stairs.

As I throw myself around the corner and into the hall, I hear a sharp thump behind me, alerting me he'd thrown something up the stairs. I glance back to see a boot thud to the floor, half a second ago where my head had been. It takes no more encouragement than that to make me tuck-tail and run into my room, my shaking hands locking the door behind me.

∘∞∘ ∘∞∘ ∘∞∘ ∘∞∘

A soft knock on the door drifts up the stairs and I crawl across the bed to peek out the window. A pastel pink bug is parked outside of the house. Aunt Jane. I grin, rushing back to the door and pulling it open, flying down the stairs to wrench the creaking door open.

"Aunt Jane!" I enthuse, smiling widely at the woman in front of me.

"Harold Edward Styles, is that you?! You've gotten so big!"

She pulls me in for a hug, her dark curls tickling my cheek. I laugh, pulling back to look at her. She looked no different. She was the spitting image of my mother- a large reason to why I'd grown to love her so quickly.

She has the same twinkling brown eyes, the same dark and elongated lashes, completely identical down to her habit of leaning to her right when she stood still- another trait I'd inherited.

Aunt Jane had never been one to wear the prim and proper blouse and skirt. She was perfectly comfortable with wearing a loose t-shirt and blue jeans. The only way I could ever tell my aunt and my mum apart was that my mum was significantly thinner and paler.

A shocked gasp rips me out of my evaluation and I quickly draw my attention back to the petite woman in front of me.

"What happened, Haz?" The nickname was another odd thing I'd inherited from my mother and aunt. Her thin fingers moved up to lightly touch the purple bruising under my eye and I wince, lightly pushing her hand away.

"I tripped." I quickly soothe, keeping it even. She frowns, gnawing on her bottom lip as she glances back towards the pink bug car.

"Why don't we just go?" I suggest, trying to distract her. She smiles and nods, turning to walk down the porch steps. I follow her, closing the door behind me. Another similarity my mother and aunt had in common was both of them were easily distracted, easily pleased, and extremely optimistic.

My mother had always done anything she could to bring a little sunshine into our home, whether it was singing along to the music playing on the radio, or painting the kitchen walls a cheery yellow.

My aunt was the same, her pale pink bug practically screaming 'smile' as I slid into the passenger seat. I am quickly greeted by a sickly sweet lavender and vanilla sent as the small car purrs to life. "You're gonna love her!" Aunt Jane gushes as she watches the road.

"She is one of my best friends and one of the sweetest women in the world. Poor thing is having a tough time right now. Family things and moving to a new house. I figured a handsome young lad like you would help bring that much needed smile back to her face." She continues to bubble, grinning ear to ear.

I nod a little, looking down at my hands. Diana would surely comment if I came home smelling like this. I look out the window, watching the city fly by with the comforting hum of the engines sounding beneath me.

My head is throbbing still from the strong smell of the tobacco smoke that was slowly beginning to drift, being replaced with the soft and lovely smell of the cramped car.

I close my eyes, slowly beginning to drift off. After a few minutes of my mind drifting in and out, I feel a gently hand on my shoulder, urging my eyes to open.

"We're here, Harry..." Aunt Jane's soft murmur pushes through my still sluggish mind. I nod a little to my self, my legs aching for the opportunity to stretch.

I open the door, the cold air rushing to face me and immediately sending my senses into high alert. I step out of the car, sighing in relief as my legs can finally straighten from the cramped position they were stuck in.

I look to the house, seeing Aunt Jane already rushing up the driveway. I quickly close the door, rushing to follow her up, catching up right as she knocks on the door.

We wait and I shift my weight nervously. Right then the door swings open to reveal a woman with dirty blonde hair and startling eyes.

Her eyes are lavender.

Aunt Jane smiles beside me, glancing between us "Harry, this is my friend Diana Rose."