Prince in the City [Harry Styles AU]

Chapter 17

As Dave drove, my phone began ringing and I pulled it out of the pocket of my basketball shorts to see that Mum was calling. "Morning, Mum," I greeted once I answered the call.

"Hello, love," she returned, "Just wanted to check in. How're you doing?"

"Good, good," I assured, leaning back in the seat as I glanced out the darkened windows. "How's everything back home?"

Mum sighed. "Just 'bout the same. Missing you, though. 'S not the same without you here, darling."

My lips pressed together in a small smile, eyes resting on the rings decorating my fingers as I replied, "I miss you, too, Mum."

She hummed before asking, "So how's the American life treating you? Is the apartment we got for you good?"

I twisted my lips to the side, free hand rubbing the back of my neck as I lied, "Yeah, it's great. Reminds me of home."

"That's what I was going for," she said, and I could just tell that she was grinning by her tone of voice. It made me feel guilty for lying to her—although, technically, I wasn't truly lying. The flat was quite nice and it did remind me of home. I was just withholding certain information from her that would inform her that I did not, in fact, live in the place that was rented out for me. What she didn't know won't hurt her, though. "Only the best for the Prince of England."

Despite myself, I cringed slightly at her words, chuckling uncomfortably as I glanced at Dave, whose eyes were focused on the road as he drove. "Right," I responded before quickly adding, "Listen, Mum, I'm about to eat breakfast so I've to go. I'll call you soon, alri'?"

"Okay, darling," she replied, "Stay safe!"

Letting out a breath, I dropped the phone in my lap, right elbow resting on the doorsill as my hand ran through my hair, which were free of the beanie. "Do you actually want to get breakfast?" Dave suddenly asked.

Chucking humorlessly, I responded, "Might as well." That's one less lie I'd be telling my mother.

*****

"You kissed her?!" Louis exclaimed, blue eyes wide as he stared at me through my laptop screen, looking both baffled and amused. "Wow, mate, I'm proud of ya."

"Thanks," I responded, the sarcasm clear in my voice through a mouthful of banana, chewing on it as I sat on the chair in the kitchen, laptop resting on the table as I video chatted my friend. "I haven't, like, talked to her since it happened, though. I dunno what to say."

"Well you gotta speak to her at some point," Louis said, moving his around as he carried his phone with him, before settling down on the couch in his house. "Otherwise she'll think you regretted it."

I shook my head, sitting up as I hastily said, "I didn't regret it. At all."

"Then you've gotta let her know," he responded, eyes not on the phone as the background noise of a television sounded. "Talk to her, mate. Let her know how you feel."

Absentmindedly, I nodded along to what Louis was saying, slowly chewing on the banana as I watched him watch whatever he put on the telly. After a few minutes of silence, I asked, "What if she doesn't feel the same way about me?"

Louis gave me a bored expression, which I promptly ignored as I got up to toss the banana peel in the garbage before returning to my seat. He was still looking at me with that face. "If she kissed you back, then there's at least the smallest bit of her that feels the same. Stop being a pussy."