More Than This

Wow

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My Mom's eye shifts from me to Harry and then back to me. Is she judging me, my paranoid self asks.

"Honey, are you ok," my Dad breaks the silence. When my Dad starts calling me with terms of endearment, I know he feels genuine concern, like he knows shit is happening.

"Yes, Dad, I uh, let me just get this call," I say while tapping my pocket. Smile, Alex. I remind myself as I walk towards the door.

My mind is running faster than my feet can carry me out of the restaurant. What did I get myself into? I slapped my right cheek lightly, testing if this is just a bad dream or what.

I squint my eyes against the high noon sun as I step out. I need air. I need to think. I know Harry would not follow me here, out in the open.

"Are we leaving," says a familiar voice. "Where's Harry?" Paul asks. My mouth opens, but he points out, "Oh, there he is."

Oh Shit.

"Alex," Harry says as he grabs my shoulder. He probably read my mind. I wanted to run away. He turns me around, we're now face to face. More like face to chest because I refused to look at him and my head is bowed down.

Harry cups my chin and tilts it to face him. "Alex, please," he says softly. "Why are you upset?" He disarms me with his smile. "You're jealous, aren't you?" He smirks at me and his green eyes staring at me.

"Why would I be," says the liar in me as I push his hand away. "I just got surprised that you were once engaged and you never mentioned this to me," I look away and I realize how I sound entitled saying this. Like who am I anyway?

Harry lets out a laugh. He envelopes me tightly in his arms. My face squished against his chest. "I love it when you're jealous," he says as his plants a kiss on my head.

"I'm not," I said mumbling against his chest while my head is shaking.

"Lexie," I hear my Dad call me. As if by reflex, I pushed Harry away.

"Yes, Dad?" I look and sound like a guilty child that got caught getting cookie from the jar.

"Mom wants to see you, Lexie," Dad says. "And Harry, may I talk to you?" Dad looks serious.

Harry nodded his head in response. Dad motions that we go back inside. I see some people had been staring. I hope no one captured anything.

Harry takes my hand as we walk back to the room. This is all I need for now.

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"Are you two together," my Mom asks the obvious. I can't read her emotion. Is she happy, sad, angry?

"We're, uhm, dating," is the answer I could only think for now. Brilliant, Alex. My eyes are searching for Harry, who is now being interrogated by Dad somewhere.

"But I thought Josh was the love of your life?" Her brows furrowed in seeming confusion. "Weren't you with him? Does he know about Harry?" My Mom pushes further.

Allen, save me! My mind screams as I turn my head to Allen.

"Mom," Allen gets it. "Josh is in China, with a pregnant girlfirend."

"What?"My Mom yelps.

"What do you have against Harry, Mom?" There, I said it.

"He's out of you're league." Wow, that was fast and hurtful! My face must have been a giveaway because Mom walked to me.

"What I meant was that he's a big celebrity! He's everywhere, and he has like a ton of girls around him." My Mom says as a matter of fact.

"And I don't know that?" Is my curt reply. "I'm happy with him, Mom. So please be happy for me," my arms crosses. I'm fighting her on this one.

She looks at me intently. My Mom is really not the type to meddle. Well both my parents are. In the grander scheme of things, they are believers of learning from your mistakes. Her reaction towards Harry is quite surprising for me.

"You know that I just want you to be happy, right" she says softly while she puts her arms around me. "Harry may be too much for you," she says as she rubs her hand on my back, like assuring me that it is all for my own good.

"Mom," I retort back as I pull away from her. "I know you mean well, I do!" My eyes stare at hers. "He may have that reputation. But image is different from character. Let's not judge him by how people perceive him. Media is quite unfair, you know."

My Mom looks at me with furrowed brows. She is still quiet, so I go on.

"And I would think you would know him better, since you're friends with his family." I say as i sit back on my chair. I fiddle with my food waiting for a response from her.

"Mom, Lexie is happy, please give this one a chance," Allen pipes in. Of course he saw me through worse things, he would know what really makes me happy.

My mom lets out a loud sigh. "Ok, I may have been judgemental." I chuckle and my eyes roll.

"And, over reacting, if I may add," I say.

"I'm sorry, OK," my mom lets out a soft laugh. "A tattoed boy band singer with questionable taste in dressing up is not the kind of boy I picture you dating," she snickers. "But, such is life." She says in resignation. To which we all laugh to.

Dad and Harry walks in in the middle of our loud laughs. Harry smiles at me and sits beside me. My Dad leans on to me and gives me a peck on the head.

"You take care of my baby, Harry. Break her heart and I'll break your face," he says jokingly.

We all laugh louder. My Dad is not exactly the brawling type so for him to say this is quite funny.

Harry smiles at me and intertwines his fingers with mine. "Don't worry, Sir. I will be the proper boyfriend to your princess, Sir," Harry says while squeezing my hand. Both my parents smile in approval while nodding their heads. As for me, I'm in shock. Did he just say he's my boyfriend?

Wow.