Living with Styles

twenty-eight

I lay on my bed, crying.

Today's date is July 23, 2014. Exactly 5 months after my mother's death.

It's also my mother's birthday.

There's a knock on my door. "Bella, I want to take you out to lunch." Harry says.

I sniff. "Why?"

"Because it's a special day and I think you might need some help getting through it."

"What do you mean?" Does Harry remember my mom's birthday?

"It's, uh, you know. Her birthday." His voice is quiet, but it's loud enough so I can hear.

"You remembered?"

"Of course I remembered, Bell."

I get up and walk over to the door. I open it to find Harry in a black v-neck and his signature black skinny jeans.

I stand on my tippie-toes and wrap my arms around Harry's neck. He's a little taken aback, but soon puts his arms around my torso in a comforting, brotherly way.

I've never really voluntarily hugged Harry. He would always hug me, or it would be a group hug type thing.

I'm not sure why I'm hugging him. Maybe it's just cause he remembered mom's birthday and it somehow touched me in a weird and special way. Maybe. I'm not sure.

I pull away and force a smile. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything."

-

"So, what do you want to eat?" Harry's eyes skim the menu.

I roll my eyes. "I think that's pretty obvious."

"What?"

"I'm having chicken tenders with fries and a side of ranch."

Harry fights a smile and nods.

I take a bite out my ranch dipped chicken tender.

"So about that trip to Cheshire-"

"I'm not going." I snap.

He draws back. "Okay. Your mind hasn't changed. That's fine."

I clench my jaw, but then I take another bite.

"Why do you want me to go so bad anyway?" I ask with my mouthful.

He shrugs. "I figured it'd be fun."

"Well, I'm not going." I say again.

Harry nods. "I know. You've made that clear."

-

*Harry's POV*

I take out my phone and text Liam: She isn't budging.

Try harder. He sends back.

Nothing's working. Bells isn't going to come to Cheshire with us. She's too stubborn. Like me.

-

"Will you go away?!" Bella sniffs from the inside of her room.

"I was just gonna ask if you wanted anything for dinner."

"I'm not hungry." She snaps.

I turn the knob and walk into her light pink room.

She's sitting on her bed, looking at the pictures as usual.

I sit next to her and pick up a picture.

It's of my mom right after I left. I can tell because of the way she looks. Also the date on the back.

"I like this one." Bella picks up a photograph of us smiling and laughing and laughing at each other. My cheesy smile and her toothless one.

I take the picture from her hand and study it. "I like this one, too." The corner of my lip turns up slightly.

I look up and my eye catches something hanging on her vanity mirror. I had noticed it before, but never really gave much attention to it. I wasn't really interested in what it was, until now.

I stand up and get a closer look. It's of Bella an I smiling at each other. By the way we're dressed, I can tell that it was taken at her 15th birthday party.

"Where'd you get this one?" I ask, still looking over the photograph on the mirror.

"I'm actually not sure. It just showed up in the box one day. I think one of the boys or Perrie took it." She lets out a small chuckle. "It's my favorite picture." She admits, and then looks down at her hands.

I'm in her favorite picture. Her favorite picture is of me and her. Us. What's left of the Styles.

"Harry?" She stands up.

"Yeah, Bell?" I take a step closer to her.

"You know how you left?"

Are we really bringing this up again?

"Yes, Bella. I know."

"And you know how I said I'd never forgive you?"

"Yes." I'm growing a little anxious now.

"Well," she chokes on her words a little. "Well, I do."

"You what?"

She looks back up at me with emerald green eyes.

"I forgive you, Harry."