The Parent Plan » Harry Styles

Chapter 2

   During the first few years with raising Jake she had thought so little about herself, thinking that she was a terrible mother and that she's incapable of ever finding someone again because every time she'd hit it off with a lad she'd have to tell them that she has a son – usually, that was the deal breaker and they'd scurry off with some lame excuse.

   Monica didn't like to talk – even think about him or what's to come.

   So after a few minutes on the road toward the school – with less than eight minutes to get there –, Monica didn't know what to say when Jake asked about his father. It wasn't necessarily out of the blue, because they had just passed a park where a father pushed his (presumably) baby on a swing. Jake had watched the interaction when they'd stopped at a red light, wondering where his father was.

   Besides, it wouldn't be long before Jake started to ask about him (she just hoped he hadn't asked so soon, especially since she wasn't prepared to answer it) because he was surrounded with other kids with both a mother and father, and he only had a mother.

   "Not right now, Jake. Mummy's driving," she murmured with a sigh, trying not to show any emotion on her face even though her grip tightened on the wheel. "Let's just focus on getting you to school, yeah?"

   "Okay," Jake muttered before turning his gaze back to the window. Suddenly, he wasn't so excited about his first day of school because his curiosity was getting stronger and the more it did the more he knew that it just wasn't the time to bring up his father. He could tell by how her voice hardened, and how stiff she had gotten – this was such a soft spot for her, anyone could see that. He just wanted to know where his father was.

   Although Monica had no reason to be quite tense with him for this was the first time he had ever asked about his father – thank goodness for that – and he simply asked where he was. The thing was, she didn't even know. Monica hadn't had contact with the lad after he refused to answer her phone calls or texts

   If she even told Jake that she didn't know where he was, he would've been upset and she doesn't want that – especially on his first day of primary school.

   Once the car came to a halt, Monica glanced down at her watch and realized that she only had a minute and a half to get her son in those doors. Heaving a sigh, she quickly exited the vehicle and helped Jake out from his 'big boy' car seat before carrying him to the parent drop off – no doubt she'll be scolded by the other parents for being late or thinking about how she was too young to be a mother or whatever. Which wasn't the case Monica was a proper adult; she just had that gene of looking younger than she actually was.

   "Sorry I'm late!" Monica whisper-shouted once entering the building, making various parents look over to her. She ignored all of them as she placed Jake on the ground, squatting down to be eye-level with him. "Now, bud, go make some friends and have a terrific day. Give Mum a kiss."

   The small boy complied, giving his mother a kiss on the cheek before running toward the classroom but not before seeing a friend of his. "Athena!"

   "Jake!" A voice called back before she was set down, running to meet Jake and into hug. Monica rose from her squatted position and scanned the room for this girl's father and or mother. And though she should be slightly concerned that her son didn't tell her of his new friend, she wasn't because finally spotted the girl's parent which stood a few inches away from the two kids.

    And then it happened all at once.

   Green jade eyes met hazel ones, her posture straightened, her heart beat picked up and a shy smile was being sent over to the familiar looking lad. Monica slowly walked over, her right hand rubbing over her left arm because she was nervous not only because he was very attractive but because he was once part of a band that she was completely obsessed with – not that she'd ever admit it out loud.