I Remember You Laughing [Larry Stylinson]

Chapter 1 - Head Still On The Game

Harry didn't mean to get home so late. He was back in the bus as soon as the game was over, but there had been a massive traffic pile up in the heart of the city due to an accident blocking vehicles from exiting and held the bus up for nearly two hours. The passengers made the most of the delay by singing loudly and cheering because their team had won the game for the first time; with Niall in the lead since he opted to leave the game with Harry's bus instead of going with the team's.

Niall was amazing like that. He always chose to sit with Harry at lunch instead of his other mates, aware that Harry would feel left out because he didn't have anything in common with the football crew. Harry had insisted that he go on his team's bus so he could celebrate with them but Niall shrugged it off and jumped in behind Harry, explaining that they already had a victory party planned that evening back home. "Besides, I told your mum I wouldn't let you out of my sight!" he had reasoned.

Harry was grateful for his best friend, as his mom wasn't usually so easily persuaded. Niall had a way with words. He already had girls swooning over him; and spent most of the trip talking about how his crush will definitely go out with him now that he won a game.

When Harry had gotten home that night, he expected to be given a full lecture, yelled at, and grounded. He immediately started to explain that his phone went dead etc. . . etc..., but his mother just gave him a stern warning, almost breaking down and mysteriously retreated to her room. She barely came out since, leaving Harry to do more than his share of the farm work. He figured she was mad at him beyond words.

Harry snapped back up in the bed, suddenly remembering he had chores to do before he could relax and enjoy his time alone. He jogged back down the stairs and took the next hour running up and down the farm with his dog, Cliff, throwing feed for the chickens and ducks, and cleaning animal poo. He even helped out Cord, the hired stable hand.

Last, he went to check on the newborn lambs. While feeding them baby bottles, he thought about Niall and how he actually did get his crush to go out with him twice already. He hadn't gotten a chance to properly hang out with him in school since the game because of his new girlfriend and exams. He was happy for Niall but he himself never really looked at girls that way. Not that he would ever tell Niall or anyone else. . .

His mind drifted off again to the game...The damaged player. He grabbed up all the empty baby bottles and headed back, feeling hungry now.

The sun was bright today, spreading its light over the meadows of the countryside, while the flowers danced in the gentle breeze. As Harry enjoyed the walk back up to the house, keen on whipping up some dinner and getting in some guitar practice, he spotted a familiar white Honda Civic parked in the driveway, and let out a loud gasp.

Dropping the bottles, he made a mad dash for the house, sprinting up the back stairs to the kitchen. He stuck his head in the doorway; and sure enough, peering into the refrigerator while giggling into her cell phone, was a tall girl in a washed-out denim jacket and black skinnies, with long, straight hair, the same color as Harry's.

"Gemma!" he exclaimed, arms and eyes wide open.

She spun around, startled.

Harry ran over, scooping her up and spinning her around before setting her back down. "You're back!" he said excitedly, still squeezing her tight.

"Harry! Oh my goodness!" she marveled at how strong the petite boy was.

". . .Yeah, Harry just came in!" She laughed into the phone.

"It's Mum on the phone," she mouthed silently to Harry. He let go of her, rolling his eyes and started taking stuff to cook out of the refrigerator while she talked.

"Um...Harry, did you feed the lambs?" She looked to him from the phone as she sat, propping her thread-bare knees on the dining table.

"Yes!" he groaned, stooping down. He spotted the partial glow of a blue shiny packaging in the far corner of the cold shelf -behind the marinating chicken breasts, a jar of mayonnaise, and a giant head of lettuce, which all had to come out on the counter anyway- and pulled out a pack of chocolate cookies.

"He said yeah," the girl relayed to their mother, eyes zooming in on the chocolate disk now in her brother's hand.

Putting on his apron, Harry shook his head and nibbled on his cookie. Harry swore he answered about a hundred questions sent to him through Gemma's phone.

"Okay, see you later Mum!" She made a kissy noise before hanging up.

"She left everything for me do and locked herself in her room all week! She wouldn't have asked me any of those things if she were here!" Harry said, eyebrows creased.

With a knowing look, Gemma plucked the cookie from Harry's hand and ruffled his hair. "We can talk about it on the road. We're going pick up Mum!"

"What?" Harry was confused. "From the funeral?"

"She said the truck- broke- down?" Gemma said questioningly, biting the cookie.

"I know! The mechanic is coming next week to fix it. She said she was going on the bus!" Harry was totally confused.

"Well. . . She said she wanted us to meet some people, so put that stuff back and go wash up!" Gemma said, shrugging.

Harry rolled his eyes again and got up to go shower. So much for my free time, he thought, shoving the lettuce back in the refrigerator.

He gave his older sister a frowning, 'kill-me-now' face when she added, "Oh yeah, Harry? Mum said to bring your guitar!"