Rain | Harry Styles

3.5

I resisted the urge to wrinkle my nose, at the one other James I'd met on a couple of occasions back in Seattle at her parties - I'd never liked him much; he was cocky, rude, and entitled, and he happened to bang one of my mates in the bathroom several times. Maybe they'd finally ended up together, properly, after all.

"You too," I replied eventually, as Gemma shuffled over to loop her arms around his waist, pressing a kiss to his cheek, "Alright, lay off the PDA in front of brother here, please."

"Sorry," Gemma grinned guiltily, as I sent her a knowing look - somewhat glad she was happy with this bloke.

"I'm Benjamin," another voice sounded from behind James, and I immediately felt my shoulders tense a little as I looked up.

He was old; that's what I noticed first. I mean, he wasn't old-old, he was most likely Mum's age - but he had fine lines in his forehead that made him look old enough to be Einstein. He had smile lines, which already irritated me, and he was pale - his eyes a bright blue much like his daughter's, and his hair a similar colour.

"Harry," I said a little coldly, ignoring his hand-shake and watching his face fall. A satisfied smirk had began to pull at my lips before Gemma kicked my shin, and I huffed, shaking his hand.

"S'nice to meet you, mate," he smiled awkwardly, before turning to face everybody else, "Dinner's just about done, so - everyone sit, yeah? I just need to grab Livi from upstairs."

I tried not to flinch at the mention of this child again, a sudden fear settling within me - is my mum supposed to be her mum, now? No fucking thanks.

We sat down at the table - me beside Gem and her lad, Liam on the end, and three empty places ahead of us filled moments later by the kid, Bill, and Mum.

"So," my mum smiled brightly, placing the plates of food into the centre of the table and taking a seat in between the kid and Benedict, "how is everyone?"

"Great, Mum - food looks good," Gemma assured her, spooning some salad onto her plate.

I felt everybody's eyes fall onto me as Mum spoke, "Harry?"

"Fabulous," I muttered in response, taking a sip of water as my mum shot me a grateful smile, despite my lack of enthusiasm.

"Harry, how's school?" Benjamin piped up, and I frowned, narrowing my eyes instantly.

"Fine," I shrugged, as Liam shot me a knowing look as if to say "we all know you haven't bloody been".

"Favourite class?" he pressed, and I took a bite of lettuce.

"None of them," I said blankly, pushing a piece of chicken around my plate as I felt everybody staring at me.

"Fair enough," Benedict laughed awkwardly, before turning to the kid, "eat up, Livi."

"I don't like salad, Daddy," she whined, pushing the plate full of green away from her with a pout, as I narrowed my eyes, growing more and more irritated with the kid by the second.

"Eat up, and then you can have some ice cream, yeah?" Mum pressed, and I rolled my eyes. That old chestnut. Mum must've pulled that on me a thousand times when I was younger.

The rest of dinner dragged on tantalisingly slow, and within a half hour of sitting there - I mean, who takes that long to eat dinner? - I was desperate to get away.

The kid was rambling to Gemma about some shitty colouring book Daddy had got her, while Mum chattered on to Bill about something I didn't care to listen to. Liam, on the other hand, hadn't said a word, incredibly unlike him as he didn't eat a thing, pushing his food nervously around his plate as he muttered something under his breath.