Rented

Chapter 38

Harry has left a note for me on the bed side table and it reads as so: Dear Amelia, I have gone to class for I have responsibilities I must take care of. Fear not, today is my last day and then I am yours forever. I will think of you every passing moment. Most sincerely, your Harry. X

Swoon.

Although I know he is partly joking I can't help but feel butterflies, scratch that, freaking bees buzzing around in my stomach like it is filled with honey. His words bring me back to the first emails we ever exchanged. He was so professional and good with words, I instantly knew he was going to be charming.

He's also good with other things, my hormonal subconscious adds.

Stop it, you!

Before getting out of bed I unplug my phone and type a quick reply to my messenger.

Loved the note, hope to see you tonight...

No, I delete it before it gets sent.

That sounds pathetic. I don't hope to see him tonight I need to. He's always the one planning the dates and being romantic, granted it's not like we've been to many dates but he is more thoughtful and open on making me feel special so I feel as though I should gather the courage to make the first move. I'll invite him to a date! Sure, no biggie. But where could I take him? What if he doesn't like what I plan or doesn't have the right clothes for it?

Shut up Amelia, you're just stressing yourself out, my subconscious snarls as she watches with disappointment my hyperventilating.

She's right, I need to calm down. It is only Harry, the person I love and who strongly cares for me. I'm sure whatever we do he will love. Suddenly I get the oddest idea. What if I ask my mom? Wow I never thought I would even think that but she said she would try to act like a normal mom, isn't this what normal mothers do?

Before I can think about it for too long I brush my teeth and rush downstairs to search for her. Since she works from home and has a ton of people working for her I'm almost sure she will be home and am proven to be correct when I find her typing on her laptop in the living room, her legs crossed and dressed in a long, pencil skirt with complete makeup.

She hears me come in and lowers the screen to pay attention and her face alights when she sees it's me. Weird.

I look anywhere but at her smiling face and ask "Where's everyone?" The silence too unbearable to stand in this giant house.

"You just missed your brother, he went out to play ball or something" she emphasizes on the word ball like it is an unknown term and I snort "And your daddy's working, as usual"

At the mention of daddy I almost chocked, literally. I start coughing like I do in situations too uncomfortable to bare. My hand holds onto my chest as I try to get air back in my lungs and I feel mom come beside me and start hitting me with all her might in the back. I signal that I'm okay with my hands so she backs away before I cough out my lungs, that really just made it worse. When I am able to stop coughing long enough to breath I feel much better, in spite of the burning in my throat. While wiping my tears I apologize, mortified that the mention of the word daddy coming from my mom got me so flustered.

I guess for a minute I thought she was referring to Harry and lost it. I thought maybe she had heard us last night and was rubbing it in my face but as she watches me bewildered it's clear her comment was innocent and my mind is the perverted one. Damn you, Styles.

Mom guides me to the brown leather couch she was sitting in before "Honey, are you feeling okay? Is your asthma acting up again, I thought you didn't get that anymore" she looks my face over.