Gardens Of Eden (A Harry Styles Story)

35. Walls

Holmes Chapel was a three and a half hour drive from London. 

Aside from school trips, I'd never traveled much. I'd never even been to a friend's house for dinner, let alone for a weekend, and I couldn't help the bubbling uncertainty I felt. Harry and Gemma kept up a steady flow of conversation until just passed the half way mark, when he turned in his seat to focus his smouldering eyes on me. 

"Whatcha doin?" He looked at my phone in my hand.

"Just putting down some thoughts." I closed the note on my phone. 

"You alright?" He asked, saying more in a look than in his friendly tone. My stomach flip-flopped.

"Great," I said, though it felt like a lie, "the views are beautiful, aren't they?" I redirected my attention to the rolling landscape outside the car. It baffled me just how much color there was outside the cement jungle that was London.

"They really are. Have you ever traveled North before?"

"Not really." I admitted.

"It's not like the City." He said lightly, turning towards the front again. My eyes lingered on his sharp profile for a few seconds before I realized Gemma was looking at me in the rear view. I smiled at her briefly and looked away, doing my best to swallow my fears.

**

Our car pulled into the driveway of Harry's childhood home just before 7pm. I took a deep breathe and moved to open the door, eager to stretch my legs. Looking out the window, I made eye contact with the handsome man who was sending me a subtle wink on his way around the car. 

Then the front door opened. 

"Kids! My kids are home!" A woman rushed out in her slippers, embracing Gemma first and pulling Harry in when he got within arms reach. They hugged her back and let her soak up the moment.

I came around the car after them, nervous as hell and focused on being polite.

"Mum, this is Eve." Harry side-stepped to make room for me when the extended hug ended. "Eve, this is my mum, Anne."

"It's nice to meet you." I reached out to shake her hand. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, darlin." Anne said easily. If she was concerned about my injuries, she didn't show it. "Let me give you a hand."

I smiled, telling myself I had no need to worry. Harry seemed confident his mum was going to love me- but I didn't know how that was going to be possible.

"Robin has been cooking up a storm today..." Anne began, leading the way inside. "He went to the market and came back with three chickens, who is going to eat three whole chickens? So I decided we better just make a pot pie..."

She rambled a little as we made our way into the two-story house. The main room was cozy, and very elegantly decorated. I felt like an outsider the second I stepped in the door. It was evident Harry's family was close by the photos on every wall, including ones of Harry and Gemma throughout their school years, ending in grad photos.

I found myself staring at them, remembering all the times I'd wished for such normalcy in my childhood.

Gemma interrupted my thoughts with a nudge.

"Everyone thinks Harry's such a stud now, but they didn't know him back then. Little arse." She teased.

"I was not. I was perfectly lovable." He interjected himself between us and looked at me, "still am." He winked.

"Oh you think so huh?" I said dryly, sharing a look with Gem.

"Wanna see the rooms?" She asked me, making her way to the stairs.