Guilty Pleasure (A Harry Styles Fan Fiction)

Chapter 28

I woke up extra early the next morning and got ready as quickly as I could, changing into simple sweats and tying my hair back carelessly. When I walked back into the room, Daisy was stepping into her shoes with her backpack slung over her shoulder.

“Avery went home so she could change before her first class.” She told me. “We better get going if we want to go to the coffee shop before class starts.”

“Um, actually, I’m going to skip coffee today.” I told her nervously, earning a confused glare. “I have to call my mom and talk to her about... Harry.”

Daisy smiled. “Good luck, Ray,” she said before exiting the room.

I threw myself onto my bed and took deep breaths, working up the courage to call my mom. I stared at my phone screen for an unbearably long amount of time before finally hitting the call button. It took a few rings before she picked up, and for a moment I thought that maybe I’d luck out and wouldn’t have to face my fear. But, deep down, I knew that it was time; maybe her voice on the other end was a blessing in disguise.

“Hello?” My cheery-voiced mother answered her phone.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, sweetheart! How are you?”

“I’m good. I have class soon and I wanted to call you before I left.”

“This sounds important.”

“It is, Mom, and since Dad is at work, this is the perfect opportunity to talk to you. I want you to keep an open mind, okay?”

“Okay... Should I be worried, Ray?”

“I have a boyfriend.” I blurted out.

“A boyfriend? A real, serious boyfriend?”

“Yes, a real one; a real one without Dad’s approval. So, remember to keep an open mind while you listen: his name is Harry Styles, he’s twenty-three, he’s British, and... he has a ridiculous amount of tattoos and a lip piercing.”

“Tattoos?” She exhaled audibly. “Is he nice?”

“Yes, Mom, he’s very nice. And he’s very smart.”

“Does he make you happy? Is this relationship serious?”

“Yes, he makes me insanely happy. And I wouldn’t be telling you if it wasn’t serious. He means a lot to me and I don’t want to hide him away because of Dad’s tendency to be overly judgmental. I know he won’t approve, but I’m twenty-one and I can decide who I want to date.”

“You know that your father is just worried. After Savannah, he’s terrified of everything. He doesn’t want to lose you.”

“I’m sick of always hearing that excuse. It’s a shitty excuse.”

“Please be reasonable, Reina-”

“No, Mom, you be reasonable. Please just listen to me for once. Savannah died sixteen years ago, and it was her own fault. I am beyond careful of who I’m around because Dad has scared me shitless of the world. Harry is a good guy; he doesn’t even drink and he can protect me better than Dad ever could, no matter how great he thought he was at it.” I paused. “For my twenty-first birthday, I got to go to Mexico with Daisy. Now, I’m asking for another present: freedom.”

A few seconds of silence passed and I could practically hear my mother’s mind reeling. When she interrupted the quiet buzzing of the phone, the words she spoke were not ones that I expected to hear, “Invite him over for dinner on Friday; I’d like to meet him. I’ll talk to your father and I’m sure he’ll come to terms with it.”