𝐙𝐔𝐌𝐀! | harry styles

𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐈

ROSALIE looks at the dinner party in front of her and zeroes in on Harry's hand covering mine. I think about sliding it out of his grip and begin to do so, but then change my mind. I turn my hand over and squeeze Harry's fingers instead.

Lori makes a surprised squeak and jumps up, hugging Rosalie around her neck. "Honey, I'm so glad you're home!"

Rosalie makes no move to hug her back. She's just standing there with a pretty, pink package in hand. "I came to give Anna a birthday gift." She looks over the table and the remnants of a well-enjoyed dinner. "I guess I didn't get the invitation."

Lori steps back at the tone of her words and puts her hand up to her throat. "We've been trying to get a hold of you for a while, sweetie. We didn't know where you were. You didn't leave a number…" Lori trails off, and I'm mad she feels like she needs to explain anything to the daughter that's been putting her through the ringer for weeks.

I look at Harry, who's looking at Rosalie with a terse expression on his face. I wonder if he feels a little awkward being here with me, or maybe all he can think about is that damn magazine.

Dad puts his napkin down on the table, and his expression matches Harry's. The apprehension charging the room makes my cheese dinner sit like a lump. "Your mother and I have been worried sick about you."

"Yeah, sure looks like it." She sweeps a hand over the table. Lori sucks in a breath and I can see tears glistening in her eyes. It makes me angry that she's not angry. Rosalie looks down at my hand joined with Harry's again. "Didn't take long, did it?" I'm not sure if she's talking to him or me.

Harry's expression changes, and he glares at her for a moment before speaking up. "I'm not sure what you're implying, but nothing happened between Anna and I until we'd broken up." Rosalie looks from him to me. "That is the truth, believe it or don't, but today is Anna's birthday, and I won't let you ruin it."

I'm in awe of just how badass my boyfriend is, talking to Rosalie so strongly in front of our parents.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to ruin her special day," she says with a sarcastic bite. "So you're all chummy now? Like in-laws or whatever?" She looks around the table at all of us, but her stare stops at me. "Guess you got what you wanted."

Dad stands up. "Rosalie, sit down." He nods towards the extra chair in the corner, the one we use when we have to squish family members we hardly see around the table at Thanksgiving.

She looks at him but wisely does so, even if she huffs about it.

His voice is strained. "Do you have any idea how worried we've been about you?"

"Why? I told Mom where I was." She has the audacity to look at her nails like she's bored. I notice they're long, fake, and bright red. Something she never would've had before.

"Telling your mother in the heat of a fight where you've been is hardly the same thing as keeping in touch and letting us know you're safe. You left no phone number, no address, nothing."

"I'm fine."

Dad's voice rises, startling Rosalie. "Fine? You call living with a drug dealer and pimp that gets you into pornography fine?" Her eyes go wide and I can see the moment she realizes he knows. That we all know. The room is deadly silent for a second as she looks at all of us, until Dad continues. "Your mother has called everyone we know. I even went to that dirtbag's used car lot. We couldn't find you."

"You went there?" She looks mad now and I wonder if it's just her defenses or if she really feels no regret.

"Of course I went there. We didn't know where you were!" He pounds his fist on the table and I jump. Harry grasps my hand tighter and scootches closer, almost protectively. Rosalie either doesn't notice or doesn't care. "Rosalie, what are you doing?" Dad stresses and I can see the pain on his face. Lori is sniffling, still standing in place.

"It's none of your business what I do. It's not like you care." Again, she nods towards the leftover party right in front of her and crosses her arms defensively. "I saw the new car in the driveway. Is that the princess's new ride?"

"Enough," Lori says sharply as she throws her hands up and closes her eyes. Her body is shaking slightly and it frightens me. I hope she's not about to have a seizure. When she lowers her arms and looks at Rosalie, there's a new fire singeing the perpetual cloudiness.

"How dare you come in here and try to make anybody feel bad when all we've been doing is worrying ourselves sick over you and whatever it is you're doing with Vince. It's your fault you missed this."

I stare at Lori, shocked. Just like Rosalie.

Harry stands. "Anna, let's go. Let's go hang out with your friends and enjoy what's left of your birthday." I get up, just because I really don't know what else to do.

"I think it's time we all called it a night," Desmond and Anne get up as well, and Lori tells her to just leave the mess when she tries to clear the table.

Rosalie has the smarts to sit quietly as I thank them all for the nice dinner, hugging each one of them and smiling at Anne when she lays a gift on the table. "I'll leave this here for later," she says, and I nod before following Harry to the door after he shakes Dad's hand and kisses Lori on the cheek.

The cool night air is refreshing in my lungs after the toxicity we just left. Harry and I wave at his parents and watch them walk to their car. He starts moving to the Jeep and I put a hand on his arm. "Harry, wait." He stops and looks at me. "I don't think I can leave. I… I think I need to be in there."

He looks at me a moment, his head cocked to the side and his eyes dimming. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. You know like on Eight is Enough when they have a family crisis and they all sit around the living room and discuss it and stuff?"

"Even the twerpy kid?" He laughs, but I can tell it's an effort.

I smile. Adam Rich is a twerp. "Yeah." I swing his hand in mine. "This is my family. And we're having a crisis."

"What about birthday milkshakes and 'after'?" He smiles sadly, and he's so cute I rethink my plans, but shake my head.

"I don't think I would enjoy it," I say truthfully.

He sighs, but folds me into a hug. "I get it. But if things get bad or you think you need to leave, I'll be sitting by the phone."

I inhale a big noseful of his neck and close my eyes, leaning my head against his chest. "I'll call you later either way."

He takes his arms away and holds my face. His eyes shine in the moonlight as he looks at me, and his beauty makes my stomach flip. "Happy birthday," he says softly, before giving me a sweet kiss.

I hold his hand as long as I can while he walks away from me. When our fingers eventually stop sliding against each other, I watch him take a few steps. He makes it halfway to his car before he's coming right back to me in long, purposeful strides. He holds my face again and this time, gifts me with a truly passionate kiss. "I love you, Annabelle," he says against my tingling lips. I can feel him smiling when he kisses me again before turning to leave.

I take that moment with me as I turn the knob on the front door.