http://www.polyvore.com/lego_house/set?id=81367590&lid=1815555 -----> Maja's leather outfit
"You always do that! You always screw up and then assume I'm here to fix it! No, Harry! Not anymore! Go smoke your stuff and sleep with all those pretty girls! You were happy then! You said so yourself."
“I didn’t bloody mean that! You’re taking what I said in a different bloody argument and turning this into something else!”
“Something else?”
“That was a different argument! And I didn’t mean it! I’d never mean that! And I didn’t mean to screw up! I’m sorry!”
“Are you?”
“Yes. Please, I’m sorry.”
“Fine! Fine.”
“We good?”
Harry exhaled slowly, looking up at the threatening black rain clouds.
"Haz, you alright? You look stressed. Or at least lost in the world of everything. And it’s a big world."
"Yeah. I'm fine. Just thinking."
"Dangerous.”
“Ha ha(!) You’re quite the comedian(!)”
“Shut up, loser. You working today?"
"Nah. Wanted to spend time with my lovely lady. Actually, I told Maja I'd be home for lunch so I better get off."
"You do realise that she's gonna scream at you as you’re gonna stink of the multiple fags that you’ve been smoking?"
"She won't yell. She'll just sigh and be disappointed. But she'll be glad that it’s just fags."
"How's that cold turkey going?"
"Sucks so badly.”
Zayn laughed as Harry pouted at him.
"Thanks for the support, mate(!)"
"You're totally gonna die."
"Actually, the point is I'm not. But who wants to live?"
"Not addicts."
"There are less deadly addictions. So ‘addicts’ is too vague a term."
"Yeah but yours was too deadly. Go home to your lady already."
Harry stubbed out his cigarette before walking homewards. He walked for about twenty minutes before turning onto his street. He could hear kids yelling and screaming at each other and he smiled. A year ago he’d have been stuck in a tiny neighbourhood living with about seven other people and it would’ve been his death around the corner. Now he had a girlfriend, a good life and shop at the corner.
"Maj?"
"I'm in the kitchen."
He walked into the kitchen and sighed as he smelt macaroni cheese. Maja's comfort food. Something was up. He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Maj, what's wrong?"
"When did I say something was wrong?"
"I know you, Maja. Tell me."
"The fight."
"What?"
"The big fight."
"Maja, that was two months ago. Look at me now. You've been so good for me."
"I don't wanna be good for you. I don't wanna control you."
He turned Maja round to face him but she kept looking down.
"Wait, that's what you think our relationship is? You as mum and me as the troubled son?"
"Well, yeah."
Harry frowned before sitting down at the place that Maja had set for him.
"Baby, you're not my mother. Believe me, I'm glad of it. You’re better than my mother. And I couldn't have my friends hitting on such a hot mum. Which they would because you’re über-hot."
Maja chuckled before sitting down. She bit her fingers before Harry groaned in frustration.
“Maj, what else is it?”
"My mum called. She wants me to go see her."
"Well, when you going?"
"I'm not."
"What?"
"She wants me and my boyfriend to come."
Harry paused, looking at Maja as she pushed her pasta around her plate.
"And you don’t want to take me because you're ashamed of me."
"No. Never.”
“Then why can’t she meet me?”
“I don't want her near you. Because of her, not you."
"Fine. But I think we should go."
“Really?”
“Yes.”
"Have you got enough time off work for it?"
"Arggghhh. Maybe she can come visit us? I promised Paul I'd definitely be in Saturday to Tuesday."
"I thought the shop was closed Sunday? And you've said a couple of days ago that you’ve got Monday off."
"His best friend wants this sleeve done and so I said I'd do it Sunday and Monday. I have to be in Saturday ‘cause he'll be out of action, along with Louis, as Louis' doing Paul's new one Saturday and Sunday. And then I've promised Niall his new one straight after work Tuesday."
"That's fine. I'll tell her to come down tomorrow night and then she can go back next Friday."
"Cool."
And they proceeded to eat gross amounts of pasta, not only during that meal but up until the arrival of Maja's tyrant of a mother.
"Maja? The doorbells ringing."
"I'm getting it."
She smoothed over her dress once more before admitting defeat against the tiny crinkles. She trudged downstairs before opening the door incredibly slowly.
"Mum."
"Maja. It's good to see you."
She pulled Maja into a pathetic hug and Harry forced down a smile before stepping forward.
"And I'm Harry."
He held out his hand and she studied his tattoos with a look of complete horror. Oh, good(!)
"Who?"
"Harry. Maja's boyfriend. I live with her."
"I think you've made a mistake, sweetie. Maja's boyfriend is called Steve."
Harry sucked in his cheeks as if he'd eaten a sour sweet. Steve was Maja's ex. He'd tried to get Maja using. And Harry didn't want her falling into that trap as they'd become friends. Heck, he’d fallen completely and totally in love with her. There was a major fight between Steve and Maja and then an even bigger and way more physical fight between Steve and Harry and Maja left with Harry. Now if Maja has fights they were with Harry but they could always fix them eventually, even if they felt bad afterwards.
"Mum, Steve and I broke up a long time ago. Probably not long enough ago. Harry saved me from that farce of a relationship."
"Did he now? Saving you, that it?"
She murmured the questions to Maja but Harry heard her perfectly fine but he kept quiet.
"Yes. He did. Steve was abusive and tried to rape me and all sorts of awful disgusting things."
She said it so seriously and so aggressively that even Harry was taken aback. He knew Steve hadn't been a perfect boyfriend but he didn't know half of this stuff ‘cause Steve hadn’t even that bad to Harry and he knew the dark side of Steve. But he did note how she failed to tell her mother why they'd met.
"Maja, you're being completely overdramatic. As per usual."
Her mother walked past her into the kitchen and Maja shook her head at Harry knowing full well how he was feeling. Harry was fighting off his temper but this woman's presence was infuriating.
"No, I'm not. Have a little ounce of faith in your daughter."
"Steve just seemed so very sweet."
"Well, he wasn't. At all."
Harry calmed himself and sat at the table whilst Maja’s mother gazed around the room, surveying the small but tidy space.
"It's a nice little house."
The 'nice' seemed so sarcastic you could actually see Maja wince in pain at the insult. Harry frowned at her before speaking.
"It's nice enough for us. Food?"
"It's pretty much ready. I'll just serve up. Pass me three bowls please, Harry."
Maja served up three helpings before they all sat at the table.
"Pasta. That's.....adventurous."
This woman's apparently, or so she assumed, clever sarcasm was getting to Maja and really pissing Harry off.
“It’s delicious, Maj. Mrs Connors, I was just telling Maja before you came that she’s really grown since I was first introduced to her.”
“She’s tall now?”
“No, I mean that she’s grown up. When I first met her she was a very young teenager. Now she’s certainly a woman.”
“I don’t need to know your bed side manner, thank you very much.”
Harry spluttered, sending pasta basically everywhere.
“Mum! Stop! That’s not what he meant!”
“Isn’t it?”
“No! I meant she can now look after herself and work a decent job and get on with her life. When she first arrived she was hanging out with idiot druggies and barely making rent cause she couldn’t get a job.”
“You took drugs?”
Harry mentally facepalmed as he realised what he’d just started with that sentence.
“No, Mum. Steve did.”
Okay, maybe it wasn’t going to be so bad. At least not yet.
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Now, once we’ve finished the pasta we have butterscotch angel delight for pudding.”
“I thought he said you knew how to look after yourself now?”
“Simple food is fine. I happen to have simple tastes.”
“Does he?”
She gestured at Harry’s arms and Harry stifled an aggravated groan.
“Harry’s a tattoo artist, Mum. Him being inked isn’t a big deal.”
“And are you inked?”
“I have a few. Not as many as him. He did my first and his friend Niall did the rest. And Louis might have done one.”
“I will point out that he is in the room.”
Maja smiled at Harry whilst her mother frowned.
“So you thought after one that you didn’t need to trust a professional for the rest?”
“Niall’s also a tattoo artist. He works with me.”
Maja’s mother almost scowled at Harry before turning to Maja, putting down her fork after maybe one bite.
“I’m full. Can you show me to my bedroom?”
Harry smiled whilst Maja showed her mother upstairs. He picked up his phone, scrolling through his contacts.
“Hello?”
“Save me.”
“Harry, I’m busy. You got yourself high in a stupid place again?”
“No.”
“You got in a fight with one of the idiots that we used to hang around with?”
“No.”
“You don’t have enough money to make rent but can’t tell Maja cause she’ll say you wasted the money of stupid stuff like fags or worse?”
“No.”
“You broke up with Maja and she won’t take you back?”
“Thankfully that’s a no.”
Liam paused for a second as Harry squirmed, almost feeling his cousin’s inquisitive but judgemental gaze on him.
“What is it?”
“Maja’s mother.”
“What about her?”
“She totally hates me. She wants Maja to be with Steve.”
“That wasted thing? Has she met him? Doesn’t she to realise that Steve’s a jerk that was gonna get Maja really hurt?”
“She saw sweet Steve. She saw the Steve that conned Maja into our little world.”
“I got out a while back, so it isn’t our little world anymore.”
“How’s the booze?”
“Shut up. I’m off that too now. The nurse wasn’t gonna date a drunk.”
“You got Nurse Peazer then?”
“Yep.”
Harry could hear the smug smile in Liam’s voice.
“Now, go be a perfect boyfriend.”
“Fine. Bye.”
“Bye.”
“Who was that?”
Harry smiled as Maja sat next to her.
“This guy. Liam.”
“Is he sweet?”
“Huh?”
“Aren’t you all sweet? That’s how you ‘lure innocent girls into the den of doom’?”
“I can’t believe you still remember what I said. I know I wasn’t drunk but I may have been high.”
“But it’s kinda true. I wouldn’t have been there if Steve hadn’t been sweet and neither would Anna or Theresa. Though, Theresa will no longer have a problem, God rest her soul, and Anna has long since got rid of Aiden.”
“Actually, Aiden’s clean now. One just has to hope Anna won’t drag him back down. They do still really talk.”
“How’s Claire?”
Harry frowned before looking up at Maja. His voice was cautious as he thought carefully about every word.
“She’s still…….getting high. Why?”
“Is she still the only link you have to them all or…?”
“No, I’m not still shooting up with any of them. Yes, I still talk to my ex-wife. But only Claire. That okay now?”
“I guess.”
“Okay.”
The rest of the week was full of incredibly awkward encounters between Harry and Maja’s mother. Harry actually couldn’t do anything right. Maja even seemed mad at him. But none of it wasn’t that bad until Thursday night.
“Harry, have you seen my leather jacket?”
“Nope.”
“He’s so helpful.”
“Mum. Haz, I’m going to see an evening showing of some black and white movie with mum. I’ll see you when I get back. Evening, Niall. And person?”
“I’m Liam.”
He stood and held out his hand to shake Maja’s.
“Oh, the guy on the phone. Nice to meet you.”
“Thanks. The guy on the phone?”
He tilted his head to the side, looking between Maja and Harry.
“Harry called you last Friday. I asked who you were and he said you were this guy Liam. I didn’t realise you were pizza nights close.”
“I didn’t realise I was this guy far away.”
He turned to give Harry an almost angry but very confused look.
“You didn’t tell her I’m your cousin?”
“What? Harry?”
“We grew up together. Harry’s dad walked when Harry was two ‘cause he was a stupid drunk idiot that didn’t know how to be a dad. Then Harry’s mum moved herself and him into my family’s house before killing herself at some orgy or party or something. She left her kid with us to grow up. Then Dad walks when I’m ten and takes his little girls out of the country, never to be heard from again. Prick. Mum just about makes rent and Harry and I fall into ruin with the rest of the scum of the earth. Like your Steve. Harry marries some girl to get money off her dad, who was a right arse and you knew he was even if he was paying you off, and they end up falling further down than ever.”
“You married Claire for money?”
“Yeah…”
“But I eventually started getting clean. I met a cute nurse and really worked hard. Getting off drugs was fine but the booze was seriously hard. But, as I started to get clean, Steve had brought the ‘angel from heaven’, as Harry put it, into our realm. Harry’s marriage was falling apart and Steve was being the worst person on the damn planet. So Harry asked me to help him get clean so that he could win you. I’m not just his damn cousin, I’m his damn brother. I’m the one that got him hooked up with Zayn, my friend from school, so that he could train as a tattoo artist. Thanks, Harry, for admitting that you’re only human and couldn’t do this all alone. Oh, wait, that’s never gonna happen because you think you’re better than us all, even in the gutter.”
Liam grabbed his jacket, storming past Maja and out of the house.
“Well, he was slightly madder than I was expecting.”
“Actually, I think I might have to be going too.”
Niall grabbed his stuff and scarpered. Maja slammed the living room door and turned her glare to Harry. There was a brief but pained silence before Harry spoke.
“You’re mad too, aren’t you?”
“’You made me want to quit because you made me want to live.’ What the hell was that supposed to mean?!”
“I meant every word of that. Honestly. I just needed Li’s help to kick start it.”
“So, why didn’t you tell me about Liam? He was more than just a guy. He’s blood to start with. And then he’s this amazing person apparently.”
“He wasn’t some amazing person. He was just a brother. Brothers have to be amazing people sometimes. That’s how brotherhood works. That’s how siblings work.”
“I know! I do have three sisters. And they’ve done a heck of a lot for me when they needed to.”
“See? But they don’t need all the glory.”
“They do deserve to be acknowledged. Through this horrific week with my mother you’ve heard all my stories about how my sisters and I helped each other. I heard nothing about Liam. Or the fact that your mum killed herself.”
“Technically she didn’t kill herself. She ODd. She was a druggie, like me. It was how my life was when I was small. It was how I thought life was supposed to go. Being raised by your auntie whilst you find out that you had a big sister that got adopted because your mum didn’t want to raise her. And that she couldn’t raise you. Drugs are the route we’re supposed to take. You’re the one that changed that few of life for me. Not Liam. He just helped when I had a goal in mind.”
Maja frowned before sitting on the sofa.
“So, you’re not proud of your family?”
“It’s not that I’m not proud of them. I just think you’d judge them.”
“I can’t judge the dead. And I don’t judge Liam for helping you.”
“So, I was an idiot for hiding it all?”
“Just like I was wrong for not telling my mum about you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Just remember that when things go down we’re there for each other.”