The sun is hidden behind the grey clouds, as it rains.
The peaceful sound of the raindrops hitting the roof of Harry's beautiful home.
The coolness of the winter air invading the bedroom, waking me up as my body searches for more warmth to continue sleeping next to the man I adore.
Usually when I'm awoken by the feeling of being cold, I bury myself more under my duvet and curl up, seeking for any type of heat that could help me fall back asleep.
But today, with a smile on my face, I move closer to Harry and press my head against his warm chest.
During the night he had turned so that he was facing me. His arm loosely draping over my waist.
With my movements, Harry wrapped his arm tighter around me in his sleep and somehow pulled me closer to him.
Within seconds, I was completely warm. And I felt it, the feeling I felt last night. The feeling of my heart aching, pounding. In a beautiful way.
And with that, I was asleep again.
Harry and I both stirred, both of us obviously hearing the sound of knocking coming from the front door. We both groaned as the knocking continued solidly.
Whoever it was better have a good excuse as to why they seem so desperate.
Harry groggily pulled the duvet off us. He got out bed and lazily pulled on his underwear and shorts, leaving his torso bare.
I watched as he walked out of his room and listened as he descended the stairs.
My curiosity got the better of me as I stood from his bed myself, finding one of his hoodies that was carelessly thrown on the floor.
I made my way to the staircase and peered down.
"No." I heard him say to the mystery person.
"Come on Harry, just let me in." A woman pleaded.
"I said no, Andrea." He warned.
I held my breath, hoping to not blow my cover. I desperately wanted to see what this woman looked like. So like any other normal person, I laid down on my stomach and peered around the wall beside the staircase.
She was beautiful.
"Why not Harry." She whined, stepping closer to him. "What we have is great."
What?
"What we had." Harry corrected, closing the door slightly to indicate that she isn't welcome. "Besides, it mustn't have been so great considering you felt the need to cheat on me with my brother."
What?
"Harry, baby, let's forget about that. Let's go back to what we were. Who we were. That wasn't me."
"It sure as fuck looked like you when I caught you handcuffed to my bed while Darren... just leave."
"Is there someone else?" Her index finger was now gliding up and down his chest seductively.
"Yes." He groaned as he stepped back and slammed the door in her face.
With that I leapt up and quietly, but quickly entered his room again.
I dove into the bed and curled up onto my side, pretending to be asleep and like I hadn't just heard the most confusing conversation ever.
I listened as Harry slowly walked up the stairs, into his bedroom and up to his bed where I lay.
He sighed as he lay himself back down beside me.
Usually he would cuddle up to me, but he seemed to be keeping his distance so I turned around and smiled sleepily at him.
"Who was at the door?" I shuffled closer to him.
"Uhhh... Jehovah's witness." He lied. "They, um, you know, tried to sell me their book."
"Oh, didn't interest you?"
"Usually I'd be interested, but I've realised they've already sold it to my brother. So I guess I can just ask him if I wanted to know." He huffed with annoyance and I almost laughed at the hidden message.
"I didn't know you have a brother." I sat up, now, hoping he may open up and ease my mind about what I had just overheard.. on purpose.
"We don't speak."
"Do you mind me asking why?"
"He did something horrible." He said. Another hidden message he thought I wouldn't understand.
"Is that why you live here and not in London?"
"Yeah. I had to get away. I couldn't take being the second best when it came to my brother and I anymore." And with that I knew I won't be asking anymore questions. There was definitely a tone of pain in his voice and if he wanted to speak about it, he'd speak up when he's ready.
We spent the day in bed, watching movies and enjoying each other... twice.
It was now late and I knew I had to go home and prepare myself for the new week of school. I kissed Harry goodnight and snuck out the back fence, having to walk through the field behind his house as a route to get to mine.
We established this was more necessary than just walking in and out of the front door as the neighbours have learnt that Harry is a teacher at the local high school. I've been living in this neighbourhood my whole life that my neighbours also know I attend that school. We can't expect all the neighbours to be stupid to not put two and two together.
I woke up half an hour before my alarm woke me. I was too giddy to go back to sleep so I had a shower and prepared myself for school slowly.
Louis had baseball practice so he wouldn't be driving me to school today. I'd be fine with it if the only reason he signed up to be on the team wasn't because Dylan was the captain. This resulted in me walking to school in the freezing winter air.
I can't wait for August to arrive, my father has promised me a car for my 18th birthday.
If I were any other girl with an ordinary dad who wasn't away for majority of my life I would decline the offer and work my ass off for a car myself. But considering my brother and I have fended for ourselves since our mother passed away and have paid for everything ourselves besides the random "allowance" we'd receive for him, I'd say it's a pretty good gift.
Liam works a full time job as an accountant so he is paid fairly well. I appreciate him supporting me and giving me money whenever I need to go out or if I need to buy necessities, but I wish it weren't like this. I used to work at the grocery store up the road from my house, but Liam basically forced me to quit as I entered my last year of high school. Something about "focusing solely on studying".
How'd that work out for me, Liam?
I didn't realise I was walking into the school gates until someone called my name.
"Hey Ashton." I hugged him.
I still hang out with the boys here and there, but not as much as I used to. Callum and Ashton now have girlfriends and spend most of their time with them. Luke is "hardcore studying" to be able to study overseas next year and Michael has given me the cold shoulder due to the whole Harry fiasco. He claims to still love me like a sister, but he doesn't want to sit around watching something that he is so against. I don't blame him.
Ashton walked me to my locker while asking me for some advice from a girl's perspective after fighting with his girlfriend.
"Ashton. Having a fight over who gets the bigger piece of cake is not that big of a deal. Just buy her a new cake and apologise. She'll love it and get over it." I roll my eyes, laughing.
He kisses me on the cheek and thanks me as he runs back out of the school doors, yelling that he was going to go buy the cake now.
I shake my head while unlocking my locker, getting ready to head to my first class.
"Hey cutie."
"Hey Louis. How was baseball?"
"Tiring. How do people get up so early to play a sport?" He whines.
"Well, you'd know if you actually enjoyed the sport and not the view."
"I don't even know if the view is worth it anymore." He huffs, opening his own locker beside me.
"What do you mean?"
"Aren't openly gay people meant to have a gay raider or something? Surely he can tell I'm into him."
"Oh my god, Louis. Just talk to him. You don't know unless you try." I groan. We walk into class and sit beside each other. Harry isn't in class yet so we have some time to talk before class starts.
"How are things at home? Has Lottie spoken to you yet?" I ask.
"Nope. My parents tried to sit us down so that we could understand each other. But she wouldn't have a bar of it." He sighs. "I drove her to school this morning for the first time in forever. We didn't say a word to each other."
I sigh out of frustration. What's her problem.
Just as I was about to completely bad mouth Louis' sister to him, Harry walks in and just by one look at him I can tell someone is really bothering him.
"Turn to page 46 in your textbooks and read to page 60." He bluntly says, making the whole class murmur with annoyance.
He sits at his desk and types away on his laptop, clearly in no mood to teach today. I pull out my phone and text him.
Me:
Are you okay?
I watch as he looks at his phone and places it back down without replying.
Oh.
Class ends after a very long time. Louis and I walk out and I don't bother to show Harry any acknowledgment. If he wanted any sort of attention than he would have replied. I wasn't going to bother him.
"What's with your man?" Louis pries.
"If I knew, I'd tell you."
"Did anything happen between the two of you?"
"No, we had an amazing weekend." I was just as confused as he was.
"Amazing, eh?" Louis wriggles his eyebrows at me and I blush.
"Yeah..." I subtly admit.
"No way!" He yells.
"Lou, please stop." I laugh, covering my face with my hands.
And then he abruptly stopped bouncing around and looks at me seriously.
"You don't think he regrets it and that's why he's being all shitty now, do you?"
"Well... I do now." I stop walking and look at him.
"Aaaand back to hating him I go." Louis grumbles.
"We don't know for sure Louis." I say, trying to convince myself more than him.
Just as Louis is about to reply, something catches his eye and he freezes.
"Is that a new teacher with Harry?" He asks, pointing to someone behind me.
When I turn around to have a look for myself, my face immediately feels hot. Anger washes over me like never before.
I use all my strength to hold myself back from punching someone straight in the face.
There he is, Harry, walking beside the woman who was part of the reason why he left his country.
The same woman who I secretly watched flirt with him at his front door yesterday morning.
The woman who cheated on him with his own brother.