Meet Me in the Hallway (HS AU)

seventy five.

I am literally so scared to put this chapter out because you guys with either love it or hate it hahah fuck. Enjoy x

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Nan and Pa called me right as Harry and I were about to step out of the car so we sat a little longer in the driveway while I spoke with them on loud speaker. Nan took the opportunity to speak to her 'favourite grandson' after finding out he could hear the conversation. After ending the call with them, we exited the car and made our way towards the front step.

My mum and dad had been texting me throughout the morning to wish me a happy birthday, inform me my present was in the mail and confirm that they could call me later. I already felt so overwhelmingly loved by those five people, this was by far my best birthday ever.

Upon entering the house again, I noticed it was quiet. Saturday's had been our downtime days, the six of us mostly just relaxing all day after a stressful week. Both the other bedroom doors were shut and I could hear Ella on the phone in the loungeroom. Turning towards Harry's room, I threw myself down onto our bed before Harry quickly scolded me.

"Don't get too comfortable, darling. You, Clem, Adrian and I are going out for lunch soon."

I moaned, clutching my stomach, "lunch already? I'm still full from breakfast."

He chuckled lightly from the wardrobe, "deal with it, Clem made these plans not me. She's so excited. Never seen the brat so excited for someone else's birthday, usually only her own."

A blush rose up my neck at the thought of being genuinely being excited to spend the day with me. Harry laid down on top of me, wrapping his arms around my waist and nuzzling his face into the crook of my neck. He sighed contently once I started tracing lines up his spine.

"Hey, don't get too comfortable, remember?" I playfully reminded him, continuing to stroke his back.

"Mmm, getting a little comfortable shouldn't hurt. We need to leave at 1pm, so just as long as we're awake by then it's ok."

Harry fell into a deep sleep in my shoulder for a solid 45 minutes until I reluctantly had to shake him awake so we could leave. He became much more cuddly and clingy in his sleepy state. Adrian offered to drive us to the undisclosed lunch destination as soon as he saw us leave the front door.

As soon as my ass hit the back seat, Harry's head was resting on my shoulder again and his fingers had tangled with mine on his lap. Occasionally, he would bring my hands up to his face and kiss my knuckles. Almost every time he did this, I caught Clem's eye from the passenger seat. She was continuously looking back at her brother with a look of awe about her. She was happy that he seemed happy and I found myself once again feeling the sadness of being an only child.

The four of us ended up having a cute little picnic at the park in the centre of town. Occasionally one of the little kids playing on the playground would run over and say hello to us. Their eyes held both excitement and nervousness as they whispered 'hello Mr Styles and Miss Jo' with big toothy smiles.

We arrived home at 3:00pm and Clem and Adrian immediately declared they were having a 'nap' and heading into Clem's room, locking the door behind them. Harry gagged before grabbing my hand and dragging me through the back door.

It was such a beautiful day today that when Harry sat on the grass and leant against the Apple Tree, patting the grass between his open legs, I eagerly sat down to drink in the sunshine with him. His arms wrapped around my shoulders, tugging me to lean against his chest. We sat in silence for a while, his arms around me and mine tracing patterns on his thighs.

"I love you so much, Harry. It's genuinely terrifying. Like I feel as though you would put a restraining order on me if you ever found out just how much I loved you." He laughed behind me, the shaking of his chest was powerful enough to make my body shake too.

"Impossible, baby. You could never scare me away. Besides, I am equally as obsessed with you. I love you so much, it's sickening isn't it?" His arms tightened around me and he took a deep breath.

I nodded my head and closed my eyes. It truly was sickening. If I had seen two people acting the way Harry and I act, I would have vomited. But now I have a newfound appreciation for those couples I would see in public shamelessly showing one another off.

"Can I give you your birthday present now or would you like me to wait until dinner?" He questioned, voice almost a whisper like he wanted this conversation to be a secret even though we were the only ones in the backyard.

"I hope you know you didn't have to get me a birthday present. You've already done so much for me today to make me feel special. With breakfast and then lunch, now this. That is all I could possibly have asked for."

"But I wanted to." He whined like a child and I could just tell he had a sulky pout on his face.

"Will I have to move in order for you to get said present? Because if so, I'm happy to wait. I don't feel like moving at all. Just wanna stay here with you."

"Nope, won't have to move at all. I have it here in my pocket." He tapped his hip twice.

"Damn, and here I was thinking you were just excited to see me."

My faux disappointed tone was enough to pull the heartiest laugh out of him I had ever heard. It echoed off the back of the house and the surrounding fences. I wouldn't be surprised if the next town over had heard it, and lucky them. It was the most beautiful laugh in the entire world, no one would ever be able to top it.

A wrinkled envelope was placed on my lap. It had obviously been in his pocket all day based on the little folds and slight tears it had endured. His grip loosened around me so I could sit up a little. Perhaps a little too excitedly, I tore the top off the envelope and poured its contents into my palm.

My heart stopped.

I snapped my body around to face him faster than I had ever moved in my life. No words had to leave my mouth for him to know what I was thinking.

"Breathe, Josephine." He whispered again.

I held my palm towards him, silently begging him to speak. If I were to open my mouth right now one of two things would happen, I would anxiously puke in his lap or nothing would come out.

The simple, thin golden band shimmered in the light but felt as heavy as an anchor in my palm.

"Don't overthink it, baby. It can mean whatever you want it to mean. It can simply be a gift for a girl who likes jewellery, it can be a promise, it can be the start of an adventure. Fuck Jo, it can even be returned if you want it to be. The point is, you're the boss. I saw a pretty ring that I thought you would like and I have no expectations around you doing anything more than liking it. You are the boss, Josephine Cook. You can wear it on whatever finger you choose, it can even sit in a drawer and never see the light of day again."

My chest was tight, my throat was dry and my head was pounding. My hands began to shake and my lower lip quivered. I was so afraid at this very second but not because of how bad I wanted to say no.

Because of how bad I wanted to say yes.