INDECENT 》Harry Styles #Wattys2018

》Chapter One.

"I want to dedicate this story, which it was suggested by the best cousin ever, to @roselovesh .

Edited by: _rose

***
I knock at the door and pop my head into the kitchen. My mother is buried in papers, her hair is up in a messy ponytail while her forehead is crossed by a deep frown as she massages her temples and scrutinizes the bills in front of her.

I carefully walk in to stand next to her, placing my hands at the top of her shoulders.

''Mom. You should go and get some rest. You're worn out.'' She sighs and rubs her wrist over her eyes like she'd want for them to come off; she must have a headache again.

''I'm fine Jade. Besides, if I don't finish tonight, I don't know when I'll get the chance to.'' I sadly smile and have a seat right next to her. I rest a palm over her shoulder giving it a little squeeze just to comfort her. It's not much, but I know it's everything for her.

We have been struggling these past years. She's doing the impossible to keep us alive, working hard every day till her feet bleed and her eyes are circled by dark  shadows. She is exhausted.

'' There's no need to stress over bills, I'll give them a look tomorrow morning.''

Her worried eyes lock with my own and for a moment, I watch  as she searches for any glimpse of anger inside of me, any warning saying I'm gonna burst and eventually get mad. I'm sure she believes this is all her fault: our economic situation, the fact that we spent till the last penny we had spared for College, to keep the house and a plate on the table, but I know it's not.

Bad things happen every day and you do the best you can to survive. It doesn't matter how hard you want to find someone to blame, when you can't, you either blame yourself or go on. I moved on while she still blames herself.

'' I just... want you to go to College. I know you'd be the best student there and my heart aches thinking money is the reason you're not going.'' I shrug and catch her hands in mine, stroking the rough surface. Her fingers are full of cuts, so far away from my childhood's memory of her velvet touch.

'' It's not that important, mom. I can take a year off and meanwhile we can get settled, find nice jobs that don't involve cleaning bathrooms or serving food to annoying people and save money. We're gonna be fine, we have our health, our strong bodies and our minds, we don't need anything else.'' My mom shakes her head playfully and leans in to place a sweet kiss on my cheek, caressing the back of my neck.

'' What would I do without you, young lady? You're the only thing right in this huge mess.''

'' What about me?'' Someone booms in from behind us and we both turn around.

He's standing by the door, his coat half unbuttoned whilehe's unrolling his scarf. It must be pretty cold outside since he never wears it.

'' Louis!'' My mom chants moving away from me and walking towards him.

'' I'm so offended, just so you know.'' He begins with a dark face, but as the words leave his mouth, his lips part into a really warm grin. That kind of gesture that can bring the sun in everyone's day making the room feel less empty and lonely, less miserable.

'' Oh. C'mon Lou-Lou, you know I can't tell my daughter her best friend is my favourite. She's gonna get jealous.'' Louis hangs his overcoat on the coat rack and messes with his hair before pushing it back. His sharp face, the blue eyes and the fact that he's not really that tall, make him look like a flesh and blood version of Peter Pan, just more sassy I guess.

'' That would be better Connie. We're not going to tell her then.'' He rubs his hands together and shoots a glance up to the table where the endless bills are peacefully resting, ready to haunt us the second we are left alone with them. However, Louis knowing how that makes my mom uncomfortable, darts his attention away and keeps making that fake-innocent face he uses when he has done something that makes him proud.