Daddy issues || h.s

1.2

Adelaide hadn't ridden in the car with them on their way over to Leah's parents, she had ridden her bike. It was an old, turquoise thing spattered with rust, but she loved it more than anything. Riding it made her feel free, and even in the freezing spring air, she rode it without a jacket, feeling the wind bite her skin. Harry could see it in her eyes when she trod it down the street, the way her eyes lit up and her hair blew in the wind made her look otherworldly, like a siren. But now, he couldn't see her anywhere.

There were people everywhere, faces he hadn't seen before, and names he didn't know. But everyone seemed to know him. He hated the way they looked at him, like he was some act at a freak show. The whispers were the worst, they probably thought they were being discreet, but he could see how they frowned their forehead and lowered their voices when he walked past them. He had hoped Abigail would be there to keep him company, but she had disappeared the second they walked through the door. It was like he was all alone in the middle of the ocean, trying, but failing to keep his head over the surface.

Suddenly, something pink flew past him, bumping into his hip as it passed. The small frame with blonde hair and a laughter like bells made Goosebumps rise on his skin. He didn't need to see her face to know who it was.

"Addie! You're here" Kieran exclaimed as she made her way through the crowd. "Thank god you're here. Leith abandoned me to get something to drink, and Leah is out in the garden with Jackson." Adelaide laughed a bit, and slung her arm around his shoulders. "You know I'm your guardian angel, always here to save you." "That's why I love you so much," he placed a small kiss on her cheek. "Eww," she said and wiped it away immediately. "Don't you try that on me again." He made a small pouty face, and was just about to say something when they were interrupted by Leith. "Now, you guys, stop before you start arguing about who took whose virginity again. I have booze." He had three glasses of champagne in his hands and a whole bottle of it under his arm. "Let me take that," Adelaide said and took the bottle from him before she promptly took a huge chug of it. It was neither Monday, Tuesday or Sunday. "And just so be clear, Kieran didn't take my virginity, he borrowed it. Now shut up, before I drink all of this champagne and leave none of it to you."

"How many times are you guys going to bring this up? Addie is allowed to sleep with whomever she wants to, as long as both of them give consent to it." It was Leah, showing up when they needed her the most. "Thank you Leah. Maybe you're my guardian angel, because it sure isn't any of them. Oh, and before I forget. I might have something for your brother to work on" Adelaide said and passed the bottle to her. "Great, he's probably around here somewhere. I can talk to him and arrange something. But do you guys ever talk about anything else than sex?" Leah asked, and Leith let out a small laugh. "No, but judging by those hickeys, you're not unfamiliar with the subject either." After Leith said that, Leah might have slapped him, but Adelaide wasn't paying attention any more. Her eyes had been drawn towards a curly head at the other side of the room. He was leaning against the wall, his eyes aimlessly searching the room. He looked completely lost.

"Excuse me" She muttered and walked over to him. He was wearing a white t-shirt with hands drawn on it. It looked like something he would draw. "Hello Mister" She said, leaning her shoulder against the wall beside him. "How are you doing in this particularly awful crowd?" He smiled a bit, dimples appearing in each cheek. She had never thought much of them before, but now she noticed just how deep they were. They made him look childish in an incredibly intriguing way, like he could still find joy in simple things. "Do you want me to be honest?" He said, his blue green eyes boring into hers. "Brutally."

Her hair fell over her shoulder and almost down to he waist, and her small hands were playing with it, tugging at the ends. She was wearing a pink tennis skirt and a white knit sweater that made his heart beat faster. "These people have done nothing but stare at me since I came here, but not one of them has come over to talk to me," he finally managed to say. "Then it's a good thing we are not like those people," Adelaide said and in that moment, Harry wanted nothing else than to reach over and push her hair out of her face and feel her soft skin against his fingertips. But he didn't, he couldn't, he would never be able to.

A heavy silence engulfed them, and he could feel himself drawing near her. He had to touch her. He had to make sure she was real. Touching her hand would be okay, right? No one would see, and if they did, they wouldn't think much of it. Would they?"Addie! There you are, you disappeared," someone said and he turned around to see Leah standing in front of them. He let out a sigh of relief mixed with disappointment, if she hadn't interrupted, he had no idea what he would have done. "Oh, Hi Harry," Leah said. "It's so nice to see you here. I hope people aren't being too nasty," she smiled. "It's okay," he said and smiled back at her. "Adelaide, I talked to my brother and he wants to speak to you and set up a meeting. He was really excited, he said he hadn't seen you for weeks. You know how much he adores you and all that stuff." Adelaide smiled and nodded, pushing herself away from the wall. "Great, I'll do that at once." "Fantastic, you have to excuse me for a moment, my mom is trying to explain to my grandma that I am a girl, and she is not doing so well. I think Nana almost threw a chair out the window, she was so confused." Leah disappeared, and they were left alone once again.

"I should probably go look for Leah's brother." Adelaide said, looking down at the ground as though she was ashamed of saying it. "Yeah," He whispered, looking at her divine face. "But I'll see you later, right?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer. "Yeah," She said, finally looking up, a small smile playing in the corner of her pink mouth. "I'll see you later." But before she left him, she reached out and squeezed his hand, just like he had wanted to do with hers.