Floss // A Harry Styles AU

eight

I felt weird when I got to the school on Monday afternoon to collect Ruby. I couldn't put my finger on just what it was, but it felt like everyone was looking at me when I got out of the car. It probably didn't help me that I'd shut it with more force than I meant to.

I ignored everyone and walked straight towards Geri, redoing my hair into a ponytail rather than the scruffy bun I had it in.

"Where have you been?" Geri asked before I'd stopped walking.

"What do you mean?" I retorted, frowning.

"I feel like I haven't seen you for ages - you weren't here on Friday to get Ruby. I saw your mother here but she kept her distance."

"Oh, that's because she hates Sharon." I muttered, making sure Sharon couldn't actually hear me even though she was standing 10 metres away. "And I went straight to Frisbech from work on Friday with Dad."

"Where?"

"Frisbech?"

"Where the fuck is that?"

"Like, near Cambridge I think."

Geri's gaze fell flat. "You mean Wisbech, you silly cow."

"Yeah, whatever." I shrugged.

"What'd you go all the way up there for?"

"To look at a fucking dog."

"Oh, that's happening, is it? I thought you were on the fence."

"I don't own a fence." I said. She knew I didn't have a fence, so I was confused by the baffled look on her face at my response. "We put the deposit down on one just like she wanted."

"I should hope so if you went out to fucking Cambridge. Have you got a picture?"

"Er, yeah," I pulled my phone out and found a picture to show her of little Bongo.

"Oh, he's very cute. She'll be over the moon, Floss."

"She bloody better be." I huffed. I turned over my shoulder at the sound of a car pulling into the car park, wondering who could possibly be later than me.

It was the dentist. The hairs on my arms stood on end and I turned around again.

"Why doesn't your mum like," Geri started, nodding her head in Sharon's direction, "you know?"

"Oh," I grimaced, "apparently every time she goes into the salon to get her hair done she complains about it afterwards."

"What a bitch."

"I know."

"You'd think after so many times she'd just... stop going. Find somewhere else, you know?"

"I think my mum has actually suggested it but she still keeps going back."

"People like that wind me the fuck up-,"

"-Hey,"

I looked to my left where the dentist had suddenly appeared, a polite smile on his face while he folded his arms across his chest.

"Hi, Harry," Geri said in a more casual manner than I expected.

I glanced at my friend with a narrowed gaze, and then back to the school gate. "Hello,"

It was silent now. I felt awkward and had no words to give to start a conversation. Apparently Geri and Harry felt the same. There was still no sign of the children coming out of the classrooms, and I could feel the odd other parent looking our way for whatever reason. I had no way of determining whether it was at me directly or just the three of us standing together, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to.