Stumbling (H.S. / A.U.)

Chapter 74*

TODAY'S UPDATE WILL BE CHAPTERS 71-75!!!

MAKE SURE YOU READ ALL THE NEW CHAPTERS!!!

Don't hate me.... lol... you guys will hate the beginning of this chapter so much... lol. The TRUAMA if you remember this day happening irl. LOL.

Thursday, November 16th

Harry's POV

Do it... just do it... before I overthink it. Fuck... I'm nervous.

"She's gonna' kill you." Autumn reminds me.

Niall agrees, "Yeah she will, and then what if you're ugly after?"

Fuck stop, if she doesn't do it soon I will rip those scissors out of her hands and do it myself. "Autumn, hurry up. Just do it."

I hear her let out a huff, and then snip after snip. Finally Autumn tells me to hold out my hand, and bam, right there she places the braided chunk of hair.

"Shit man, you look weird as fuuuuuuccckkkkk. I honestly don't even remember what you looked like with short hair.." Niall walked up and bent his knees to become eye level with me, looking through the mirror towards my face.

Louis drug the barstool to the bathroom for me while Autumn braided my hair. I told them today was finally the day. Maybe it was the depression of missing Riley, but I wasn't taking care of it and I decided I needed it gone. Louis was perched on top of the toilet seat, just scrolling on his phone while Autumn swatted away Niall's hand headed straight to my hair. "Do not even dare Niall. I have to touch it up and even it out."

Niall gave her a look, "it's curly. No one will notice if it's a mess or not." He huffs and backs away. Autumn rolls her eyes and stars picking up pieces of my now shortened hair to snip some more, "I will notice. Which means Riley will FOR SURE notice."

I swallow the lump in my throat. "Shit. Sorry H." Autumn adds. Because everyone knows how tender of a subject Riley is right now.

I still haven't heard from her.....

"Has anyone -" I don't get my sentence out before there is a round of groans from everyone.

"No Harry." -Niall

"Not yet Harry, just wait." -Autumn

"Harry, you know we haven't heard from her." -Louis

I get it, I ask a lot... they just don't get it.

Autumn changes the subject and tells us all about her tutoring mentor type program that she is a part of. I go in and out of paying attention. Finally Autumn puts both hands on my shoulders and leans down, "okay curly.... You are done. Hop in the shower and get all this excess hair off you and we can style it after and see how bad you look."

Her and Niall share a chuckle while I grumble and run a hand through my hair... or lack of. Haven't had this short of hair since before secondary probably. I admit, I think it makes me look less... intimidating. A little younger.. Or maybe older.. I am not quite sure yet. I should grow some facial hair and lean into the stubble look to make myself not look so much like a kid. Can I even grow facial hair yet. Fuck, I sound like a child.

I make my way to the upstairs bathroom while Autumn was sweeping up the downstairs one, getting rid of the evidence. I ran into Lucas at the top of the stairs.

Now here's the thing...

I don't hate Lucas. He is stupid, young, and doesn't fucking clearly understand things... but hate is a strong word and I reserve it for much bigger problematic people. Does Lucas make me want to smash his head into a wall like a damn basketball? Yes. But that is only because he doesn't care to forgive, understand, and learn the truth about my love. It isn't her fault your piece of shit football roid-rage filled shithead friend made her go all murderer... well I bet he is the problem here.