my crush harry styles:)

~chapter 14~

~chapter 14~

'She'll calm down,' Harry says, settling himself in the armchair by the Aga while Mum tidies up the broken glass and china with a dustpan and brush, Fluffy at her heels, hoovering up the truffles. 'I'll go up and see her in a little while. Talk to her.'

He seems so calm, so laid back about it all. Somehow, that is infuriating.

'Shouldn't you go to her now?' I ask. 'She sounded pretty upset to me. And she is your girlfriend, right?'

'That's right,' Harry agrees. 'She is.'

I roll my eyes. 'So ...?'

'So I think I'll let her calm down a little bit, first, before I try getting her to see sense,' he says with a shrug. 'No point in following her now and getting my head bitten off too ...'

I say nothing, although the idea of Harry getting into a fight with Amy seems oddly satisfying. I realize I'm being mean - none of this is Harrys fault.

'I guess,' I sigh.

'Let's hope you can talk some reason into her, Harry' Jack adds. 'You're so good with her ... I never seem to say the right thing, these days. It's all so difficult! Are you staying for tea? It's just quiche and salad, but there's plenty of it ...'

'Cool,' he grins.

Tee and Kacey are setting the table for tea, spreading out a fresh checked cloth, arranging plates and cutlery, while Lia has a ballet CD in the player and is practising pliés with one hand on the dresser for balance.

Me, I just stand in the corner, carefully avoiding Harrys eyes, awkward, anxious. I am the one jigsaw puzzle piece that doesn't fit.

Harry picks up the guitar and strums a couple of chords, leaning back in the armchair like he is here to stay. He is so relaxed, so comfortable here, in a way I will never be. He just sat through a family meeting and nobody batted an eyelid at his presence, even after what Amy said about Mum and me. It doesn't seem fair.

And I don't like the idea of him going up to talk to Amy, not one little bit.

'I didn't realize,' Mum is saying. 'About the stables. I didn't mean to upset Amy!'

'Everything seems to upset her, lately,' Jack tells her, slicing warm quiche. 'She's being unreasonable. Karen .kept a car in those stables, sure - but that was then. Shes not coming back, and Amy has to get used to that fact. Do whatever you want with the stable block, Nicole. We can't keep it as some kind of shrine to a car - or a relationship - that's long gone.

'Amy won't be happy whatever we do,' she goes on, shrugging as she rinses salad leaves. 'I'm sad about that, but what can I do? Amy has us all wound around her little finger, and I've let it happen ... I've been scared to upset her. She takes everything so hard. First when Karen left, then when we got divorced, and this last year it's been because I've met someone new and fallen in love again ... honestly, is that so wrong?'

'Of course not,' Mum tells him. 'Don't worry... she'll calm down.'

Jack sets potato salad, mixed leaves and two quiches on the table and we all sit down to eat, including Harry, who pours juice for everyone as if he is one of the family.

'So, what's this bakery business going to be called?' he asks.

Mum blinks. 'Well ... good question, harry. We don't actually have a name yet. Any ideas? It has to be something strong, something different ...'

'You could name it after me,' Kacey says. 'Cool Kacey'

'Good one,' Mum grins. 'Appropriate too! But what about Tee and Lia and Amy and (y/n)? Jack too! I'd have to give you all a mention!'