The Parent Plan » Harry Styles

Chapter 37

- All -

A lot can happen in two months, hell, a lot can happen in two minutes, even. A day can go from good to bad or bad to good, someone could get a new hairstyle, someone could lose or gain weight, someone could become healthy or unhealthy, someone could get their heart broken or mended - and time can happen in strange ways. Where when you're having a grand ol' time, time seems to be going at a lightening speed but when you're having a bad time, time seems to be slower than molasses. For all these characters, it was a mixture of good and bad within the two months but there was hope that it'd change.

"I can't believe this day is finally here," Monica muses, after placing her last bag into the storage compartment under the bus. Liam hums beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and looking at her with pursed lips. He's been by her side since she's arrived; it was clear that something was up. "What?"

"I haven't seen you in a week... How are things?" He asks, clearly not saying what he really wants to. After spending more time with Liam Payne as the tour comes closer, she has become an expert on analyzing him, especially because he's an open book. (Also because she's seen him everyday for the past month, basically what with having rehearsals.)

Monica shrugs, her eyes looking at the road in search of Matt's car since he'd taken the reigns of taking care of Jake not only to spend more time with him before he leaves but also because Monica's schedule has been pretty hectic the past week what with rehearsals becoming longer and more strict. She's missed seeing Jake at her flat. She's missed having breakfast with him, hearing his sass, picking him up from school, having dinner with him and putting him to bed - she's missed her fireball a whole bunch.

She folds her arms and shifts to meet his eyes, his arm falling to his side. "I know what you really want to ask me."

"And what's that?"

"You want to know what happened between me and Parker." When he gives her a sheepish grin, she knows she was right. She laughs and rolls her eyes, arms falling back to her sides. "It was a good first date, he was such a nice lad; sweet, smart and handsome..."

He sighs. "But?"

"He's not..."

"He's not Harry," Liam finishes for her. Monica nods, looking away from his patronizing gaze to look at the buzzing people around her ranging from her fellow dancers, the crew, make-up artists, and wardrobe people. She really needed to go on this tour, so her mind could solely focus on dancing and Jake. For the week when she didn't have him as a distraction her mind would drift towards Harry.

It's not like they stopped talking to each other, but it has greatly diminished, only pass-the-time conversations when they see each other at pick-up or drop-off or the occasional text. She could see in his eyes that he'd want to say more to her but he'd always hold back, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't do the same. It's been a tough two months since her and Harry had ended things, she always had to refrain herself from calling him, hugging him, holding his hand, kissing him - damn, was it hard but she knew that it was for the best. If he hadn't broken things off when it bothered him that Katelyn would be replaced, she knew it would've become a problem later.

"Have you two talked lately?" Liam asks, leaning against the bus. The facial hair he's been set on growing was gone now and his hair was freshly trimmed; as Liam put it, he looked 'fresh'.

She looks back to him. "I called him yesterday, left a voice mail, reminding him how we leave today and how it'd be nice if he and Athena swung by for a goodbye but it looks like he isn't going to come." 

"Don't start doubting him," Liam says trying to hold back a smile. He looks behind her and straightens up, patting her shoulder as he begins to walk away. "You have visitors."