The Foster Girl || Harry Styles

- 9 -

“What the fuck…”

I look up and see Harry standing there staring at us.

“Harry,“ I start to say, but he walks out. I get up and follow him outside. “Hey,” I say, grabbing his arm and turning him around when he gets to the top of the porch steps. No one else was out here but us. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? I come downstairs looking for you only to find you snogging my best mate in the room that I trusted you to keep a secret! That’s what’s wrong!” He turns to keep walking.

“I’m sorry, okay? Liam already knew about the room anyway. Why does it bother you if I’m kissing him or not?”

“Because I warned you!”

“So? I appreciate the warning, but shouldn’t it be my decision in the long run?! If you were afraid of Liam getting hurt then maybe I would understand, but what you just told me is a stupid reason to be pissed off Harry!”

“Well maybe it’s not Liam I’m worried about!” he shouts. I just look at him for a moment.

“You do remember when I told you that you don’t have to worry about me, right Harry? I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it for as long as I can remember and moving here doesn’t change my ability to do so.”

“I saw your scars the other day when we were swimming and I…I just don’t want you to get hurt…” he mutters, running a hand through his curls.

“I’m not stupid. I know what I’m getting into.”

“No. You see, that’s the thing is that you don’t know what you’re getting into. Liam…” He hesitates for a moment. “Liam breaks hearts. You don’t know him like I do. I’ve seen him do it before. I don’t want to see him do it to you.”

“Ya know, I’ve heard people say the same about you, Harry,” I point out, getting annoyed. He looked a bit hurt, but it was covered by anger. “I don’t understand why you even care so much. You don’t even know me!” I yell, running back inside. I push through people mumbling apologies. I ran up the steps in my heels, trying my best not to trip. I hide out in my room, sitting with my back up against the door.

Maybe it’s because he went through my phone. Maybe it’s because he’s the one who told me about my twin sister. Maybe it’s because he went to visit my birth mother. Maybe it’s because I’m living in his home. I don’t know, but for some reason Harry thinks he knows me. He thinks he knows what’s best for me. He thinks he needs to protect me like some scared little child.

He has to wake up and realize that’s not who I am. I don’t need someone to look out for me. I can do that by myself. What I need is for people to stop dictating my life, especially Harry. Maybe he’s right. Maybe Liam will end up hurting me. Maybe this isn’t the right decision. But I can make that judgment on my own. I don’t need him to do it for me, let alone get mad when I don’t do what he says.

I hear a knock on my door.

“Go away,” I demand.