Prince in the City [Harry Styles AU]

Chapter 40

this chapter's short i know but this story is coming to an end and i'm so sad but so proud of how this book's come along. also, once this story is over, it gives me more room to work on my other ones--particularly Breakthrough and my new Luke Hemmings fanfictions that are coming up, one of which i already posted the summer of called Quiet Hours. i hope you guys check those, and any upcoming stories i may bring your way, out! if you liked this fic, i'm sure you'll like my other stuff. i'm only ever improving as a writer, i like to think, and as i apply those skills to this story i think they'll be even better in my newer fics, you know? hope you guys seriously check them out!

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Chapter 40

City Girl's POV:

It was silent without Harry. Empty. Boring. I came home from work and didn't have the option to go to the apartment downstairs where my boyfriend had resided, instead having to FaceTime him. It would be around eleven at night in London whenever I called, but Harry wouldn't be asleep. He would call me when he knew I woke up and I would call when I got back from work, along with both of us sending sporadic texts throughout the day. Harry's been back in London for almost a month, but it feels like a lifetime already.

Thank God my job kept me busy, or else I would've been miserable.

Being dependent on someone wasn't healthy, I knew, but it really wasn't that—I just missed him so much. My daily routine in the past year had involved him so much, it was an unwelcome change to have Harry only be in it through the phone. It was better than nothing, I knew, but I definitely yearned for his physical presence more often than not.

But we both knew what we were getting into. The distance, as much as we didn't want it to be, was part of our relationship. There was a constant longing present that could only be quelled with a touch of Harry's hand or by being surrounding by the woodsy scent he naturally carried. But neither of those things were possible, so I resorted to drinking a cup of tea and either looking through saved videos and pictures of us or calling him on FaceTime. Neither of those things could make up the thousands of miles separating us.

It definitely didn't help that since his return, the tabloids and media have been trying to get every picture and video of Harry possible every time he stepped out of Buckingham Palace. I didn't fully realize how good Harry looked just walking around until paparazzi taken photographs of him appeared everywhere.

"Does it ever bother you?"

I blinked, torn out of my thoughts as I looked at Sabine, who was looking at me curiously. Furrowing my eyebrows, I asked, "does what bother me?"

"That Harry hasn't told his parents about you," she clarified, a slight frown on her own eyebrows. I blinked, not expecting that, as I leaned back in my chair. The two of us were sitting at a frozen yogurt place, off of work and enjoying some downtime. Taking notice of my expression, Sabine hastily continued, "that sounded rude, sorry, but I just mean, like. . . Don't you find that weird? You guys have been together for, like, a year almost and his parents have no idea."

"I mean, it's not something I've really thought about," I told her truthfully, watching as Sabine nodded slowly, encouraging me to continue. My lips pressed together as I thought for a moment, pondering the best words to articulate my thoughts as well as I could. "Like, he's told me about all of the times his mom's tried to set him up with daughters of all those high class people and how picky she is with who ends up with Harry—honestly, I'm kind of glad he hasn't told them about me yet. She'll probably reject the shit out of me."

Sabine blinked at me before her expression morphed into one of utter bewilderment, staring at me as if I had grown a second head as she leaned forward on the small circular table we occupied. "Are you crazy?" she demanded with a small disbelieving laugh. "Who in their right mind would reject you? You're a gorgeous, boss lady—the youngest boss your company has ever seen. Vera, any woman would be thrilled to have their son be dating you."