better now > sequel to neighbours. [HS]

TWENTY

I was currently sitting on a park bench, trying to spy on Harry and the kids through thick sunglasses. My hair was tucked into a beanie and my clothes..lets not talk about my clothes.

Basically I was unrecognizable.

Ask me why I'm spying on them? Because his bitch ass lied to me. He insisted he wasn't going Christmas shopping and to the park and well...actually, he was telling the truth up until I saw the bags in his hand as he pushed Annabel on the swing with the other.

"Son of a bitch." I cursed.

He mentioned getting a gift for me this year but honestly I didn't want one, especially after what was going to go down. I've been trying to drop subtle hints about it for the past few days hoping he would catch on but nothing.

-Thursday-

"Annabel, since when did you have a birthmark on your ear?" I asked aloud, knowing full well she had one there that matched Harry's and Noah's.

"Oh cool, I have one there too." Noah exclaimed.

"Yeah me three, twinsies." Harry smiled.

-Friday-

Harry sat patiently waiting for me in his car after I was finished work since Jordan took mine. I could see the kids' heads in the back seats and I hopped in, smiling at them both.

"You guys ever notice you look similar?" I asked them, making sure Harry heard.

Harry laughed and started his engine. "They're that inseparable they're starting to look alike!"

-Saturday-

"Noah, would you ever want a sister?" I bluntly asked him as I pushed the shopping cart.

Noah nodded excitedly. "Yes! Yes!" He jumped up and down. Harry watched me in an awkward manner.

"Interesting. Maybe you have one, wouldn't that be cool? There could be someone out there right now maybe even right beside you that's related to you." I smiled widely.

Annabel pinched my leg and I winced. "What?"

"Um, you said I could get new cereal." She told me.

"Ooh, get the wheetos." Harry suggested.

I looked to the boxes and sighed as I pushed the trolley hard and fast ahead of me, followed by a frustrated scream.

-present-

Everyone got back from the park just after me, thank god. They didn't seem to notice me there, well I hoped so.

I pulled my hat and glasses off as I slumped onto the chair at the table. "Uhhhhhhh" I whined.

"Still haven't told him?" My dad asked. I
Shook my head, falling lower into my seat.

"How are you gonna tell him?" He asked me, sitting isn the seat opposite me.

"Maybe I just won't. I've tried to drop hints and he still hasn't picked up, it's the universe telling me to not do it." I rambled.

Dad laughed, tapping his fingers on the table. "You can't hide it forever. He's helped you get back onto your feet the last year or so, the least you could do is tell him he has a dauuhuuh- HI! Harry." My dad jumped.

My eyes widened as Harry entered the kitchen, peeling off his coat and hanging it onto the back of a chair.

"Hi, Steve. Mind if I speak to Maelyn?" He asked, making brief eye contact with me.

Dad obliged and motioned for me to follow, even though I silently begged for him to not leave me. I sheepishly walked out to the hall, terrified of whether Harry heard what we were just talking about.

"So.." he began.

I looked up at his big green eyes and gulped. "So.."

"I wanna bring you out for lunch." He blurted out.

"Like a date?" I asked in disbelief.

"A friend date." He grinned. I thought about it for a few seconds...am I really about to say yes? Hell yeah.

"Okay, where? Are the kids coming?" I asked him. He nodded and lead me back to the kitchen.

"The old spot. I want to show them how we used to roll back in the day," Harry remarked. He shrugged back on his coat, flicking the collar while he tried to seem cool. I laughed.

"Rigtio, daddy cool." I smirked. I got my own jacket too and called the kids, when Harry informed me they were waiting in the car.

"Also.." Harry began as we walked to the car. "I want to talk about something."

•
•

"Dad, this is gross." Noah gagged as he picked up the soggy PB&J from his plate, Annabel doing the same.

"I hate peanut butter." They both said at the same time.

"Eat it and be grateful." I warned them. They pouted and began picking at their food before I felt bad and offered my fries to them. Annabel sat beside me and Noah beside Harry while Harry and I faced one another, ready to talk.

"Okay so, I'm moving to London." Harry spoke.

I dropped my fork and stared at him intensely. "You what now?"

"I met someone."

When I tell you I almost choked...

"Like...a someone someone? Or just someone." I choked out, sipping my soda to get the food down.

"Someone someone. She's really nice and she actually works at one of my hotels in London. We've been on and off for a few months and I think it's time." He smiled.

My face just fell. I thought I was being taken out for a nice lunch, minding my damn business when he drops this bomb at me. But then I began to think, why was I even upset about it?

My mind began racing with all types of thoughts and was feeling some type of way before I was mature enough to admit to myself that I was jealous. I didn't want Harry to meet someone new, I wanted him and I to be friends and be single forever as friends. But maybe together.

Oh wow, what am I even saying?

"That's nice." I replied bluntly. "What about Noah." I asked him, pushing the food around on my plate with a fork.

"Ha! I got you good. Just kidding." Harry wheezed, thinking it was the funniest thing ever.

"That wasn't funny." I told him.

"No but there is something I really did want to talk about, maybe alone." He trailed off, eyeing the two kids. They sighed and slid under the tables before coming out and walking off together to the indoor play area.

Harry leaned into me immediately. "Aria is talking to me again." He panicked.

"Oooh," I pulled back. "Can't help you there."

"Please, I need your help."

"How?" I exclaimed.

"I might have told her that we're engaged." He gulped, biting down on his lip.

I stared at him blankly, my heart racing a bit at the thought. "Sorry what?"

"It was the only way she'd stop asking for me to forgive her. It's a never ending cycle with her Maelyn and I need it to finally stop." He pleaded with me.

I laughed loudly and clapped my hands. "This is priceless. The girl you left me for...you're trying to tell her you've left her for me?" I cackled.

"S'not funny. Come on, please." He begged me.

I stopped laughing and shrugged. "Okay. But where's my ring?" I teased.

His eyes shadowed over and he blinked hard before clearing his throat. "I'll get you one." He told me.