better now > sequel to neighbours. [HS]

twenty three

"How's my fake fiancé?" Harry asked me.

I groaned from my bed at the sunlight he had just let in by opening the curtains and pulled a pillow over my face. "Harry fuck off."

"Good morning to you too. The kids are in school and Annabel is fed and has a packed lunch. you're welcome." He announced.

I pushed the pillow off of my face and my head turned to the alarm clock, seeing it was almost ten A.M. I gasped and sat up.

"First day after Christmas break- why didn't you wake me?" I yelled. I tripped over the sheets and struggled to get to the floor before Harry stopped me.

"She's in school. Relax, besides, you were up all night job hunting. You looked exhausted." He laughed.

I fell back into my duvet and groaned loudly- again. It was almost a hobby now.

"If you don't stop groaning the people beside you are gonna think we're fucking." He told me.

"You wish." I laughed, eyes still not open. I could feel myself slip into sleep again until I felt a dip in the bed beside me.

"Who even let you in?" I asked him, turning my head to face him. He looked so handsome - his Hair was brushed up and the gel held it together neatly. He wore a crisp white shirt under a navy suit and I wanted to rip it all off and jump him but kindly refrained.

"Annabel. She was awake anyways watching cartoons on your laptop." He chuckled.

"I'm such a bad mother." I whined, cupping my face with my hands. Harry's hands immediately followed and he pulled my hands away, "dont say that, idiot."

"I am. I haven't even cooked her a meal in weeks. Hell, I don't even have a house for her to sleep in. We're living an episode of Zack and Cody." I cried out.

Harry just laughed and propped himself up on his elbow while he faced me. "You know you're being stupid and we have this talk at least once a week. Annabel adores you- and for a single mother, you're killing it."

I pushed myself up off the mattress and began to tie my hair up when Harry cleared his throat. "You know you have no pants on, right?"

I watched his gaze flicker from my legs to my face and I felt my cheeks heat up when I looked down to see he was correct. I was wearing a T-shirt and undies.

"Nothing I haven't seen before." He winked, getting off of the bed too. I grimaced and wrapped the sheet around my lower half as Harry walked towards the door.

"Wait, Harry-" I stopped him from leaving.

He stared at me expectantly but I had nothing to say. So he continued to stare at me for a few seconds before raising his brows. I walked towards the door, the sheet still wrapped around me and handed him the false engagement ring. "I'm out."

His face fell and he shut the door. "What, why!?"

Because I might actually be falling for you again.

"Because it's done. Aria believes you and there's no need to carry on." I casually replied.

"Fuck, fine. I guess." He slid the ring into his pocket and shook his head. "See you later."

And with that, he left.

•
•
•

"Oh my god and mum, I won bubbles too- oh and guess what! Guess what!" Annabel shrieked. I rose my brows as I used the key card to let us into our room, an unenthusiastic 'what?' Falling from my lips.

"I have a boyfriend." She smugly grinned.

I spun on my heel and squinted my eyes. "Ana, you're six. How could you have a boyfriend?" I yelled.

"Who has a boyfriend?" A voice echoed from behind me. I turned to see Harry, too concerned with Ana's situation to ask why he's in my room.

"Annabel!" I exclaimed. Harry's brows furrowed and he knelt down to her height. "Who is it?" He questioned her.

"It's my friend in class. He said he would be my boyfriend for a week." She smiled happily. I cocked my head to the side about to tell her no when Harry took over, surprising me.

"No. You're six, nearly seven. Not seventeen. Boyfriends are bad, you hear me?" He told her.

I nodded, "yeah, what Harry said." I gulped. This was the first time I saw him do something fatherly with Annabel and I didn't know what to do.

Ana just nodded, not really understanding anyways and skipped off to the living space. It was just Harry and I left in the hallway.

"Where did she even learn that stuff." He asked me.

I made a face, a guilty one, and slowly crept away from him until he grabbed my shoulder. "Maelynn..." he spoke lowly.

I smiled sheepishly and was pulled towards the bedroom. "You two talk about boyfriends?" He smirked.

"No." I insisted.

"She probably picked it up from the stories I tell her about her dad." I admitted. Harry knew that I spoke about her dad to her, he just didn't know it was him I was speaking of.

He nodded sadly, "oh right."

I sat on the bed and sighed. "I feel so guilty, Harry." I told him.

He sat beside me and nodded. "I know."

I cocked my head to face him, "Wow, how supportive."

"I don't know what you want me to say. You're keeping her from her dad because of a personal issue with him. I can't agree with that because as a dad already, it would kill me to not know about my child. Noah is my happiness." He explained. The lump in my throat got bigger.

"It's gone past the point of a personal issue." I told him. "If I told her dad he would hate me forever."

I stared at him intently and he stared at me right back. The air was becoming thicker the longer we sat in silence.

"I doubt that. I think it's Annabel you'd need to worry about hating you if you hold it from her any longer."

His words hit me like a bullet. He was right, I never really thought about how Annabel would react. I knew Harry would hate me and knew Ana would be upset but I never thought about her hating me over it.

I began to panic just thinking about it. I could imagine her running off to Harry and I would be left all alone; again.

"I have to tell her dad." I panicked.

Harry grabbed my shoulders and tried to calm me down, which I eventually did after a few more minutes through our awkward silence. "Harry I need to tell you something first." I breathed out fast. My chest was rising and falling so fast.

I opened my mouth to talk again, staring into Harry's calm and expectant eyes before the door burst open and Annabel ran in. "Mummy! Noah's Mummy is here."