Caught in a Lie ~ h.s.

♕ XXVI ♕

♕♕♕

"You're not a bįtch."

Harry and I are stuck in a staring contest that feels like it'll last for an eternity. It feels like it's just him and I, like everyone else in the world has just vanished away. It's not much, what he said, but it's enough for me to grasp a tiny bit of hope between my fingers and just hold it there. It's more than us yelling or one of us crying. It's more than the silent treatment he's been rightfully giving me. It's something.

"Um, would you care to come in for some dinner?" Gemma, thankfully, pries the two of us out of our silent staring contest, motioning back towards the confines of her home. "I've made a roast and there's plenty for..." For the first time since her appearance at the door her eyes fall to the crowd behind me. She looks as if she's calculating the math, whether or not she made enough food for an army of men, which I highly doubt she has. "Well, maybe not enough for the whole army, but I can whip up something extra -"

"I couldn't impose on your family time." It's not like that was your goal or anything like that, Mabel.

"Nonsense, I insist."

With that, the lanky pub-owner shoves right past myself, Harry, and his sister and into the house. He gives Harry a pat on the back and Gemma a kiss on the cheek before he's shouting something along the lines of: thank God, I'm starved. He leaves the rest of us stunned in our spots, aside from Gemma who seems not the least bit surprised by his outburst.

"And the rest of you?" She wearily questions to Niall and my entire army of guards.

I feel bad for my interrupting and joining dinner unannounced but I'm hesitant to say no on behalf of my people. As selfish and harsh as it may sound, I don't want to invite them in. Don't get me wrong, I'm incredibly thankful for their service and dedication to protect me, but they do tend to make things awkward and complicated.

Thankfully, Niall beats me to answer Gemma's question, declining the offer before assuring me that they will be outside keeping watch for any unwanted guests. I thank him silently before turning to look at Harry, almost asking his permission to join in on his family festivities. He looks apprehensive to agree, like it'd be easier on him to tell me to bugger off, but he just nods lightly.

"Please, come in. I apologize for the mess, my kids have differing opinions on cleanliness than I do." Gemma begins to walk further into the house as Harry steps aside from the doorway to allow me through the threshold. Even when he's angry with me he's still a gentleman.

The breath in my chest hitches when I feel his hand ghost over the small of my back to usher me into the home. My entire body ignites at the mere contact of his body with mine. I hadn't realized how much I had missed his electric touch until now. He barely touched me yet here I am left dizzy and breathless.

"Harry," I reach out to lightly grasp his bicep as he walks ahead of me, wanting to keep him to myself just for a moment. I don't want our time together to be over just yet. "I'm sorry for imposing on your time with your family." Harry releases a sigh before nodding silently, which is enough for me.

Those gorgeous eyes of his fall to the bouquet of flowers in my hands, which even I had forgotten I was holding. The smallest of smiles is suddenly painted across his lips and it takes everything within me to keep myself composed.

"Are those for me?"

For the first time since our split I start to think that everything between us will be alright. No, a smirk and a joking question will not fix all of our problems, but it's a step in the right direction.

"They are, although perhaps we should give them to your sister as a thank you for letting me crash your family gathering."

"Well, you didn't entirely crash the party." My eyes narrow in confusion, wondering if someone had tipped him off to my arrival; perhaps Louis gave him a heads up before we arrived. "You were invited before... well, you know." We fall silent together, our lack of conversation heavy on my shoulders and chest. I wonder if we'll ever get past this. How much more apologizing can I do, because I'll go on until I take my last breath.