The Parent Plan » Harry Styles

Chapter 11

– Harry & Niall –

     Sometimes your mouth has a mind of its own, that despite what your head is thinking, your mouth decides to say something else. It's sometimes a blessing and a curse. Most of the time – or depending on what you've said – you regret what had just slipped past your lips but other times, you're grateful because never would you have taken that chance of saying whatever it was if your mouth didn't have a mind of its own. Harry was a bit on the fence about whether or not his invite to Monica and Jeff was a good thing or a bad thing.

     When he had arrived home, it was completely empty – people wise, since Athena's nanny and tutor were not needed at the moment – which meant that he was left with his thoughts, which was not a good thing, Harry Styles had the tendency of overthinking. He was pacing in his living room, left hand cradling his elbow as his right hand rested over his mouth with his eyebrows furrowed in thought.

     Of course, what he'd asked Monica was a sure sign of getting better – Harry knew he was getting better, because before he wasn't really keen on getting close to Monica but now he feels this certain connection with her and he knows she has a positive effect on him. However, he feels he's getting too comfortable too quickly. When Harry meets new people – even back to those One Direction days – he'd always be a bit hesitant on whether to let them know the real him, to consider them a friend because he has such a great fear of people hurting him. He always hated wondering if his friends were friends with him for him or for One Direction, but during this time he wonders if people are friends with him just because they know how vulnerable he is. Monica seems like such a sweet person, but that's how it was for some people back then and Harry ended up hurt.

     He wants to take a chance though.

     So he called up this lad, whom never has anything to do – or claims to have nothing to do – in order to help sort out his thoughts. Initially, he'd ring up Liam since he was located more conveniently than the others but Liam has a busy work schedule today – radio interview, photo shoot then a late night interview. The next most convenient and in fact, his closest mate, was Niall Horan.

     After One Direction had split up, Niall had spent some quality time with his parents back in Ireland; it was only a few months ago that he had moved back to England. Niall was still single along with Liam – Harry didn't like to consider himself single – for Zayn was married with children and Louis was a newlywed. So in all honesty, Niall was the one Harry knew didn't have anything to do today. Harry felt a bit harsh thinking such but it was the truth.

     "Hey, Harry!" Niall greeted cheerfully on the third ring. His mood always lifts Harry's mood. "So, Liam tells me there is a girl?"

     It sank back down as Harry grumbled under his breath about how he should never tell Liam anything ever again. Those two, especially Liam, are gossip girls.

     He sighs, "I wish I could tell you drop it but what I'm about to tell you involves her."

     "Oo, tell me more," the Irish lad drawled, batting his eyelashes dramatically through the line. Niall sat in the middle of his living room, casually flipping through muted channels in grey joggers and a t-shirt that he had possibly stolen from Liam a couple years ago.

     "Well, I invited her and her brother over for dinner – because Liam and I had dinner at her house a while ago and I just thought that I should give her a break because, I mean, she's a single mother and I can tell that she does a lot and I was thinking that maybe I'll do this nice thing by cooking dinner. It's not anything romantic, well, of course it's not because I don't think of her that way – anyways, and because her brother will be there and her son as well as Athena and – "