Roots - h.s

29.

You and I
We're like a string of lights
burnin' up the darkness.

~String of Lights by Lindsey Lomis ~

HARRY'S POV:

    "Mum read it again." I wave my hands to her, and she sighs, pulling the computer back to her.

    "I've read both of them six times H... I've told you a thousand times they're amazing, why don't you get Sterling to read them? She's a lot smarter than I am." She sighs in her words, and I shake my head, letting my eyes travel towards the back yard. It's been pretty sunny the past few weeks, and I've spent a lot of it with Sterling, but the more time we spend together the more I've felt the school year creeping up on Sterling and I.. Which means I have been thinking time and time again about college.. I've been thinking about Stanford, and Yale, and Stanford and Yale. Where do I want to go? What do I want to do?

    Well. I thought hard, and I came up with not a single answer. So I decided to apply to both now, while Sterling has been away so I can tell her when she gets home that I did it. But I want to make sure my essays to Yale are absolutely perfect so I've shown them to my mum. Gemma proof read them too, and I asked Carson to as well, though I don't think he actually read them. I think he pretended to read them, and smiled, and nodded like he knew it was perfect. It's not perfect, it can't be perfect.

    "Sterling can't read it because she's not here. She's on-"

    "A holiday with her dad. You've told me a thousand times... Where did they go again?" She asks me, and she looks back down to the computer.

    "They went to tour Yale's campus." I tell her, and she looks up to me.

    "So.. When you two go next year, do you think you're going to stay in dorms? I don't think I want you in a dorm room, I don't think I like the thought of you-"

    "Mum... I don't know if i'm going to Yale. I haven't even sent in my full application yet. Even if I get accepted I might still go to Stanford.." I shrug, and she stands up straight, raising an eyebrow at me.

    "Is that a joke? You're making a joke right now, you're trying to get me to laugh huh?" She asks, placing her hands on her hips.

    "No mum, it's not a joke. I-"

    "Harry Edward Styles. You know you're going to get in, and I know damn well you might make a dumb choice, and you might choose to go to Stan- whatever it's called but please play along, and pretend-"

    "Mum... I don't even know what will happen within the next year.. Sterling and I might not even-"

    "Don't even say it. I know you've got this fear in your head son, but... If you keep doubting your future, you're not going to have a future at all. If you want Sterling, if you want to keep her, and have a future with her, then stop doubting that. You don't know what's going to happen, no one does... but stop doubting it. Please.  For your mum please." She begs, and I sigh. "Do you want to have a future with Sterling?" She asks, and I tap my fingers on the counter, staring at them as I do.

    "Yes... Of course I do, it's Sterling."  I admit to her, and I see her smile as wide as I've ever seen. "Mum, stop.." I sigh, and find myself smiling too. "We're both young, I don't know if-"

    "Uh! Stop! Stop it now, no doubting, no questioning it. You're going to marry Sterling King." She claps her hands, and I sit up straight.

    "Mum! You can't say things like that, I-"

    "Yes I can, I'm your mum I can say whatever I want.. Now can you pretend with me for a second, or do I have to continue to think about this myself all alone?" She asks, and I wave my hand, leaning back in my chair.