Teaching Harry... | Harry Styles | AU|

Chapter 1

2 Weeks Later

"And... This, is the dining room."

Harriet's boots scuffed against the varnished wooden flooring with every step she took. Her brown eyes scanning every detail of the room as she sauntered around casually, hands in the pockets of her leather jacket. The empty space seeming so big and bright, the large bay window that showed a view of the rear garden allowing a great amount of sunlight to flood through, making the room feel warm and almost peaceful.

"Well?" A soft voice came from behind Harriet, her eyes staying focused on the garden outside. Which consisted of a flagged patio followed by a patch of vivid green grass with a few overgrown bushes around it, a brown fence outlining the whole thing and nothing but hills and trees beyond it.

It was perfect.

"I like it." Harriet finally replied, turning around to face her mother, a weak smile on her lips.

"I do, too." Her mother beamed when their eyes locked together. "Is it not too big though? You know, just for you."

"Definitely not." Harriet gave her a slight frown before she took a deep satisfying breathe through her nose, her eyes glancing back out the window. "I like the space. Feel like I can breathe y'know?"

"I know, sweetie." Her mother spoke, the edge of her lips curving upward as she rubbed Harriet's upper arm sympathetically while moving to stand next to her. "Is it in budget?"

"Yeah." Harriet confirmed, "it's been on the market a while now so they've lowered the price. And the money came through from the sale of the house with Jack so I can more than afford it."

"And me and your dad are only 10 minutes away. It'll be nice to have you so close." Her mother said sweetly before she draped her arm around Harriet's shoulders and tugged Harriet into her, Harriet's head ending up resting on her shoulder. "I think this will be a nice fresh start for you."

"Thanks, Mum." Harriet lifted her head up to look at her mother's face, a reassuring smile on her mouth which her mother returned. "I just want to put everything behind me."

"Me too, love." Her mother responded, her expression brimming with compassion. But Harriet didn't fail to notice her mother's eyes seemed to flicker with a hint of anger.

Anger at Jack.

Anger at what he had did to her daughter.

And how much it broke Harriet.

"So, you wanna put an offer in?" The man behind them spoke up, Harriet and her mother almost completely forgetting he was still stood there as they span around to face him. His salesman grin wide and enthusiastic.

"Yeah, I do." Harriet nodded, giving him a half smile.

This was the beginning of her new life.

***

2 Months Later

"So, is it nice to be back in California? Are you all settled in?" Payton's soft voice oozed out of the phone.

"Yeah, just finished unpacking this afternoon." Harriet responded as she poured herself a glass of red wine, her phone set to loud speaker as it rested on the island of the kitchen.

"Mum is so happy that you've moved back home y'know." Her words making Harriet shake her head in amusement.

"I know she is." She responded with a light smirk after taking a sip from her wine glass, enjoying the rich flavour for a moment as it coated her tongue. "She kept trying to not make a big deal out of it, but I can tell she's really happy."