I'm fine, We're fine [boyxboy]

Twenty-Four

Louis POV

The drive to Harry's parents took a thousand years. It felt like, anyway. When he came to me and said we were going, I almost said no. Throughout our time together, even before things had been made official, I'd never once met the Styles parents. Harry rarely brought them up. I didn't even know he had a sister until a month after we met. Harry never said anything and I knew better at the time than to even ask. But now he wanted me to meet them?

Why? I wanted to ask, but I didn't. Things were good, but they weren't great. I wasn't wasn't to risk him getting cross with me again. "Okay, baby," I agreed when he kissed me.

They lived a few miles away, I didn't remember how far it actually was, but I was too concerned with staring out of the window and trying to calm myself. We were heading out of the city and while we weren't engulfed in woods, there were more trees and overgrowth than what I was comfortable with. A few cars came by here and there but eventually were turned off onto a road that twisted and wound its way along some gravelly backroad I didn't even know was there. A house came into view a few yards away, just over the top of a small hill. How long has that been there? I wondered.

I didn't speak a word until we were parked and Harry was midway through climbing out of the vehicle. I caught his arm as he was grabbing the wheel to get out. "Harry, I'm nervous..."

"They're going to love you, Lou. Don't be nervous."

The smile on his face wasn't reassuring and I squeezed the arm I still clung to. "Do they know?"

Harry's smile dropped and he looked away from me and out of the open door. "Yeah, they know. I... My one phone call from jail, I used it to call my mom. I told her everything and while you were in the hospital, I came over here." He was quiet for a minute or two. Gears were turning in his head, I knew it from the way he was clenching and unclenching his hand around the wheel. "I called mom again this morning while you were in the shower and told her we were coming. They're excited to meet you."

"You don't seem too happy about that, Harry..."

"My father won't speak to me, Louis. Gemma won't either. Only Mom does."

I didn't feel bad for him because he'd done this to himself. Did he really expect no one to find out and even when they had, did he think they would just welcome him with open arms? Open arms and smiles that pushed aside what he did to welcome their baby boy home? I was surprised they even wanted him at the house. Rather than voice this, I took the safe route and rubbed along the bend of his elbow. "They'll come around, love," I said quietly and glanced towards the house. The curtain trembled and I know someone had been peeking through and watching us. "It won't do any good to just sit here. Come on." Letting him go, I unclipped the belt around me and stepped out into the late-morning cold.

No one was waiting at the door for us when we came onto the large porch. Harry rapped on the hard wooden door and I pressed close to him. A combination of fear and worry for what would happen behind those doors kept me plastered to his side and my hand glued together with his.

A second knock drew the door open and there was a young woman with gorgeous long hair. It was the first thing I noticed about her. Her smile was second. It was strikingly similar to Harry's, minus the intentions in the cheeks.

"You must be Louis."

"You must be Gemma."

We shared an apprehensive stare before she broke out into a wider smile that lit her face up. "You've got an attitude. I like it. Come in." Gemma pulled the door further open and stepped aside so we could come in. I noticed she didn't spare Harry a single glance. I gave his hand a tug so he would lead us; I certainly wasn't walking in headfirst like I owned the place.