We Had the Right Kind of Love // L.S.

Chapter 4. Games

"Is going to this completely necessary?" I whine to Harry who's standing in front of my bathroom mirror, fingers combing through his hair for the millionth time that evening. He's wearing one of his typical band t-shirts with his usual black jeans and a thin flannel shirt over his shoulders that hugs his lean arms nicely. I do my best not to stare in awe at how effortlessly attractive he looks. He doesn't even have to try.

We're at my house getting ready for this party; the one Harry was looking forward to and the one I was seriously dreading. Parties of any sort, except my birthday, were just not my thing. Not to mention my mingling and small talk skills (which were usually essential for events like this) were barely minimal if not completely nonexistent altogether.

"Yes, it will be fun," Harry insists, finally satisfied with his curls and turning to me. I frown and walk up to him, run my fingers through his hair, messing them back up.

"I like your curls like that," I say as Harry jerks his head away from me.

"Gwen likes them combed back," he explains. "She says when my curls hang down all messily, they cover my face." but he doesn't put them back and leaves his hair the way I had messed it up. "Now come on, Gem isn't going to wait forever." He grabs my hand and pulls me towards the door.

After much pleading, from which Harry and I were not proud of, we had gotten looped Gemma into driving us to the party. Harry had stated it would be uncool for us to arrive with a mom and though I didn't really care, I had to agree.

I pull his oversized sweatshirt over my head and stop in the living room, "Let me grab a book first," I mutter before we reach the door and pluck my copy of The Mysterious Benedict Society from the couch where I had discarded it this afternoon when Harry arrived.

"Wait," Mom calls from her office and we stop. She gets up from behind her desk and smiles sadly at the two of us as we stand there as a child does in front of their parents on their first day of school.

"My two babies are growing up so fast," she says and hurries to get her phone. "I promised Anne one picture," she explains apologetically. This documenting was getting a bit old, but I'm not going to fight it, I know I'd lose.

"Smile boys," she says, positioning her phone to snap the photo.

Harry instinctively wraps his arms around my waist like we do every time our moms feel the need to take a photo of us and we both force a grin, except mine's real because I can feel Harry's fingers digging into my waist and tickling me lightly. Squirming away after she's finished her photo opt, two kisses are given on both of our heads, "Be good you two. No funny business." She looks directly at Harry, "I'm speaking to you, mister."

"I promise to be good mom," he says, exasperated but he looks sincere. He regards my mom as his own and I the same to Anne. It was inevitable with how close Harry and I had gotten over the past months.

"Alright, have fun and call me if you need anything. I know Will's mom is going to be home, but I just want you to be safe," she says and after nodding again we hurry out of the office and to the front door. Harry holds the door open for me and we bustle out into the darkness of the night, seeing Gemma's car lights flashing in the driveway.

"Took you guys long enough," Gemma scowls, but she isn't mad. What I've learned about Gemma is that she, like Harry, comes off super intimidating but once you get into her friendly circle of friends she's just as goofy as Harry can be.

"Harry took forever fluffing hair," I explain, sliding into the back seat as Harry follows suit. I ignore the seatbelt on the other side of the car and sit in the middle seat so I'm closer to Harry. Our legs touch and Harry absentmindedly wraps his ankle and mine as I pull out my book, opening it to my bookmarked chapter.