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Chapter 176

I wanna love me
The way that you love me
Ooh, for all of my pretty and all of my ugly too
I'd love to see me from your point of view

— Ariana Grande, pov

. . . .

Harry's POV

In an official sense, Violet and I have been dating for about four months now. It'll be our four-month anniversary tomorrow, but in a week, it would technically be our sixth year anniversary since we initially began dating. We lucked out in terms of the anniversary aligning on a Friday this year. Yeah, we don't get to see one another until early afternoon, but it's better than not seeing her at all.

To celebrate, we're planning on meeting up at a hotel in a town that's about the halfway point from here to Oxford. Neither one of us has been before and it's definitely a positive that neither one of us has to drive the three-plus hours to get to the other.

I'm just grateful we can both sneak off to see one another on our anniversary.

The lock to the front door unlatches and Lilly walks in with her backpack and her clarinet case in hand. She gives me a quick greeting before angrily stomping off towards her room. I set the knife down on the cutting board next to the carrots and celery I'm chopping up. Walking past Gunther perched on the back of the sofa, asleep and slightly swaying side to side, I tap my knuckles on the agape door to Lilly's bedroom. I enter when I hear a muffled "what."

She's lying on her bed with her back towards me and her arms strangling her light blue pillow. I pick up her backpack that was thrown on the floor and lean it against her desk against the wall that's shared with my bathroom. Leaning against the edge of the desk, I fold my arms and watch her stare at the wall with a few pictures taped up of her and her friends.

"What's the matter, Lil?"

"Nothing."

"Clearly you're upset about something," I reply. "You know you can talk to me about anything."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, do you want to mention what it's regarding?"

She huffs and sits up, kicking her shoes off onto the floor and leans against the bed frame with her legs crossed on the bed. Twisting a rogue thread from her blanket around her finger, her gaze remains on her hands rather than on me. Speaking softly, she says, "It's boy stuff."

"Ohh," I respond and take a seat in her desk chair. "Is it about Andy?"

She nods then replies by saying, "I saw him flirting with another girl. I just thought he liked me back."

"I know you do, Lil. Maybe he was just being friendly to this girl."

"I saw his body language. I could tell he was flirting."

"I was that age once, and I know from experience that boys are oblivious," I tell her. She glances at me momentarily then looks back down at her blanket. "You know what I think? I think that if he is flirting with another girl, he's stupid to think he could find someone better than you. You're a wonderful girl, Lilly, and I'd hate for you to let a boy make you feel less valued than what you should be."

"Thanks, Dad," she mumbles. "It sucks."

"I know it does."

"Really?"

"Mhm," I mumble. "I was a teen once. I've had many crushes, some of which barely knew I existed. You'll find someone who makes you feel the happiest you've ever been. It'll make it seem as if every other person you've liked is obsolete or nothing compared to that person."