Poppy/H.S

Chapter 12

I follow Harry into the building which looks nothing like a kindergarten from the outside, since it looks like a normal, slightly bigger house. I assume it's a private kindergarten with not so many kids, as Harry likes to keep the number of people who know about Poppy's existence as small as possible.

However, when Harry opens the entrance door for me, I'm met with a lovely and colourful interior of the house. The walls are decorated with framed pictures of the kids' drawings and the floor is swamped with different kinds of toys. Harry closes the door behind us and greets the friendly lady probably in her fifties, telling her we've come to pick Poppy up.

"I didn't think you'd be picking her up early today. Poppy didn't mention anything," the lady say with her eyes wide, shocked to see us.

"It's a surprise," Harry grins. "This is Valentine, Poppy's new friend," he points at me. My anxious self gives the lady a small wave, offering an awkward smile.

"It's nice to meet you Valentine," she gives me a short-lived smile, which disappears right when she turns to face Harry again. "But it's picture day, Mr. Styles. The photographer is to arrive any minute now."

"Oh, that's today? I'm sorry, it must have slipped my mind," he apologises, his eyebrows furrowed.

"I've assumed you forgot. All the girls came in wearing dresses today. Poppy's the only one dressed in denim jeans with a T-shirt," she sights in disapproval.

"Yeah, she wanted to match with me today. I'm really sorry," Harry explains frustratedly, showing off his denim jeans, white vintage tee and white vans.

"Well, there's nothing much you can do now, Mr. Styles. Do you think you could at least wait till we get the pictures taken?"

"Yeah, sure. Can we say hi to Poppy first?"

"I'll let her know you're here," she says, leaving Harry and I in the hallway by ourselves.

"God, this is awkward. I look like the worst dad in the world," he sighs, running his ring-covered fingers through his messy hair.

"That's completely okay, Harry," I walk closer to him, caressing his arm with my right hand in reassuring circles. "Shit happens," I say in an attempt to cheer him up, succeeding when a defeated laugh falls out of his pink lips.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Of course, I'm right. Forgetting about picture day in kindergarten doesn't make you a bad dad. No one cares about those pictures anyway. Every parent is so self-centered that they only see their own kid in the group picture, blabbing about how cute they are. You're all good."

"There's no point crying over spilt milk," he grins, proud of the idiom he's thought of.

"Yeah, that's one way to look at it," I smile.

Just when Harry opens his mouth to say something, a cheerful clatter of Poppy's feet echoes through the hallway as she sprints towards Harry, not noticing me standing beside him.

"Daddy! I've missed you lots," she says, her eyes shining with joy as she wraps her tiny hands around Harry's long legs, hugging him.

"Hi flower," Harry grins, making eye contact with me. "I've missed you, too," he crouches down to return Poppy's hug.

They look really alike. Both of them are wearing worn-out denim jeans with a white tee, except Harry's is vintage, and a pair of white vans.

"Look who's here," Harry whispers into Poppy's neck, smiling as we make eye contact one more time. Poppy's head turns in my direction, her mouth falling agape.