Saving the Hero (a One Direction fanfic)

Relax

Chapter 36-Honest

Harry’s point of view

“Hey mum,” I say, stepping forward to give her a kiss on the cheek, Erin and Louis standing awkwardly beside me in the hallway.

“It’s so good to have you and Louis back and you even brought Erin!” she trills, pulling away and looking at Erin with loving eyes. “He hasn’t brought home a girl in a really long time.”

I roll my eyes, one reason I didn’t want to bring Erin home was because of the possibility my family would raise up all sorts of stories to embarrass me in front of her.

“Hey Anne,” Louis says, kissing my mum on the cheek. 

“Hi Mrs. Cox,” Erin says in greeting as mum gives her a kiss on the cheek as well.

“Oh dear, just call me Anne. How was your travel back to Holmes Chapel? Pleasant I hope,” mum says, leading us inside.

“It was,” Erin nods.

“I’m bushed though,” Louis adds, stretching his arms up. 

“The three of you can rest and stay in the bungalow. Harry, mind your manners, Erin gets her own room you hear?” she warns me sternly, giving me a look and I roll my eyes again.

“Mum. I’m not like that,” I say and shake my head.

“Oh right, says the guy who would practically jump on her at any given moment,” Louis teases and laughs. 

“I would know, when he was but a baby he wouldn’t let go of me at all. He slept in our bed until he was around six,” mum says and I groan as Erin looks at me, her eyes filled with humor, a laugh bubbling out and Louis chortles out loud. 

A small smile creeps into my lips when no one paid any attention to me. Because though it was annoying and embarrassing as fuck, I was happy.

“Where are we going to start off?” Erin asks as soon as we settle down in the common area part of the bungalow.

She sits on the far end of the same couch I sat on. Folding up her legs to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She was wearing a plain white shirt that was probably a size or two too big for her and red plaid boxers.

“Dunno,” I say, clicking my tongue, getting into an Indian sit. I was wearing gray sweat pants, a dark blue shirt and a black beanie. It was good to get comfortable again-not ever have to think of what to wear or how to look. It was good to be away from the prying eyes of people. I did feel more relaxed here, able to remember more.

“What’re you up to?” Louis asks, walking in and sitting on the bean bag across the sofa Erin and I sat on, a coffee table in between the two seats, wearing practically the same thing but a different shade of grey sweat pants, red shirt and no beanie. We were all out on getting comfortable.

“Really no clue,” I paraphrase for Louis.

“Huh,” he says. “Productive.”

Sarcasm. Hah.

I run a hand across my face and pull out my phone from my pocket. “I’ll try and call my friend to get Matt’s number. I used to be really close to him but I don’t know…last time I was here he just seemed so…distant. And I found these pictures in my room all torn up. He was in most, along with the same girl I always see in my head.”

“Call him, it’s better than nothing,” Louis says with a nod.

So I dial Greg’s number. He picks up after a few rings and it doesn’t take much for me to get him to give me Matt’s number. He said he’d text it. There was a certain strangeness in his tone though, as if it was weird that I was asking for Matt’s number-as if it was out of character of me. As if I shouldn’t be wanting to.