I Hate You More

LIVE For Something Beautiful

Harlen

I raced down the stairs of the house I had just gotten with Remington, Emerson and Shy, with a crazy grin on my face as my husband chased me. I know what you're thinking. What the hell did I mean husband? Well, it turns out three years can fly by, and so can an engagement. We were on tour for the band's fourth album 'Fever Dream' when Remington proposed to me in front of the Eiffel Tower. We had been married for about six months now. Our wedding was nothing big, after all, neither of us wanted it to be.

Emerson and Shy, did indeed get engaged the May after our tour with Yungblood, and Sebastian and Larissa were set to get married in November. They had their own house that was right down the street from ours. Emerson and Remington however, refused to live separately so, the four of us got a house together. Emerson and Shy pretty much lived out of the upstairs, while Remington and I lived out of the first floor.

"Harlen," Remington sounded out of breath as he began to search for me, oblivious to the fact that I was right around the corner. Ok, I thought he was oblivious but, based on the fact that he suddenly wrapped his arms around me, I thought wrong, "give me the remote."

He was trying to seem stern but, he was instantly betrayed by the chuckle that cracked through his voice.

"Ok tough guy," I smirked, prompting him to tickle me, "careful babe."

Remington sent me a look of confusion, and it reminded me that I hadn't told him about the change that was occurring in just nine months. My free hand, involuntarily made its way to my stomach as I made up an excuse, "You can't break me. I'm your wife!"

I was about four weeks along, and part of me wanted to shout it from the rooftops but, I also wanted to wait until I knew was safer. After all, the last time I was carrying a tiny human, it didn't go too well. I just would rather be safe than sorry.

"That's not what you were saying the other night." He whispered.

"Ew," Emerson yelled, startling me, "sorry I didn't meant to scare you but, seriously queue the fucking vomit."

He opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water.

"Well maybe you should stop fucking eaves dropping you fucking shithead." Remington sneered before wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into his chest.

"Hmm," Emerson feigned confusion, "that's an odd way to pronounce 'awesome human being' but alright."

A loud laugh slipped from my lips, warranting a confused look to appear on Shy's face as she joined us in the kitchen.

"Hey," Remington smiled beautifully, "you're supposed to be on my team!"

Something inside me told me it was the right time, "Hey Gianna! Can you grab that box from under my bed please?"

She had grown so much and was now thirteen but, she'd always be my baby sister. After a couple of minutes Gianna came trotting down the hallway with a big, black, gift box in her hands.

"What's that?" Remington's eyebrows were crinkled together, pure confusion etching them.

"You'll see soon enough." I gave a knowing grin.

"Well why not show us now?" Emerson questioned with a perplexed look on his face.

"Because I wanted Sebastian and Larisa to be here first."

Right on queue the adorable couple walked through the front door with their even more adorable dog. Jamie, Renee, their two year old Ryan, and Phoebe were right on their tail.

"Speak of the fucking devil," Remington chuckled but, as soon as he received Gianna's stern look, his face dropped, "sorry Gi."

Gianna uncrossed her arms, as my pretty much nephew threw himself into mine, "Auntie Harley!"

I chuckled at the toddler as I raised him onto my hip. Renee and Jamie adopted him about a year ago, and he warmed up to all of us fairly quickly, and he just had to run with the stupid nickname that Remington started as a joke.

"How are you buddy?" I smiled at the adorable look Remington had on his face as he took Ryan from me, and ran around the kitchen while holding him out as if he were superman.

This grown ass man, made 'whooshing' noises as he rose the child up and down, pulling giggles from everyone who was taking in the sight.

"Who's your favorite uncle?" Remington questioned as he finally set Ryan down.

The kid stood silently for a second, before whispering in Remington's ear.

"That's what I thought," Remington nodded pridefully, "now tell auntie Harley to let us open our present!"

Ryan did exactly that, "Pretty please?"

"Alright! Alright, fine," I laughed at the puppy dog eyes that both the grown man, and the two year old were sending me, before grabbing the black box and pulling out four jerseys, and handing three of them to the brothers, "it's nothing special but, I figured we could match?"

I held up the fourth jersey, which mirrored the other three. The only difference between each of them were that they held our birthdays under the last name that we had all shared. The front of the Jerseys had the band's logo and name on it.

"Harls these are sick!" Sebastian grinned, and pulled me into a tight hug.

I went back into the box and pulled out a jersey for everyone else, including a little one for Ryan, which caused the little guy to squeal out of excitement.

"Wait," Gianna said with a confused tone lacing her voice, "there's one more?"

I let out an excited giggle at everyone's weird expressions, and pulled out a onesie form of the jersey with the words 'Baby Kropp' printed on the back of it, with my February 2026 due date underneath it.

"No fucking way," Remington gasped, "what?"

He dropped his shirt, and grabbed ahold of me and spinned me around before planting what felt like a million kisses on my lips, "Really?"

I nodded my head as tears finally filled my eyes. I received another kiss but, this one was longer and more passionate. It was crazy that after all of this time, we could be in a room full of people and feel like it was just us but, everyone's incoherent cheers brought us back to reality.

"You're gonna be the best mom," Gianna whispered in my ear as she hugged me, and that caused me to get completely emotional, "you already were to me when I needed you to be. I love you so much."

I kissed her temple, "I love you too."

As I looked around me, my heart was overflowing with the feeling of content, and pure happiness. I used to think that I'd never want to live. That I'd never find true happiness, and be living instead of just surviving but, as I looked into the present, and into the future I had with the people around me I realized that I was so wrong. I realized that I had something beautiful, and not to die for.

I had something beautiful to live for.

THE END