Hidden Identities // H.S

Chapter 76

"So?" Harry walks up behind me and places his hands on my shoulders.

I look out of the big windows, looking at the many buildings. "It's better than number two."

"But I loved number two." He pouts, resting his jaw on my shoulder.

"We saw a rat run across the lobby! And besides, the landlord smelt entirely like cigarettes."

We've toured five apartments so far. For every one, one of us liked it and the other didn't. The first one was the perfect studio apartment for us that was close to the office; Harry didn't like that it didn't come with a washer and dryer. We also weren't fond of a studio apartment.

The second one he thought was nice enough for us; I swear I saw a bullet hole in the hallway.

The third one was a penthouse; we both loved it but I made up an excuse. I can't pay half of the rent for a penthouse.

The fourth one was perfect; except for the cigarette smell that was engraved into the walls.

This fifth one is beautiful. Has a small living room but we could make it work. It has a spacious kitchen and an island. The bedroom though is small, big enough for a bed and a desk if we're lucky. The big closet and bathroom make up for it.

"We could add the couch there and the tv right across, perhaps a coffee table in the middle." He turns to his right, "and we can add a painting there or maybe a few pictures? You decide — The best part about this whole place is the included washer and dryer." He hums.

There's not much I can complain about. It seems like the perfect apartment for us to start. The big kitchen for us to cook in and the small bedroom that we'll adjust to make cozy. We could make it work.

"How far is it from work?"

"Fifteen minutes. There's also a grocery store ten minutes away and an ice cream shop just a few blocks away." He kisses my temple, reaching for my hand over my shoulder.

My body freezes. Chills run through my body. This weird feeling sits at the top of my chest.

Don't get scared.

"An ice cream shop a few blocks away?" I gulp.

He hums a yes, threading his finger through mine. "Isn't it perfect?"

I inhale a breath, squeezing his hand. I look around the empty space one more time. He's right. It is perfect. Better than what Zara and I had. Better than Zayn and I's place, and I love our place.

Third time is the charm.

This is Harry and I's place.

"We should start filling out the paperwork." I softly say.

He nuzzles at my cheek, a small giggle escaping my lips.

Harry and I have slowly started to pack up our things subtly. I don't have much to pack anyways so I've been starting small. Now that we have officially decided on a place we need to get the toughest part out of the way.

Telling Mitch.

We haven't told him we decided to move out because we wanted to be sure first. It's also not exactly the easiest thing to tell him. I couldn't look him in the eye for a week after the ball. How am I going to explain to him that I'm moving out with his son?

"You're nervous about something." He says quietly. "What is it?"

"I'm nervous about telling your dad," I admit. "I've completely failed him."