Floss // A Harry Styles AU

twenty-one

When Ruby was two, I thought I'd lost her in the zoo at Burford. It had a longer fancier name now, but I'd always just known it as 'the zoo'. She'd just started walking, and she was fast - she'd be there one second and gone the next. I was constantly on edge about losing her, and one day it happened. I was, for use of a better phrase, shitting myself. I ran around the whole zoo and I couldn't find her - they put an announcement on the tannoy, and eventually another mum returned her to me in the gift shop.

Ruby had got distracted by the butterflies on the back of the other mother's tote bag, and had just followed her around the zoo with it. I was angry that day, but with myself. I let my daughter run off without realising. She was in my care, she was my responsibility.

Today, I was angry with my mother. I was also angry at my dad, but I was especially angry with my mum. She should've known better. She should've checked on Ruby.

I'd just finished speaking with the owners of the last house on Packhorse Lane when my dad called me.

"Have you found her?" He asked. He sounded like he was in agony.

"No, I haven't." I said in a flat voice, speeding down the road to the next house.

I had half the residents of Aldsworth Road and two from Packhorse Lane out helping me look now. I was collecting villagers of Bibury as I went like shoes for my wardrobe.

"What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to help me, Dad. She could be anywhere, I have no idea how long she's been out on her own."

"Where are you?"

"I'm opposite yours. Mum has spoken to your neighbours, nobody saw Ruby leave. I'm knocking on doors - Mum is staying in the house in case she comes back."

"Do you want me to do the same at yours?"

"Yes, that would be helpful."

"Okay. Don't worry, Floss. We'll find her."

Telling me not to worry was awfully stupid, but I carried on.

The more residents I spoke to with no information, the more despairing I became. I was walking down the road looking like a lunatic. I was crying so hard at times I could barely see. I was really entertaining the Local Fruitcake name today by the looks people were giving me. I was running up to randomers on the street and flashing a picture of Ruby, asking if they'd seen her anywhere. Everyone said no. Everyone always said no, and I wasn't sure if it was because I looked like a mad woman or if it was because she genuinely hadn't been seen.

I went all around by the school and the church, checking behind gravestones and underneath wooden pews. Nothing.

When I got to Harry's house I felt insane - almost delirious. When he answered he was smiling at first, but it immediately fell when he saw the state of me.

"Floss, what's going on?"

"She's gone - you've got to help me. I don't know what to do, I think I'm going insane. She's just disappeared and no one has seen her and-,"

"-Woah," Harry put his hand on my shoulder, brows furrowing, "slow down. Who's gone?"

"Ruby! She's gone - she wasn't at my parents' house when I got there and I've been knocking on everyone's door for an hour and no one has seen her."

"Oh my God, why didn't you call me or something?" He asked, and started pulling his shoes on. "Oscar, come here, mate!"

"I didn't want to waste any time, I just started knocking and I haven't really stopped since. I've already got loads of neighbours helping but she could be anywhere, Harry."