offshore | h.s

6

HARRY STYLES

6:02 AM

I wake up early, the sun barely rising above the horizon. I lace up my sneakers and head out for a run by the ocean, the cool breeze blowing through my hair as I jog along the shoreline. Despite the early hour, the beach is still occupied by a few surfers.

As I run, I notice a few flashes of light out of the corner of my eye. I glance over and see a group of paparazzi, cameras aimed in my direction. I know what this means – pictures of me will be all over the tabloids in a few hours.

I try to ignore them and focus on my run, but the constant flashing and yelling throw me off. My heart races and my breathing quickens as I try to keep my pace steady.

I feel stressed and anxious as I make my way down the beach. I can't escape the cameras, and I know that every step I take is being recorded and analyzed by the public.

I wish for a moment of privacy, but it seems like that's impossible to find in my current situation. I push myself to keep going, hoping that the paparazzi will eventually give up and leave me alone.

As I reach the end of my run and return back to the house, I can't help but feel frustrated and overwhelmed. It's a constant battle between my desire for a normal life and the demands of being in the public eye.

I jog up the steps and push open the door, my chest heaving with exertion. James and Amber are sitting on the couch, drinking smoothies. They look up at me in surprise.

"Hey, Harry," Amber says, putting down her glass. "What's up?"

I take a deep breath and try to calm myself down. "There were paparazzi on the beach this morning," I say, my voice shaking a little.

She raises an eyebrow. "Seriously? Did they get any good shots?"

I groan and run my hands through my wavy, dark brown hair. "I have no idea. I just saw them and took off in the opposite direction."

James stands up and comes over to me, putting a hand on my arm. "Don't worry about it, Harry. You're always going to have people following you around."

I know he's right, but it still makes me feel anxious. I've always tried to keep my personal life private, but it's not easy when you're in the public eye all the time.

"Hey, do you want a smoothie? We can go and drink them outside, it's such a nice day today," James suggests, and I agree with a nod. 

We make our way to the back porch, and I take a seat at the table. Amber brings me out a green smoothie, and I sip on it, admiring the stunning view of the swimming pool and lush greenery surrounding the beach house. It's so peaceful here, far away from the noise and chaos of the city. 

Gen and Avery come out and join us. Gen walks out of the house in a navy tank top that hugs her curves and a pair of grey sweatpants that look both comfortable and stylish. She has her hair tied up in a messy ponytail, with a few strands framing her face. 

As I turn to look at Avery, she's wearing a pair of matching plaid pink and white flannelette pyjamas. I notice her name embroidered on the front of the button-up long-sleeve shirt, and I know that Amber must have bought them for her. She looks adorable in them. Her wavy hair is still messy from sleep and is getting blonder every day she spends here.

I can't help but smile as the little girl runs up to me for a hug. I wrap my arms around her tiny body and lift her up for a quick spin before setting her back down. I ruffle her hair and give her a smile.

"Good morning, Ave," I say to her.

"Morning, Harry!" She exclaims as I put her down. I notice Gen's expression. Her face seems tense, almost bittersweet. I can't help but wonder if it has anything to do with Avery and I's interactions.

"Baby, come over here so I can braid your hair. It's all messy from sleeping," she says.

She runs a brush through her daughter's hair as they talk about what Avery dreamed about the night before.

Suddenly, Amber's phone rings. She excuses herself to answer it, and I can hear her agent on the other end of the line. Amber's face lights up as she listens to the person speaking. "Are you serious?" she says. "Gemma and I would love that!"

"You won't believe it," she says to everyone excitedly, hanging up the phone. "My agent just called me and asked if Gemma and I would like to be on the cover of Elle magazine!"

"That's amazing, congratulations!" I say, genuinely happy for her.

Gen and James both give Amber a big hug, and Avery claps her hands with excitement, even though she has no idea what's going on. 

"When's the shoot, Amb?" James asks, his arm around Amber's shoulders.

"In a week. Gemma and I have to travel to New York for the shoot for a few days," Amber explains, beaming with pride. "And James, you'll have to come with us."

"Of course, babe," He replies, kissing Amber on the forehead.

Amber removes herself from James's arms, and inside the house and up the stairs, yelling out for my sister. A moment later, she comes back down, with a very smiley Gemma behind her. I immediately stand up and pull Gemma into a tight embrace. 

"Congratulations, Gem," I mumble. I'm incredibly proud of my sister for achieving such a big thing, I can't help but think about how far she's come. She and Amber started off modelling for a tiny agency before I even auditioned for the X-Factor, and now she's on the cover of magazines. 

"Thank you, H," She laughs as I let her go. "I can't wait!" 

GENEVIEVE CLARK

1:45 PM

I sit by the pool, a book in hand, enjoying the warm sun on my skin and the sounds of laughter and splashing water from those in the pool. I'm content to sit and read while everyone else enjoys the water.

Amber pops out of the water and makes her way over to me."Evie!" She greets me with a smile. Her straight blonde hair was wet from swimming in the pool and wearing a navy bikini and a big sunhat. "Mind if I sit with you?"

"Not at all," I say, closing my book and sitting up to make room for her. "What's up?"

Amber settles in next to me, taking a sip from her iced tea before speaking. "So, about the magazine cover... I just wanted to check in and make sure you're okay with me, Gemma and James going to New York for a few days."

"Of course I'm okay with it. Why wouldn't I be?" I'm surprised she would even ask. I've always been extremely supportive of her entire career. 

Amber shrugs, looking a bit uneasy. "I don't know, I guess I just thought it might be a bit awkward for you to be alone with Harry for a few days," she says, her eyes locked on mine. "And I just wanted to make sure you're okay with it."

I feel my stomach churn at the mention of being alone with Harry. I hadn't even thought about it, but now that she's mentioned it, I feel a bit on edge. "I'll be fine," I try to assure her, giving her a small smile. "It's not like we haven't spent time together before."

Amber nods, but I can tell she's not completely convinced. "I just don't want you to feel uncomfortable or anything. You know I'm here for you, right?"

"I do," I say, feeling grateful for her concern. "But honestly, I'm fine. It's just a few days, and I'll just keep busy with Ave."

"Okay," Amber says, still looking unsure. "Just promise me you'll call me if you need anything?"

"I promise, Amby," I say, giving her a small smile. 

She nods, and we both settle back into silence, enjoying the peaceful sounds of the beach and the warmth of the sun. But even as I try to relax, my mind can't help but wander to the thought of being alone with Harry. I push it away, determined to enjoy the present moment and not let old feelings get in the way.

————————————————————————

pretty short chapter, but there's gonna be some longer ones coming up !!