My Sister's Boyfriend (A Harry Styles Fanfic)

Chapter 8

I'm finishing up my notes on conservation legislation when I hear a rap on my door.

"Come in," I sigh, annoyed to be interrupted when I'm so close to finishing my task.

"Hey..." Harry's voice drifts into the room as he cracks the door open. "Can we talk?"

He's the very person I don't want to see. And the very person I do want to see.

"What about?" I tried to sound unaffected, when I am anything but.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," he states.

"Yeah, with Carter." I don't mean to sound so bitter, but I can't help the acidic tone in my voice.

"I thought I made it clear that I like you." Harry's candid admission causes my mental balance to stumble. Of course I know this, but is he really considering an us?

"Like you said, you're leaving tomorrow," I reply. "And you're dating my sister."

"It's fucked up," he shakes his head, "but I came here thinking that I would spend the week in my own personal hell, greeting stiffs and attending parties, but I met you. I thought I liked Carter, at least tolerably, but....you're a curveball."

This is hard. So, so hard. My practical side, always (until very recently) in control, tells me to forget him. Romance is not in my best interest at the time being. College admission decisions will start flooding in soon, and I have my grades and my responsibilities to look after. But my primal side, hungry and instinctive, tells me to dive in headfirst. Screw Carter, screw school, screw the consequences, screw anything but my feelings. I either want to tell him off, or throw him onto my bed. Instead, I meet halfway.

"What solution do you propose?"

The tips of Harry's lips pull up slightly. I can tell that he knows that I'm giving into my feelings for him, at least a little bit.

"Give me a month and I'll break it off with Carter. Then come visit me over holiday. Or I'll visit you. We'll figure it out. Until then, we can message each other."

"Does Carter check your phone?" I counter.

"No, I've put a passcode on it and I swear I'll keep it on my body at all times."

I know that this cannot turn out well. I'll be lying to my sister and my parents, as will Harry. And spending my time worrying about a guy, even if it is Harry, will not be beneficial to me. And worst of all, my distance from him will be difficult, and admittedly...painful. But my feelings for him are strong, too strong.

"O-okay," I stammer. "But you have to break up with Carter soon. She may not be my favorite person, but I don't like lying to her or to my parents like this. It's wrong."

"I know," Harry nods. "I hate how we have to go about this. I wish the situation was different." He strides over to where I'm standing and wraps his arms around me. "But I can't wait to be with you the way I want to."

"Me too," I mumble into his shirt, too tired and happy and confused to say anything more intelligent.

After we've been standing there, together, for a few seconds, I wriggle free of his grasp. "Shouldn't you be getting back to Carter?" I ask.

"I told her I was making a phone call home and I'd be a few minutes," Harry answers. "I wanted to have time to say a proper goodbye, since tomorrow we'll be surrounded by people."

I smile and shake my head. For one of the first times in my life, I'm flustered. I feel like little butterflies are fluttering in my stomach, threatening to escape. Harry looks at me softly and cups my face in his large hands. He stares into my eyes, trying to read me, searching for an answer. I nod slowly, and Harry licks his lips before bringing them to my own. In a few seconds, our kiss turns from innocent to hungry. His hands graze my back, and soon I've hopped onto his waist, wrapping my legs around him. My hands brush through his hair, and his continue to draw lines up and down my back over the thin black tank top I'm wearing. Our kiss is messy and desperate, each of us knowing that we will not see the other until at least the winter holiday, most likely longer. I pull at them of Harry's white t-shirt, and he assists me in taking it off of him. Next off comes my top, and I can see Harry's eyes graze my torso with anticipation.

We continue to kiss, and I find myself rocking slowly against him. I feel him growing harder under his jeans, and I'm met with a feeling of primal desire. But again, practical Ella shouts into my ear: "You MUST stop this before it gets out of hand!" I draw my lips from his and jump off of him. Harry rubs his eyes and reaches down to grab my shirt and hand it to me.

"You absolutely kill me," he rasps.

I slip my tank back on and peck him on the lips. "That was a perfect goodbye."

Harry puts his own shirt back on and heads for the door. "I'll see you tomorrow. And I'll text you as soon as I land in the UK. I promise I'll end things with Carter as soon as I can."

I nod cross my arms over my chest, suddenly guarded after my large display of emotion. "Please let her down easy," I request. "Don't mention 'another girl'."

Harry smiles, but his eyes are downcast. "I will. Goodnight, Ella."

I wait until he has shut the door to whisper, "Goodnight, Harry."

_______________________________

The next morning, I'm downstairs at 6:30 for Carter and Harry's sendoff. Mom is dropping them at LAX and Dad is already at work, so I'm actually the only person sending anyone off.

"Do you have my suitcase?" Carter snaps at Mom for the tenth time.

"Yes, all of your stuff is already in the trunk," my mother sighs. She is used to Carter's snippy attitude.

"So everything's set? We're ready to go?"

"Yes, I'll wait in the car so you and Harry can say your goodbyes to Ella," my mom smartly diverts herself outside.

"I'll see you at Christmas," Carter turns to me. "Don't get yourself into too much trouble." She wraps her arms around me stiffly.

"Right back at you," I say as she releases me, smiling genuinely. It's the least I can do after what I know will ensue regarding her and Harry within the next month.

"Well, I'm getting in the car. Harry, come on!" She stomps outside.

Harry glances behind her, then turns to me. "Goodbye, Ella." His hand brushes my cheek.

"Goodbye, Harry," I reply, staring into his eyes.

"I'll see you soon," he smiles. "I intend to keep every promise we discussed."

"I hope so," I grin back. "I was planning on it."

He turns back around and steps through the doorframe. I trail a few steps behind him, and watch as he opens the car door and steps inside. Before his head disappears, he turns back to look at me. I wave and smile sadly, and he inconspicuously winks before he shuts the car door. I watch the Audi peel out of our driveway, then return inside.

I have a long and lonely month to get through.

___________________________________

HARRY'S POV


It's been two weeks since I arrived back in the UK with Carter, and two weeks of constant messaging back and forth with Ella. We've talked about her winter research paper, her student council duties, the weather in England versus LA, hell, we've even skirted on sexting....addressing anything and everything but that which is most important: how and when I will break up with Carter.

My phone buzzes and I resolve to get the deed over with. Soon.

Ella: Just finished yoga. What's goin on w u 2day?

Just reading her words is enough to put a grin on my face. I type out a reply:

Harry: I'm finally going to do it

E: Ur going 2 have 2 be more specific

H: Don't make me say it. I already feel bad enough

E: Carter? So...finally?

H: Finally.

E: Tell me ur plan

H: I feel...evil

E: So tell me ur evil plan!

I know that we're joking around, but I'm not used to feeling like a jerk. Which is what I know I am being in this situation. There's no pretty way to clean this up, I know that Carter's feelings will get hurt, and if Ella and I decide to take our relationship seriously, her entire family will know we were lying. I can't imagine how this can pan out well.

H: We're having a nite in at my place. I'll do it then.

E: So this is really it

H: And what about holiday? Have u asked ur parents to come up here?

E: I've mentioned it in passing. 2nite I'll ask.

H: Good. 2 weeks have felt like a lifetime.

E: Tell me about it.

I hear a knock on the door of my flat and type out a quick reply.

H: I've got a visitor, talk to you later xxx

I slip my phone into my pocket and walk to the door. When I open it, I'm surprised to find Carter on the other side, made up from head to toe. She looks ready for a night out, not a quiet night in with me. I look at my watch.

6:00 PM

When her eyes meet my face, she plasters on a tight smile.

"Harry, sweetie, how are you?" She asks, as though we haven't just seen each other that morning.

"I thought you weren't coming over until 7?" I ask.

"Am I interrupting something?" Carter's voice has a sharp edge.

"No, I just...." My voice trails off.

"I thought we could have a glass of wine together before we head off."

"Wait, what?" I'm surprised. "I thought we agreed on a night in?"

"Did we?" Carter looks unconvinced. "I thought I told you that Meredith is having a mixer tonight at her new flat? I told her we'd be there, we can't just skip to watch boring movies on your couch. People are expecting us."

"Are they?" I ask with a sudden burst of incredulity. "Or are they expecting you?"

"If you don't want to go, I suppose you don't have to." Carter sighs. She is playing her game with me. She thinks that this time, like in the past, I'll give in to her. "But I'd really appreciate it if you did this, for me."

"Bollocks," I'm so exasperated that I nearly laugh. "All we ever do is go to your stupid parties and gatherings and galas and bullshit. I'm through with it."

Carter's lips part slightly, and her eyebrows raise a fraction of an inch. Her surprise quickly disappears when she narrows her eyes.

"I didn't know that tonight was so important to you." Her voice is measured, but I can sense her rage behind her words.

"It's a culmination," I reply, "of you constantly dictating my life. You push me under the rug!"

"I do not-"

"Do you love me?" The words come out of my mouth before I have time to think about them. This isn't the direction I had planned our conversation would go.

"I..." Carter looks lost for words, for the first time in what seems like ever. Quickly, her lips snap together and form a tight line, and she closes her eyes, squeezing them hard. After a couple of seconds in which she seemingly gathers her thoughts, she speaks again.

"Let's just go."

"No." I'm appalled that she still thinks I'm going with her.

"Harry..." Carter's voice is steady, but I can barely make out tears forming on the outside corners of her eyes. "People will ask where you are. What am I supposed to tell them?"

"Tell them that we've broken up."

As soon as the words leave my lips, I feel as though a weight has been lifted. Carter steps back as if I've pushed her.

"No..." She says quietly, shaking her head. "You-you can't....oh my god." Her eyes close again and she brings her fingers to her temples. "This isn't happening."

I'm happy this is finally happening, but my guilt grows as I watch her slowly fall apart. This is likely one of the few times a situation has not been in her control.

"You're not in love with me, and I'm not in love with you," I reason. "There's no point in dragging this out."

"I have to go," Carter puts a hand over her face and avoids eye contact.

She grabs the door handle and slips through, but loudly slams the door shut once she's out. I can tell she's embarrassed, and I know that this isn't the last time I will hear from her. But I'm relieved, so relieved, to stop lying and pretending. That wasn't the person I am, or the person I intend to be.

______________________

ELLA'S POV


I pad downstairs and through the long hallway to my parents' wing of the house. After I knock softly on their door, I hear a muffled "Come in."

I'm greeted by my mom sitting up in bed, her face slathered with a green face mask.

"Ella, darling, what is it? My show starts in five minutes." Thats my mom, snappy as always.

I'm not sure how to broach the subject, so I decide to dive right in.

"This may seem out of the blue," I start, "but I was wondering if I could spend winter break in London?"

This snaps my mother to attention.

"Oh!" Her eyebrows shoot up, as much as they can in her state of face mask-induced semi-paralysis. "To visit your sister?"

"Yes," I latch onto this, "but also to explore the city, and maybe a bit of the countryside as well. And I was thinking....maybe to see if I could imagine myself attending University there?" I know that this is my hook.

"My," she still looks surprised, but somewhat comforted by the idea. "This...this could be a good idea. You could go up at the beginning of winter break, then come back with Carter right before Christmas! I'll have to talk to your father first, of course."

"I was thinking..." I tread lightly, "that I could stay over Christmas?"

One look at my mother and I know that she is horrified by the idea.

"I have that friend...Stacy, from summer camp a few years ago? Remember? We've stayed in touch, and she mentioned that she'd be happy to have me for Christmas. She really misses me, and I miss her, too." Although I do have a British friend named Stacy who I met at summer camp four years earlier, this is a blatant lie. A blatant lie that I'm praying my mother will buy.

"I would hate to have you away for Christmas," she says. "We've spent every Christmas together as a family since you were born....except for two years ago when Carter didn't come home...and the year before...but I was hoping we could all be together this year."

At that moment, a shrill ring echoes through the room. My mom grabs her phone and examines the screen.

"It's your sister," she says with a tiny frown. "You'll have to wait a moment, this could be important. Hello?"

I watch as my mother's face goes from cheerful to downcast to outright confused. This must mean that Harry finally broke up with Carter.

"Calm down, sweetie...I know, I know...I have no idea....are you going to talk to him?....this must be some sort of mistake....you did nothing wrong....he's a bastard!"

I wince as my mother curses Harry out. As if she'd ever believe Carter was at fault for anything.

"Honey, I'd love to comfort you all afternoon, but my show is about to start. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Don't eat too much chocolate." She hangs up the phone.

"Well," she says after she sets her cell phone facedown on her bedside table. "It looks as though Carter could use some sisterly support. You're in luck."

"What happened?" I ask coyly.

"She broke up with that boyfriend of hers." She makes it sound as though the breakup was Carter's decision. I know better. "I knew he was no good the moment I set eyes on him..."

"Harry?" I ask. "I liked him."

"That's because he manipulated you into believing he was a good man. The same way he manipulated your sister into believing he loved her."

I roll my eyes at this. Carter knew Harry never loved her.

"Anyway, I will still need to speak to your father, but I think that some sister bonding time could be in order. And I'll allow you to stay over Christmas if you look into Universities you might be interested in."

I smile, but inside I'm bubbling over, threatening to spill.

"Thank you!" I walk over to my mom and kiss her on the cheek. "I'll let you get back to your show. Goodnight."

"Goodnight!" She calls as I slip out of her room and shut the door quietly.

I run through the house and back up the stairs to my room, too excited to walk or think calmly. I grab my phone off of my bed as soon as I enter my room and type out a message to Harry:

E: Its nearly all set. Mom is on board with me spending the entire winter holiday in London. I'll see you soon xxx