offshore | h.s

58

HARRY STYLES

"You feeling any better?" Niall asks as I take a sip of tea.

After the argument with Gen, I found myself driving to Niall's without really thinking. He's always been someone I can turn to when things get rough, even if I don't always show it. And he's okay with just having me around, which is something I really appreciate.

I've been here for 4 days now, and as we sit at in his living room, sipping cups of tea by the fireplace, I can tell he's concerned. It's written all over his face, in the way he watches me, in the questions he asks. And I can't blame him—I'm concerned about myself too.

I don't know what came over me that day, and I feel terrible. But at the same time, Gen keeps pushing me. I can't shake this feeling that I'll never be good enough for our family. "I don't know,"

Niall sets his cup down with a gentle clink, his expression determined. "Mate, you have to talk to Gen," he insists, his blue eyes searching mine for a response.

I meet his gaze, feeling a pang of guilt tighten in my chest. "I know," I reply softly, the weight of his words settling heavily on my shoulders.

Before I can dwell further on the conversation, a sharp ring echoes through the room, signalling the arrival of an unexpected visitor. Niall rises from his seat with a purposeful stride, his curiosity piqued as he heads towards the door.

"I'll be right back," he calls over his shoulder, disappearing from the room in search of the source of the interruption.

As Niall returns to the living room, his expression shifts to one of surprise, followed closely by concern. Walking beside him is Amber, her usually cheerful demeanour replaced by a stormy expression that sends a shiver down my spine.

"Amber," I say, caught off guard by her unexpected presence. "What's... What's going on?"

Her eyes bore into mine. "Harry, you have a lot of explaining to do," she says firmly, her voice laced with a hint of anger.

Frustration bubbles within me, mingling with a twinge of guilt. Why is she here? Did she seriously travel across the entire country for Gen? 

"I don't want to talk," I mutter as I avoid Amber's gaze.

Amber's voice rises in frustration, her words sharp and cutting. "How could you do that to her, Harry?" she practically shouts, her eyes blazing with anger.

Niall interjects softly, "Can we keep it down?"

But Amber disregards him, rolling her eyes with exasperation. "Oh, fuck off, Niall," she retorts before turning her attention back to me.

Tears stream down my face as I struggle to find the right words. "I-I can't do it anymore," I confess, my voice trembling with emotion.

Amber's anger only intensifies as she delivers her next words with force. "You're a dad, Harry," she practically seethes. "You can't just walk out when things get tough. Gen is so fucking strong. I thought you were better than this. She's already gone through it once."

"Amber, you don't need to get involved," I interject, my voice trembling with frustration.

"Don't tell me what I do or don't need to do," Amber retorts. "You're hurting Gen, Harry. You're hurting Avery. You're hurting yourself. You need to face up to what you've done."

"I'm not good for them," I reply, my voice strained with emotion.

"What's happened to you, Harry?" Amber's question cuts through the tension, her eyes searching mine for answers.