Anything to keep you [n.h + h.s]

Chapter 5

I'm perched on my bed, thinking about my very first football practice. Everything that had went wrong and everything that had turned out okay. Some things had been so nice. Like hearing Niall pull one of his old jokes was fantastic. Calum seemed like a nice lad and I can't wait to see him again. I hope I can befriend him so I'll have at least one friend on the team. The bad stuff was hearing that stupid guy tell Niall to date dumb Julia for the rest of his life because I really don't want that. There are knocks placed on my door and it startles me so much that I fall off the bed. 

"Ouch..." I mumble to myself. The door opens and Ashton pops in his head with wide eyes. 

"What happened?" he asks while I get up from my floor with a blush upon my cheeks. 

"Uh, it kind of took me by surprise when you knocked on my door so I kind of, fell off the bed." I explain with a pink tint to my cheeks. Ashton quickly begins to laugh his dumb ass off. I roll my eyes and walk up to him. When I reach him I push a bit while mumbling that it's certainly not funny. 

"What did even come here for?" I ask and pout a bit because he's still chuckling at me. 

"Sorry Haz. Dinner is ready, that's why." he tells me and I roll my eyes and steer my steps down the stairs and walk to the dining room. Gemma and mum are already sat at the table when we get there. Ashton takes the seat opposite of Gemma, he always does, which leaves me the seat opposite of  mum. 

"Let's dig in." mum says and offers Ashton to take food first. Even though he spends almost all his time here, mum still says that he should get to take food first. It's a matter of hospitality she says. Ashton usually say to me that it doesn't really matter to him who takes food first but that he loves my family. Which feels nice and I usually, half jokingly half seriously, tell him that he's a part of my family. It's completely true to me. Ashton is like my older brother and I look up to him a lot. He's nice, smart, treats my sister like a princess. He's a good role model for me. Mum thinks so too. 

"Here." Ashton says and gives me the ladle for me to grab some food. The lasagna that mum has made looks so appetizing and I put maybe a tad too much on my plate. 

"So Harry. How was first football practice?" Mum asks me as she puts lasagna on her plate. Her gaze flickers between me and her plate. I shove a fork full of lasagna into my mouth and start to chew it carefully while I think of what to tell mum. I obviously can't tell her what I told Ashton in the car. I could tell her about Calum. Yeah, I can do that. 

"It was okay. Pretty good for a first practice I guess. But I talked to this guy that I think is quite nice and that I really want to befriend. His name is Calum." I glance at Ashton and he smiles at me while he chews his food. 

"Oh that sounds wonderful darling! Does he go to your school? What about Niall? He plays football doesn't he?" I stiffen a bit at the mention of Niall but try to act casual. 

"Uhm, yeah he plays football but you know, he's the captain. I talked a lot to the coach and Niall got to be in charge of the others while I was with coach. Sadly, Calum doesn't go to my school." I tell her, trying to ignore the clench in my heart. Niall is so wonderful I wish he didn't hate me. 

"Oh, well. You can see Calum in your free time then sweetie." She says and a small smile spreads across my face. 

"Yeah. I'll definitely ask him if he'd like to hang out some day." I say before shoving my mouth full with lasagna. Mum turn her attention to Ash and Gem instead and I'm free to eat in peace. 

~~~~~~~~~

I can't believe this. This is so not happening. I must be freaking dreaming. 

"ASHTON!" I scream and I'm hyperventilating. I try to even out my breathing but it's not possible. It's a task I just cannot complete. My door opens and Ashton looks at me full of concern.