Already Home // Harry Styles

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24th September, London

It had been two whole month since I spent another birthday in Italy. Anne was so sure that Harry was going to propose that day that it was all she talked to me about at the birthday dinner she threw the previous night. It got a little bit annoying if I'm honest. You know when someone just doesn't take no for an answer? She kept talking about times of year, where to shop for dresses, about bouquets and buffets she had seen at other weddings that were beautiful. It obliviously was lovely she was so invested butI just didn't want to be thinking about all that before we were there you know? I knew Harry better though on this topic at least. He knew it was too soon to be even thinking that way. Knew that we were not ready yet. Above all,  I knew he would never do it on my birthday. Harry loved a celebration and he would choose another day so there as something else to celebrate in the yearly calendar.
He didn't propose obviously. But the day was special. We spent the actual day of my birthday  out at sea on a gorgeous boat hired for all our friends and the family. Everyone was in high spirits and had a lovely day. Even the addition of some paparazzi didn't spoil the day. A day out at sea is my favourite thing. Late on in the evening, Harry got a local Italian family who ran a restaurant into the villa to cook some beautiful Italian food for just to two of us. It was a perfect way to spend my 30th birthday. The happiest birthday I could remember in a while.

The gang left a few days after Harrys final show and then it was just the two of us. My favourite days of that holiday were when we would just laze around the villa. In and out of the pool, lazing on sun loungers soaking up the sun or playing about on pool lilos, cracking out the scrabble or uno and getting competitive, drinking ice cold shandy's and eating gelatos. We would dance under the moonlight and take daytime naps in a hammock. It was perfect.

Once we hit back down at Heathrow, my normal life had to resume. I had to go straight into work the next day which was a bit of a bummer but that's life I guess.
The first night back in London I knew I wanted to stay at my own flat and catch up with Meg which Harry didn't love the sound of but is there anything better than your own bed after time away? I don't think so.

"We've been basically living together for a while now. When are you gonna give in and just move in the house?" He protested on the flight. "I don't wanna spend time apart".

"Trust me, it's healthy for us to spend time apart. You might start getting on my nerves if we don't" I joked, poking him in his ribs . I knew Meg had a lot to fill me in on and I was desperate to hear it all. Desperate to catch up with all the girls actually. It was starting to feel like I was loosing touch and I didn't want that. They were family. I was even excited to get back in on all the work gossip. Gossip in an office is always rife. I'm not usually one to get in on it but for some reason I was really ready to sit in the break room and listen to all I'd missed. Who'd hooked up with who, who'd had a falling out, who got too drunk at the work party. You know, the usual.

Harry dropped me off in Wood Green, with just a quick hello to Meg and Stanley as he brought in my luggage before he was off home to probably sleep I would imagine. Stan gave me the cold shoulder badly. I was being severely punished for being away so long. He wouldn't even sit in the same room as me and if I went near him he would turn up his nose. He wasn't happy with me. I could win him round with some dreamies and head scratches though.

It was Meg that was the real worry. As soon as I got home I could tell there was something wrong. Her curly hair was wild, like it hadn't been touched in a week. Usually so groomed, she was laying supine on the sofa in the baggiest of T-shirts and baggy shorts which came down past her knees. She had bags under her eyes that could be seen from space. She looked like she hadn't slept properly in weeks. I hadn't seen her like this in years. Out of all of us, Meg wasn't the emotional one. She was the always the upbeat one. The one who was ready to party at the drop of a hat or quick to tell us all to get a grip if we were crying over something insignificant. She was the strongest of us all.