No Control • hs

twenty-two

     I wake up and remember I'm in Harry's room. Bright rays of sunshine break through the blinds. I look over to my left to see Harry. The world seems at peace for right now, but I know Niall and Zayn are still out there somewhere. Why do they have to make our lives so difficult? But, I can't help but smile to myself because I realize I have the best possible person to be going through this with. Harry inhales deeply as he sits up. "Morning babe." he says, resting his hand on my leg. "How are you?"

"Feeling a bit sick." It is true, my stomach feels off and I'm more tired than usual.

"I feel really bad about getting you sick, Peyt." He rubs my leg up and down, his hand gentle and soft.

"Well, I won't have to go to work. I don't really mind not having to go to work." I say, smiling. Harry looks over to me half-smiling half-biting his lip.

"Do you feel well enough to go to work?"

"Do you?" I ask, furrowing my brow.

"Not necessarily..." Harry trails off, looking elsewhere.

"How will we do this?" I ask.

"Do what?"

"Tell our boss that we both aren't going to work because we are both sick with the same sickness." I sit up in the bed.

"Well...I can call for both of us."

"No, Harry, you can't."

"Why not?" Harry crosses his arms and furrows his brow.

"They'll just think were blowing off work."

"But we are blowing off work." He points a finger at me.

"Not really, we are sick you know?"

"I want to take you somewhere."

"What? No. I don't feel good." I throw myself back on the bad again and cover my face with the blanket.

Harry walks over to me and rips the sheets off. "Too." He kisses my left cheek. "Bad." He kisses my right.

"Harry, I'm not going anywhere."

"Yes you are."

"How are you so peppy when you have the flu?" I get up and lean on my elbows.

"Peyton, just throw on one of my sweatshirts and lets go."

"What if I don't want one of your sweatshirts." I cross my arms and pout my lip.

"Then you'll go in public with what you slept in."

"Point made." I say, rolling my eyes. "But you have to call work first." Harry dials the number on his phone and the number picks up.
"Hello, this is Harry and I am calling in for Peyton Ruth, she is terribly sick with the flu and I have to stay home with her so neither of us will be present at work today." I hear him mumble a couple "mhms" and then hang up the phone.

"Are we off the hook?"

"Yep." I nod my head.

"I love this sweatshirt." I say rubbing my hands against the soft and fuzzy material of the grey sweatshirt.

"Keep it." Harry says simply, sliding on a pair of socks.

"No, I can't."

"Please, just take it." He busies himself with something else while I appreciate the material of the comfy but slightly worn sweatshirt. "Consider it a gift."

"For what?"

"I don't know, just keep it!" I roll my eyes.

"Well, if you want me to." I sneak up behind him and lace my arms around his waist. "Thank you."

Harry spins around in my arms. "Ready?"

"I haven't brushed my teeth."

"Then go do it."

"I have a toothbrush you can use."

I let go of him. "Ew! Harry no! I'm not using your-"

"It's new Peyton, chill out." He walks towards the door then spins around. "Come with me if you want your teeth to be crest 3D white." Harry says with a smirk. I follow Harry into the bathroom and I brush my teeth.

"Done." I walk out into the living room and see Harry laying on the couch. "Where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise."

"Am I going to be underdressed?"

"Nah, we're going to be alright. We better get going. It might take a while to get there, depends on traffic."

"How far away is this place?"

"Not too far." What a fantastic clue giver he is.

***

"Um... are we at the right place?" I ask.

"Yep." Harry nods, obviously very satisfied with his choice.

"Were spending our day off work here?"

Harry spins his head to look at me fast, looking offended. "What? You don't like coming here?"

"No, I just wasn't expecting...this."

"I knew you would be surprised!"  Without another word, Harry drags me out of the car and into the building filled with kids.