Mint [H.S.]

30

I told her that I loved her, was not sure if she heard. The roof was pretty windy and she didn't say a word. Party dying downstairs, had nothing left to do. Just me, her and the moon.

End Of The Day - One Direction  (because how much does this song remind you of the start of Adore??)

HARRY

The rain was relentless. It poured down against the windshield of the rental car, creating a blurry mess before us. I was bent over the steering wheel, eyes squinting, in hopes that I could get us to London safely. The music was at a low murmur in the background; an old U2 song playing. I was already in a bad mood. The eight year old nuisance in the backseat was the reason for my plummeting disposition.

The incessant kicking of her feet against my chair was enough to drive me straight into oncoming traffic. There were a few close calls already, the rain not doing us any favours. It was deep breaths and counting in my head that was helping me not snap.

"Deep breaths," Iz chuckled beside me, squeezing my thigh in reassurance. I looked over at her. She was smiling at me, a knowing look glistening in her eyes. She squeezed my thigh once more. My shoulders slumping in response, a peace settling over me.

"I'm this close to snapping," I whispered harshly in response. "So fucking close..."

She shook her head. "It'll be fine. She's only bored."

"Then tell her to read a book. Go to sleep, even. Do something else than fucking annoy me."

"That's another loonie in the swear jar, Harry!"

I looked over at Maddie's reflection in the mirror. A grin was spread across her thin, pink lips. Her eyes were flickering with mischievousness. "You know, I'm gonna be rich by the end of this trip. I wonder if daddy will let me buy that book I wanted."

Before I could quip back with something that was surely worth a tenner, Izzy spoke up. "What book's that?"

Maddie's grin fell, a small, shy smile taking its place. "Um... My Queen's Palace - it's about this prince and princess who falls in love, but this really bad guy shows up and starts an attack on their palace. The prince then gets sick, so the princess has to save the whole kingdom."

"That sounds like a really good book," Izzy grinned. "Do you like to read?"

"I love reading!" Maddie squealed in response, "It's my favourite thing to do. Well - that and watching Disney movies... Did you know that you look like a princess? I think I said that already, but you do."

Isabella smiled, "That's so sweet of you, Maddie. You look like a princess too! And, both are very good activities."

I took a chance and looked over my shoulder to catch a dazed smile on Maddie's face. She nodded her head fervently. Reaching into her backpack, she pulled out a stack of three books.

"These are my favourite ones. Do you - um... do you want to look at it?" she asked hesitantly. Izzy had been quick to answer, taking the book from Maddie's hands and looked at the titles.

I sat back, my eyes still focused on the road, the rain easing up as we got closer to London, and remained a quiet listener. Even though I didn't want to admit it, I liked seeing Isabella and Maddie get along.

Izzy hummed to herself, looking at the worn covers of the paperback novels. "These are pretty advanced books. You're only eight, right?"

Maddie nodded, "I turn nine in January," she replied proudly.

"That's very impressive then." She smiled over her shoulder, and then looked at me. I smirked, quirking an eyebrow before refocussing my concentration on the road. "Little Women... Tom Sawyer... The Secret Garden... The Secret Garden was my favourite story as a kid too. I didn't read it until I was ten though, so I'm very impressed that you're reading it at eight! What else do you like to read?"