The Boy with the Dagger Tattoo (Larry Fic AU)

[Chapter 10]

******
Day Twelve
******
"I can tell something is wrong. We've been on the line for fifteen minutes and you still have yet, to make a knock knock joke."

Harry scoffs and rolls his eyes while he scrolls down his Facebook feed, phone held close between his ear and shoulder.

"You've yet to bring up an interesting subject that would require one."

"Are you calling me boring?"

"Maybe."

Harry doesn't necessarily mean it but doesn't add the reassurance at the end, knowing Liam knows when a laugh echoes on the other side of the line.

"What's wrong, mate? Is your mom still on edge?"

"No, not anymore. Stepfather arrived last night. I've never wanted a pair of plugs so bad in my life. Not even my headphones could do."

"Gross. I would move across the country if that happened. Wouldn't be able to face my mum."

"Tell me about it. Business trip was supposed to end Wednesday. He came back Saturday. And she didn't even question it. Just flew back into his arms."

"Oh, young love."

"More like, blind. He's a charmer alright. Which makes me hate him even more. No one can be that squeaky clean."

"What are you exactly, implying?"

He scoots farther up in his bed, leaning against his headboard and stares straight at the page he's pulled up. He's on his stepfather's Facebook profile and if that isn't a normal thing a curious teenager would do, then Harry is alright with standing out.

"There's no such thing as a perfect guy."

"Well obviously Harry, there's no such thing as a perfect girl either."

"You know, I haven't questioned it, these past eleven months he's been with my mum. His work varies, from office work to out of city trips. But lately, I can't help but think he's hiding something."

"Could he be having an affair?"

"That's what I assumed too. But, I doubt he would repeat his actions."

"How sure?"

"I might have called my father and asked about his whereabouts."

Harry bites his finger as he scrolls down his page, and can almost hear Liam face palm across the line.

"Harry."

"He confirmed the extension though. Told me he had sent my stepfather from Doncaster to London on short notice the Wednesday he was supposed to arrive."