Almost Like Fate (A One Direction FanFic)

Chapter Fourteen

*Harry's POV*

Charlotte pulled me through her side gate, which is apparently always unlocked. She had pulled her hair out of her bun, and it was still wet, making it a sort of brown color. The others said that they'd wait in the car. She said that we had to sneak in, since she was wearing my shirt, they'd get the wrong idea.

A tree ran up the side of the house and right next to a small balcony that was next to a bigger one. She grabbed one of the branches and hoisted herself up.

"Careful Love," I said and she smiled down at me.

"Please, it's not like I've never snuck out before. You underestimate me," she said and continued to pull herself up the tree. I mirrored her movements and she swung her leg over the railing of the balcony and grabbed a key from on top of the lantern. She unlocked the door and opened it. I hopped over the railing and followed her into the room. It was nice, with yellow walls, and big. Her bed was in the middle of the room, and her dresser on the opposite wall. She opened another door and disappeared inside. "Harry?" she called out and I sat on her bed. She had a fluffy pink blanket over the end of it, and the comforter was just plain white.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I should wear a dress? Or shorts?" she said and popped her head out of the door. I hummed. Her hair had started to dry into waves and she waved her hand airily. "You're no help. I should have brought Jordan or Meagan," she mumbled and I smiled. We had already drove by their houses, and Charlotte was the last one. "You know, a heads up would have been nice. I need time to get ready." her voice floated from the closet.

"Sorry," I said and stood up, walking over to her desk. Pointe shoes were sitting on top of some folders and a half finished drawing was in the middle of it. I picked it up and smiled, looking down at myself. Well, half of myself.

She was really good. I put it back down and opened one of the drawers. A case of colored pencils, markers, paper clips, and push pins. I closed it and moved away from the desk towards her dresser. On top was a picture of her and her family, and another of just her siblings. There was one of her parents holding a baby, which I assumed was Charlotte. Her cheeks were flushed, and her green eyes were big. I smiled and looked at the next picture. It was a school picture, and her hair was pulled up into a bun, her green eyes bright. It looked fairly recent, and I looked at a smaller frame. It was a dog, but I hadn't seen a dog when I came to visit. I shrugged it off and looked up at a picture of her grandparents. I recognized Gramma, but I hadn't met her grandpa. The next picture was a picture of her grandpa, in a hospital bed, her Gramma at his side, clutching his hand. I blinked and picked up a picture of Charlotte and another boy. He was holding her waist and she was smiling brightly. He was kissing her cheek and jealousy burned my stomach. Who was that?

She looked like she was laughing, and he didn't look anything like her, so it couldn't be family.

"Harry?" I heard her say and I turned. She came out of the room in my shirt still, but she was holding a black shirt. "What's that?" she said and I looked down. She came over and took the picture from me. "Oh..." she trailed off.

"Is that your boyfriend?" I said and was surprised to hear the anger in my voice.

"What? No!" she said and looked at me with wide eyes. "Harry, this is my cousin, well, adopted cousin."

"Oh," I said, suddenly feeling guilty. "Why is he kissing your cheek?"

She sighed and placed the picture back of the dresser carefully, next to the one with her grandpa. "He was like a brother to me," she said.

"Was? What happened?" I said and she sniffed. I noticed tears glistening in her eyes. She wiped them away quickly and smiled at me.

"Um, doesn't matter," she said quickly and walked back to the room. "I decided to wear shorts," she said and I nodded. She disappeared back inside and I turned to look at the boy in the picture. He had brown hair that was sticking up in all different directions, and he had tan olive skin, and opposite to Charlotte's pale skin.