Damaged Goods. (A Harry Styles Fanic)

Chapter Five

Dinner was uncomfortable to say the least. Christina had managed not to burn the meal since she was making an effort to impress. ‘Shame she doesn’t make that effort on a regular basis’ Lola thought to herself. But she’d apparently do anything for John, genuinely believing it was going to last. Lola thought she was naive and stupid for thinking she could really last a decent relationship.

Lola was sat next to her brother Jake at the dinner table, with John on her right, Harry seated next to him, then Gemma, then Christina who was on Jake’s left. Harry was sat opposite Lola, making the whole experience a whole lot worse since every time she looked up from my plate, she was met by his intense stare.

She couldn’t believe her horrendous luck. How on earth did she not know about this sooner? She knew John had kids but assumed they were young, not in her year at school, let alone the person she despised most in the world. Harry wondered the exact same thing, having hoped Christina’s daughter was hot, willing and available, but was dissappointed seeing Lola standing there on the stairs. But Harry quickly came to realise how entertaining it could potentially be, seeing how horrified she was to see him standing in her hallway.

Christina had cooked a chicken dish with some kind of sauteed potatoes, serving it out as if this was a daily ritual she did for her children.

“Smells good love” John commented, rubbing his palms together as she dished out the food carefully onto the plate infront of him. She placed the potatoes in the middle of the table, letting people help themselves.

“Thank you, it smells lovely” Harry said, giving her a charming smile causing Christina to break into a modest grin, giving him a gentle nudge. Lola’s face was set like stone, waiting for everyone to finish helping themselves before she did.

“Eat some potatoes Lola” her Mum said, trying to act caring and motherly but there was a threatening undertone to her voice only Lola could hear. Everyone began tucking in, the food was quite nice much to her suprise. The conversation began to flow, without Lola really contributing, and just pushing food around her plate with the fork. She felt her stomach knotting up with anxiety and nerves, unable to stomach anything to eat.

“So do you and Harry know each other then Lola, since you go to the same school?” her Mum asked between mouthfuls. Lola paused, not wanting to exchange eye contact with Harry before she replied. Not that she had the chance before Harry butted in.

“We haven’t really had the chance to speak properly yet” he said, a look of genuine warmth painted across his facial expression. “But i’m glad we are able to now” he said, looking to Lola, the corner of his mouth turning up into a friendly yet cheeky smile. Lola reluctantly reciprocated it, as tempting as it was not to throw him a dirty look. So far Christina had found Harry to be a charming lovely lad, and hoped Lola thought the same way about him.

Lola thought Gemma and John were genuinely very nice people, unlike Harry, making her wonder where an earth he inherited his negative personality traits from. They seemed to be completely hidden and he had precise control over who saw them. He was acting like the perfect son, joking with his Dad, offering to pour his sister a drink and harmlessly flirting and charming Christina. He even got on well with Jake, making him laugh and talking about playing drums which Harry partook in.

“Yeah, it’s alright for some. I can’t even strum a guitar in tune” Gemma laughed.

“So you want to play the drums then?” John asked Jake who nodded enthusiastically.

“I am allowed to learn them at school when I go into year 3” he grinned, a tooth missing in his mouth.

Lola was sat back in her chair, feeling totally stuffed and bloated despite having had little to eat. She tensed up when she felt a foot slide up her ankle slowly, her eyes narrowing on Harry. One side of his mouth curled up as he continued participating in conversation, acting innocent. He knew Lola was staring him out and enjoyed it thoroughly, knowing how much it got to her just by the way she had tensed up. His eyes glanced to the left at her briefly, full of amusement. She rolled hers and jerked her legs back, out of Harry’s reach.