Picking Up the Pieces // Harry Styles

Thirty Two

Thirty Two

"Mom, this is my boyfriend." I said with a small smile. Never thought I'd say that. "Harry, this is my mom."

"Nice to meet you." He said politely, hand extended out to her.

"Nice to meet you too, Harry." Mom smiled. "I'm Estella. Pleasure to meet you." My mother truly had a beautiful smile. Her hawk eyes weren't as deadly as I exaggerated them to be. They were bright blue.

"Sorry we have to meet on such," Mom paused for a good word. "Unfortunate circumstances."

Harry nodded solemnly and I cleared my throat.

"What happened?" I stood beside my father's bed. His eyelids were closed shut. He looked at peace.

"Your father was taking Clementine out for breakfast. She was coming back to visit after college and they got in a car accident." Mom stood by her husband, holding his pale hand. "They have some broken bones, head injuries, but they're going to be okay." She sighed. "I was worried you wouldn't come. Ed said now wasn't a good time."

It wasn't. I tried to kill myself a week ago.

"I was a little busy, but Ed insisted I come." I said.

"Edward was always a good boy." It was hard not to snap at her. "I'm sorry we were so disapproving of him when you were younger."

"He's a good guy. He's a singer now, you know. His album just came out. I helped write on it."

Mom smiled and even if it wasn't the biggest I still appreciated it. I still felt some tension.

"That's amazing. Clementine always had a thing for Ed. She'd never admit it but she was a little jealous of you." She laughed. "Goodness, you were always with him. His family adored you, you know. His mother was convinced you two would get married."

Harry seemed to tense up a little, but I smiled reassuringly at him so he'd relax.

"I'll have to visit them sometime."

"You should come home, Scarlett. The house is empty. We haven't touched your room at all though. It's exactly the same as you left it."

"Thanks. I'm working on getting my own place though. I do have a job though. I work in a bookstore. I'm pretty sure Ed and Harry are tired of me mooching off them." I laughed a little.

"You're never a burden, babe." Harry smiled at me which made my mother smile, as well as me.

"Thanks, but I think it's about time I do."

"Well, if you come home, it'll be me and you." Mom looked at me hopefully. "Until Clementine and your father are in better condition."

"I'll consider it."

A silence fell over the three of us.

My father's chest rose and fell slowly.

Clementine's monitor tracked her steady heartbeat.

"M-Mom," I said softly. "Would you like to g-go out to dinner with me later?"

Mom quickly turned to me, eyes wide since she was surprised.

"Scarlett, honey," Her voice was kind. "I'd really like that."

And we did dinner. Just me and her. Harry insisted he'd buy my mother something and me a dress for the night. It wasn't anything fancy. Just a simple yet elegant dress that he said made me shine. Ed was really proud of me and hugged me before I headed out the door.

"You, my dear, are the strongest person in the world." He told me, with a kiss of my head. The words stuck in my head the entire night and I smiled as I took Harry's vintage car out to the restaurant I was meeting my mother at.

"Have you thought of college, Scarlett? Maybe majoring in something?" She asked me, genuinely interested.

That night I didn't have a diet coke and a salad with the dressing on the side. I had a pasta and a root beer. I guess it was a toast to a new and happier me. Screw you calories. I'm stronger than you and worth more than a number.

"I was thinking about psychology. Is that weird?" I asked, with a small laugh.

"I don't think it's weird at all. You'd understand your patients. You'd be very successful, Scarlett. I'm really proud of you."

In that moment I finally learned my purpose in this life. I finally knew who I was. I knew who I'd become.

"I guess it's a good thing my head was a little screwed up."

"Your head wasn't screwed up, Scarlett." My mother said in all seriousness. "You thought a little differently. You saw things others didn't. You were very smart. You were always at the top of your class and always ahead, especially in reading.

"You had a fine taste in Literature. When you were six you wanted to know who Shakespeare was and not Dr. Seuss or what happened to the very hungry caterpillar." She put her knife and fork down. "I thought Bayberry was good for you. It gave you time to reflect on you. You needed to slow down and relax. You were very confused. I could tell." Tears stung at our eyes.

"I'm sorry I didn't write to you. I'm sorry I didn't visit. I thought I'd make everything worse. I thought you hated me. I didn't spend so much time on you, Scarlett, because in all honesty, you didn't need me or your father. You were very independent. I wanted Clementine to end up as good as you. I'm sorry if I wasn't there enough. I'm sorry we weren't the most supportive and tried to change you. I didn't know what to do myself."

"It's okay." I told her. "I-It's really okay, Mom. I promise."

And I did. I truly meant that. I would sleep a little easier tonight. I knew I would.

"I love you, Scarlett." She wrapped me into a hug. "You're my baby girl. I-I truly love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too, Mom. I love you too."


* * * *

hope you guys liked the chapter and i just wanted to give y'all a heads up on the stories that we all voted on. i got names and everything so i'll give you all a little sneak peek eh? :) it's nothing big just possible character names and possible titles.

if you see this --> **, meaning two asterisks by anything, that means it may change. but yeah, you get the idea. someone said to call it the "string" series because you can only pull it so far or hard before it breaks. it was something like that but I thought it was genius so i'll probably use it. :) thanks to whoever said that. i'll check the comments afterwards to find out who it really was.


you all can meet molly - another girl after perfection - in 'internally pure', a niall story with anorexia.

meet astrid - a girl full of anger that she takes out on herself - in 'wrists to hold'. cutting and ocd in this louis story.

meet **cheyenne (only did this because I discontinued 'my warrior' *sob* but i'm not so sure). this is a bulimia and a bit of bullying story called 'behind closed doors' with liam payne.

{{cheyenne is pronounced like shy-anne}}

'comforting sounds' is a zayn story where you can meet seraphina - the girl with the world on her shoulders and a mind like a jackrabbit. it's anxiety and a bit of ocd.

lastly is **'masquerade' where you can meet ophelia - a girl who does not belong to this century. she has schizophrenia and this is my very first ed story yaaay.


i plan for them or at least most to have a high school/school setting because jock louis would be so cute and hot and plus, it would just relate to you all a little better. i also want scarlett in it somehow. this is a series that can coincide with each book so it's all linked. amazing right? :)

hope you guys are just as excited as I am about this series. it might be started up at christmas or early january. i have to plan and covers and work so i don't know yet. leave in the comments of which story you like best and are the most excited for! love you all lots.

-summer xoxo