M E R C Y (+16)

T W E L V E

Anne

I returned home at around seven am. Opening the door, I placed the bags inside and waited for Gemma to enter.

"Do you think Harry's up?" She looks back at me.

"No, it's still early. Don't bother him." I tell her and she nods.

"Excuse me!" Someone yells from behind me.

"Yes?" I turn to find a guy around my age, fiftys I'm guessing, with dark gray hair, a light beard and chocolate eyes.

"Is this the Styles residence?" He asks looking at me then back at Gemma.

"Gemma, go inside I'll deal with this." I look at her and she nods, closing the front door after her.

"It is," I approach him, "You must be Robert, Selena's father."

"I am, and you're Anne?"

"That's me." I smile, "Thanks for coming."

"I'm sorry about Selena. If I've known she was crashing into a stranger's house I would've stopped her. She overreacted and-" He let out a breath, "Doesn't matter now. I'm sorry about everything she did."

"I never expected her to do so either. I couldn't handle it when she started hiting on my boy and bullying my other child. It was- painful." I fake frowned, "Glad you're here now."

"Can I go get her?" He asks, a frown covering his face.

"Sure, I already packed her clothes. They're in hall."

"Okay, thank you." He says, moving inside to grab his daughter.

I smile as I watch him climbing upstairs. Following him, I breath heavily as I'm ready to get rid of the brat that changed my son. When I reach her room, I'm surprised to find it empty. Robert stands silent then turns to me confusingly.

I motion at my son's room and he opens the door immediately without knocking. I stand beside him, shocked at the view in front of me.

Harry and Selena, almost naked on bed together. The only thing covering her is Harry's shirt and Harry has his boxer on.

"SELENA!" Robert surprises me by screaming. Selena's eyes peek open just when Harry jumps off bed.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" he screams louder. She rubs her eyes not sure if what she's seeing is true.

Her eyes widen when her vision is clear, "Dad?" her voice broken.

"Yes, Dad. I'm your dad, unfortunately."

She laughs, pushing away the blanket, "Yeah and I'm your daughter, unfortunately."

"Don't you dare talk to me like that young lady!" He shouts, approaching her so that they're inches away. Harry looks confusingly at me and I look away ignoring him.

"What are you doing here? You suddenly care about your daughter? I've been away for over two years and now you decide to care?"

"I've always cared! Don't turn this on me now! You're the one who's sleeping with a stranger!"

"Harry is not a stranger!" she fires back. Robert laughs.

"What's wrong dad?!" She shouts back, "Can't I have some fun? Can't I fall in love? What makes me different from any other girl in the world?"

He laughs, looking down, "fall in love?" he laughs harder, "You're just like your mother." He says slowly.

Her face turns pale as if blood was drained out of her. She closes her eyes then opens them, glaring at him. Seconds later, Her hand collides with her father's cheek.

Harry and I widen our eyes at the view as she starts Sobbing, "How do you dare say that?"

"Isn't it true?" He looks back at her, grabbing her hair.

"D-Dad." She moans as I stand frozen. Harry runs to her side, helping her.

"Harry! Don't get involved!" I shout yet he ignores me.

Harry grabs her from his grip and pushes him away, "Your daughter is the purest person I've met." He says through gritted teeth.

"Hah, then you probably know nothing about her." Robert fires back causing Harry to step away.

"What is he saying, Selena?" Harry looks confusingly at Selena and I let out a breath.

Harry

"What is he saying, Selena?" I ask, looking at her up and down as her father smiles evily.

Moments later, she starts crying, "I hate you. You always ruin things for me! I already told you, I'm not mom!" Selena shouts at her father.

"What makes me so sure?" he grips her hair harder and she moans, "Here you are, sleeping with someone you barely know!"

"I know Harry!" She shouts, "Stop!" She pushes him away, "I'm ninteen, you don't have the authority to touch me anymore!"

"Touch you?" I hear my mom's voice.

Selena looks at Anne sadly then her eyebrows dip in confusion, "It's all your fault, isn't it?"

Selena steps towards mum, "You're the one who called him!" She screams, "Why do you hate me so much? What have I ever done to you?!"

"You're playing my son." Mom's voice comes low and I look down, completely ashamed with my mum's action.

"How could you?" I whisper. Mum looks at me then back at Selena, "You know nothing about her mother! You know nothing about us!"

"Her father just told you, you know nothing about her! Stop defending her for godness sake!"

"I can't stop!" I raise my hands.

"Why?!" mother shouts louder as Robert and Selena stare at us.

"Be-Because I love her!" I let out.

Selena looks at me like I cursed her or something. She's taken aback by my confession and I understand her. She stares intensely at me and I do too. Her features soften as I smile lightly.

"Enough with this! You're coming with me, Lady!" Robert grabs Selena's hand.

"Selena!" I shout, grabbing her.

"Leave me!" She shouts helplessly at him. He stops, looking back at her as she sobs repeatedly, "Where do you want me to live, Dad? With your wife? The one that you didn't bother tell me about? With your son that I had no idea existed?"

He shut his eyes, "Just stop, okay? We'll talk about this when we get home."

She laughs, stopping again, "That place is not my home anymore."

Again, she pulls her hand away from his and comes near me, interlacing her hand with mine, "Home is where Harry is." She whispers.

My heart flutters at her words. I squeeze her hand comfortingly.

"You should leave." I tell him as Selena and I stand close to each other.

"Selena-" her dad starts but she shushes him before he could continue.

"Leave! You've done enough damage today, Dad."

Robert huffs then moves downstairs as my mother follows him.

"I'm sorry my mother did that. I had no idea-" I start to explain just to get interrupted by Selena's lips on mine.

I enjoy the moment and savor the taste of her lips on mine. Just as I was about to grab her closer, she pulls away placing her forehead on mine as our breathes mix.

"I love you too, Harry." She says, looking down.

I smile at her words, "Hey, why are you sad? If it's about your dad-"

"It's not about dad." She says, "Let's just lay in bed together, please."

I look at her, smiling lightly, "Okay. But I won't let it go."

"Okay." She walks back to the bed. I follow her after I've Locked my room door.