Love and Fame (Harry Styles)

Chapter 36

Harry and my brothers grew surprisingly close over the Christmas holiday. They were soon cracking jokes and sharing beers as if they had been best buds forever.

Mom and I were watching them from a distance as they were watching a soccer game on the living room TV, both of us with faint smiles on our faces. There was no secret that I loved the fact that Harry got along with my brothers.

"He's a good guy," Mom said quietly and I nodded. "Mike and Jonah loves him."

"Yeah, I know," I said and turned my gaze away from the boys and towards Mom. "What about you?"

"I love him too," Mom said as she suddenly started rearranging the photos on the mantelpiece to keep herself busy. I could tell that something was on her mind, and that she was trying to buy time to figure out how to tell me whatever it was. It made me feel uneasy. "He reminds me a little bit of your dad."

"Mom, don't go putting pictures like that in my head," I exclaimed and wrinkled my nose.

"I'm sorry, but don't you think?" Mom insisted with a giggle and I looked at Harry as he twisted the cap of his second beer.

"Maybe a little," I admitted reluctantly. I really didn't want to go there, but Mom was right. Sort of. "His personality perhaps. The way he jokes and smiles his way through life as if there's not a worry in the world."

I joined my brothers and boyfriend by the TV as Mom started dinner. Harry wrapped his arm around me when I had helped myself to a beer from the table.

I let my gaze drift to the upper left corner of the television screen to get an overview of the time, teams and score.

"Who're we rooting for?" I asked as Harry, Mike and Jonah let go of what could only be described as mixed roars of emotions when one of the players made a quick move.

"Arsenal," Mike said and Jonah nodded in agreement.

Figured that my brothers would root on the same team... They always did because they always kind of instinctually knew who would win.

"Manchester United," Harry said and the boys exchanged challenging looks.

"Are we betting anything?" I asked as I curled even closer to Harry's body.

Knowing my brothers, they probably had a bet running against my boyfriend. And knowing my brothers, they were probably going to win that bet too.

Growing up with a soccer fanatic of a dad had it perks. Mike, Jonah and I had been taught from an early age how to place and win bets.

In high school I had had a rep as the cool girl who would place bets on soccer matches. And countless of times my buddies had engaged themselves in bets they would later lose because I was sort of a pro.

"Of course we're betting," Jonah said and pointed to the heap of crumpled dollar bills on the table.

"Let me guess," I said and looked at Harry. "You're not winning."

"Yet," Harry corrected without answering my question. "There's still forty minutes left of the second half. I still have time."

"Of course you still have time, babe," I said and sent my brothers a meaningful glance.

"What was that?" Harry said suspiciously and I innocently batted my eyelashes at him. "You just exchanged a secret look with your brothers."

"A secret look?" I repeated and giggled. "It wasn't a secret look."

"Then what was it?"

"I was just letting them know that I know that they'll win, but that I let you believe otherwise because of pity," I said bluntly and the boys laughed. "Because I love you and all."

"Of course," Harry grumbled and I giggled as his mood changed from bad to good in an instant. He couldn't stay mad at me for too long and as if on cue, his face split into one of his killer smiles. "I love you too."

"I know you do," I said and reached up to kiss him.

"Our baby sister is in a serious relationship and I have barely been with a girl for more than a few hours," Mike commented dryly and Jonah nodded.

"Yeah, even though she's the youngest, she's always been a step ahead of us."

"I'm right here, guys," I said as I wrapped my arms tightly around Harry's waist. "Don't talk about me as if I'm not."

When there was five minutes left of the game, and Manchester United was down by two, Harry realized and accepted his defeat. He took a final pull of his beer and nudged me with his shoulder.

"Wanna go for a walk?" he offered and I nodded.

"Are you gonna leave in the middle of the game?" Mike exclaimed as if that was unheard of.

"I'm sorry, mate, but I can tell when I've been beaten," Harry said as he and I stood. "And dinner's ready soon, so we have to go now if we want to go for a decent walk."

Harry and I wrapped ourselves in layers of clothes, told Mom to call us when dinner was ready and stepped outside. We entwined our hands as we walked down the stairs and onto the sidewalk.

Dusk was setting and it was warmer than it had been in a while. The streets were basically bare and there were only small heaps of snow spread randomly along our way.

"I'm glad you're getting along with Mike and Jonah," I said and squeezed Harry's hand as he grinned.

"I like them. They're cool."

"I know they are, but I'm still glad that you can be friends. You're the first boy I've ever brought home and... I don't know, It's turned out better than expected."

"Because I'm so awesome, right?" Harry joked and I pretended to squirm.

"I guess you're okay," I teased, and Harry made a face before he started tickling me. "No, Harry! Please! No tickling!"

Harry gave it up rather quickly because he knew that I would only start crying if he tickled me for too long. It had happened once before and he had felt bad for days after.

I rubbed my belly when he let me go, and Harry happily entwined our hands again.

I was in my childhood neighborhood with the boy I had come to love very much by my side. I was celebrating Christmas with my family, the first thoroughly enjoyable Christmas since Dad had died, and I was extremely happy.

I didn't want things to change, but I was soon about to realize that things never really stay the same.

Especially not when the boy you love is Harry Styles.