Broken || h.s. AU (old version)

Chapter 20- Circles

Chapter 20- Hope and Circles

"Come eat some breakfast." Laura offers me with a small smile. I nod a little, carefully shifting over Julia as I try not to wake her. As I quietly put my feet onto the carpeted floor, I glance back down at her, making sure she was still asleep. Much to my relief, her eyelids still flutter delicately as she dreams.

I lean down to press my lips to her forehead, sending up a silent prayer her nightmares would continue to avoid her. My lips still on her forehead for a moment as worry flares up in the back of my mind. Her skin is hot.

Laura for the third time seems to register my unspoken worries, stepping forwards with a motherly concern alight in her eyes. I glance up to meet her gaze, mumbling as I automatically reach for Julia's hand. "I think she has a fever... It may not be much of a lie after all.."

A small frown paints Laura's lips as she looks around the room, her gaze falling on the open window where a rather cold breeze was drifting in. Immediately my happiness sinks, instantly replaced with guilt. The window was left open and she got a cold. I quickly look back to Julia, alarmed as I place my hand gently on her blonde hair as I whisper to Laura

"She's got a high fever. We need to get her to a hospital."

Once again, Laura's slender hand places on my shoulder.

"Harry, it's alright. Diana will be fine. It's just a cold." I sigh, looking back up to the Spanish woman beside me. She gives another motherly smile. "Just come get some breakfast... When she wakes up, we'll address that issue..."

I nod a little, reluctantly following the thin woman out of the room as I struggle to comb my fingers through the haystack that is my hair. We jog down the stairs and she leads me into the dining room, nodding towards a seat with a large plate of pancakes in front of it. I hesitantly sit down, giving a tight smile towards her

"Thank you, ma'am... But I'm alright..." As if to make my lie more fake, my stomach rumbles right then. She purses her lips, shaking her head scoldingly.

"Harry Styles, there is no lying in this house. You're a growing young man. Now eat your breakfast." Her tone is firm and reprimanding, but her cheeky smile says otherwise. I can't help but laugh, nodding once as a thanks as I readily pick up my fork, diving into the tempting stack of pancakes.

I'm completely amazed.

The pancakes are perfect, warm and fluffy with the slightest hint of sweetness. But the fact that they were drowning in berry syrup made it that much better. And my amazement of the food before me must've shown. Laura chuckles to herself as she walks back into the kitchen, the sizzling of a griddle alerting me to more of the delicious food.

But when she brings in the second plate, my mouth waters as my stomach yells to stop. So I give another smile, shaking my head. She laughs to herself and sets down the plate, sitting across from me. She folds her tanned hands together around her mug, her gentle brown eyes meeting mine.

"So what did you want to talk about?" She questions.

Oh. Right.

I take a moment to regather my thoughts, considering how to word it. But finally I murmur, struggling against the urge to look away from her knowing gaze. "I want to talk about.. Julia."

She's quiet for a moment, but she doesn't look surprised. Not even the slightest bit fazed. Instead, she just smiles and nods, encouraging I continue. The shock I expected from her seems to transfer to me instead as I stare at the woman before me, dumbfounded. I was expecting her to freeze. Or stumble over herself to make up a lie. Or maybe even to tell me to leave. But she just smiles encouragingly at me.