Little Shy Ariel (ft. Harry Styles)

Chapter 29 - Surprise

Chapter 29  Surprise

To be honest, it’s not near as terrible as I expected. Harry is a people person, like Mare, and has no problem managing Dad. Soon both are laughing and having a nice, civilised conversation whilst I just watch. I bet Jimmy would be laughing at this, I can bet on that. In fact, we don’t even notice when it’s dinnertime so dad invites Harry to stay. I prepare dinner and I think Harry is going to stay with my dad, talking, but he comes with me to the kitchen and helps me to prepare dinner.

“Your dad is really nice,” Harry tells me as he prepares the salad.

“Yes,” I agree. “I adore him. It’s been hard for him since Mum died, but he’s done a great job, nonetheless.”

“That’s admirable, you know? To be dad and mum at the same time,” Harry comments and I nod in agreement.

“And I didn’t make things easy. He sent me to school because Mum used to teach me as all schools are quite far away. But in school I didn’t talk to anyone. It caused a lot of problems for both my school and my dad. After a year I couldn’t do it anymore and went back to home-schooling. That’s when I was diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder.” I’m surprised of how easy it is to tell Harry the story. So much easier than it was to tell Mare or anyone else.

“It surely was hard, but now you’re better. I mean, you’re doing better. We’re friends now, aren’t we?” he says and I turn around just to find him staring at me with a sweet smile on his lips.

“Yes,” I say but at my mind come the memories of when we were so close, when he leaned in so close to my face, when we were hugging, when he held my hand and entwined our fingers together. I don’t think friends do that, right? But if we’re no friends, what are we?

“Good,” is all that he says before he turns around to focus on the salad.

After that we just keep a casual conversation and once dinner is ready we join Dad in the dining room. It’s a nice evening and then when I have to go to the retreat centre as usual I offer to drop Harry by the centre. Only then Dad realises he’s one of the guests, which means he’s famous. I don’t know what Dad was thinking before, but his face when he puts the pieces together is priceless.

Once in the complex Harry walks with me to the music room and doesn’t leave my side until Mare arrives. He even helps me with the instruments. It’s when she walks in when I notice Harry’s attitude changes and that reminds me what he told me before. And I feel bad once again because I caused this.

“Hello there!” Mare greets happily and Harry just smiles politely. “Had a good day?” she asks me and there’s a knowing smirk on her face and I blush, because I know what that expression means.

“We almost died,” Harry replies and I gasp. “We fell into the lake and I got stuck under the water, but she saved me.”

I look at him and see the way he’s staring at Mare, waiting for her to say something. But she doesn’t even know I saved Harry the first time so she doesn’t react and I can see how that frustrates Harry.

“But aside that, it was great,” I interrupt and Mare’s smile widens.

“That’s fantastic. I’m glad. Your eighteenth birthday couldn’t just go by, right? And the near-death experience makes it better,” she jokes and I laugh nervously.

Harry looks at me and his look changes again, it’s softer and nicer this time and that it’s so unfair because Mare didn’t do anything. It’s all my fault for being a coward and not telling him the truth.