The Cover Up | harry styles

chapter eight

- Sophie's -

I was so glad that I was reaching home. All I wanted to do was lie down and sleep. After all, it seems like my bed is the only place I can really be who I am. I regretted wearing a short skirt because my legs were freezing all the way back home. Worst of all, I needed to walk all the way home.

When I arrived to the front door, it immediately opened with my house maid, Lucy, standing there. "Good afternoon, Miss." she greeted on cue.

"Good afternoon." I replied, not really in the mood. "Is my mother home?"

"She's in the dining, miss. Please, excuse me, I am going to the lawn." she said, making her way past me courteously. I exhaled. I hated being treated like a princess - although I have to admit, I do act like one on some days.

I made my way in anyway, finally feeling warm. "Mom?" I called out, walking towards the dining room.

"Hi, sweetie." she greeted me, putting down her utensils.

"Mom, did Modest! Management call you?" I asked, leaning on one of the chairs.

She looked up at me and I saw the split second of worry in her eyes. "Yes, they did. What's wrong?" she asked, turning to her plate of food and taking bites out of it. My mother was very good at keeping things a secret.

"Why did you say yes to it?" I asked, getting a little bit annoyed that my own mother would agree to sign me up for something so stupid. And didn't my mom raise me up telling me I should always be honest? What happened to that now?

She cleared her throat, trying to keep her composure. "Said yes to what?" she asked a little more sternly.

"To letting your own daughter pretend to date a celebrity." I reminded her, my tone getting more and more rude as the conversation escalated. "You're my mother, you shouldn't let people take advantage of your own daughter."

"What are you saying? I thought you'll be fine with this. I mean, you're dating a celebrity and being paid for it. Isn't it better than your little dream of being in the marketing industry?" she raised an eyebrow judgementally, eyeing me.

Wow, this is unbelievable. "My little dream? Mom, this isn't something for you to decide. This is lying to the public and you're letting them do this to me. They were putting my job at stake--"

"Honey, what job? Do you really think there was much of a future in it? I was doing what I needed to and was that to broaden your perspective. Why don't you do law or nursing, something more reachable?" she commented.

"Oh and making me date a celebrity for two years will change my mind. Dad will never put me through this. NEVER." I said. 

My mother paused at the mention of him. She let go off her fork and knife and looked up at me with a straight face. "Your father isn't that great of a person either. If he really cared, he'd try harder."

"No, if you really cared, you wouldn't leave him behind when he had his own dreams & aspirations. And that's exactly what you're doing to me. I'm not you, mom! I don't want to be perfect. I don't want to be popular. I don't want to be known. I want to do what I like." I yelled, trying to bring my opinion across. 

"Now, I'm the bad guy?" she asked, her voice raising. "I'm doing this because you're always to yourself. You don't mix around with other people. When I tell my friends that I have a daughter, no one expected it because you're never around during events or parties or any social activities--"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Maybe that's because I don't want to live YOUR life, mom. If you think this will make me more known then you're so wrong because not only do I lose my life, you lose your daughter."