Waifs and Strays II - M.A.D. [Larry Stylinson]

Chapter Seven

"I still can't believe that you talked to her," mumbles Harry while turning the magnolia twig delicately in his hands.

We are on our way to the beach to meet up with Zayn and the Shark Heads as planned. When we drove off at Harry's house, after I met his mother, Harry was in a right state. He wasn't devestated, as I thought he would be. He climbed onto the back seat to get a last glimbs of her in the rear window. It felt like he was in shock but at the same time excited. But he didn't change his mind about staying with me for the time being.

"I can't believe you came back with me after that," I say in return.

I can see Harry's face turn to me with a stern expression. "Lou, you're life is at risk," he murmurs. "I need to make sure you're okay."

That makes me chuckle. "You? Make sure I'm okay?" I snort playfully. "Don't you think it's the other way around?"

"Oh, because you're so sensible and cautious," Harry laughs and pinches my shoulder. "Besides, I'm the strong one. I protect you."

"Like hell you are!" I laugh. "You're tall but you don't have the strength that comes with living and working outside, the past fifteen years."

"I have muscles," Harry comes back sheepishly. "I work out with an actual trainer."

"Now, do you?" I grunt and roll my eyes mockingly. "That's different then. I hope he doesn't ride you too hard." I'm just so bad at hiding my jealousy.

But Harry laughs good-naturedly. "Hard enough to make me stronger than you, little man," he teases.

I take my eyes off the street to give him a challenging look. "Alright dickhead, let's see who comes out worst in a fight, then," I sneer. "I'll fight you when we're back home! Hand-to-hand combat."

We banter some more before falling back into silence until we reach the shoreline. Harry went back to turning the blossoms over and over in his hands.

"What else did my mom tell you?" he asks after a while.

I stop to think. It wasn't a very long conversation. I almost didn't speak at all.

"She said that she hopes to see me again," is all I can remember.

At that, Harry smiles and touches his hand to my thigh, squeazing it lightly. "Of course, she does," he tells me in a gentle voice. "Didn't I tell you, she would adore you?"

I give him a smile in return as I pull onto the beach of the Shark Heads.

"Oi, what happened?" Calum calls over when he sees Harry and I emerge from the car. He must've been washing his quad bike because he throws a dirty looking rag ontop of his vehicle and starts walking towards us. 

Perrie and Zayn have arrived before us. They were sitting in the sand next to Calum, talking to him. When they turn around and see us, both of them look at each other in surprise.

"Zayn told me you were letting Harry go," Calum says when he reaches us, offering me his hand. Then he turns around and shouts over to the closest beach hut where Ashton and Luke seem to be doing some repairing. "Yo Ash, look who's here!"

I look over at Zayn, instead. I still remember his dismay over my decision to let Harry go. By the looks of it, this has not changed, yet. His expression is still full of resent when Perrie pulls him over to us by his hand.

"He decided to stay with us for a little longer," I tell all of them, scratching my back. I keep my eyes on Zayn's. He doesn't look back. Instead, he stares at Harry with an irritable expression on his face.

"You staying?" he grunts unnecessarily.

Harry doesn't look exactly comfortable but he nods his head. "Yes, if that's okay with you guys," he says calmly.