He's Mine

Chapter 14 - Hot chocolates

Chapter 14 – Hot chocolates

"I don't want him to live here!"

"Harmony Barnes I have never raised you to be so selfish!" Claire bellowed at her daughter, who stomped her foot loudly on the floor like a child. "Darren and Ben are moving in tomorrow, whether you like it or not."

"What? So now your daughter's feelings don't matter to you?" Harmony asked sarcastically, crossing her arms aggressively over her chest. "Now you've got some new toy-boy to play with," She continued, "all care for me is out of the window."

Claire ran her hands shakily through her bright auburn hair. "You're being utterly ridiculous! Of course I care about your feelings; it's you who clearly doesn't give a second thought to mine!"

"I just don't think it's the right choice for him to move in so soon!" Harmony protested.

"No." Her mother stared at her hard. "This is not your choice to make, it is mine and he is moving in." Her words were firm and Harmony growled in reply 

"I don't want him living here; this is my home too!" She shouted, throwing her arms up with frustration, "This is where you, me and dad lived; together. I will not have some stranger moving in and taking over all my memories!"

Seeing the tears fill her daughter's eyes, Claire felt her heart soften. "Harmony, Darren will not replace any memories of your father. But I need to move on, you do too. Darren is helping me with that." Her soft tone was wasted on Harmony, as she was currently too angry and upset to notice.

"I don't want him to help, there is nothing to help! Dad hasn't passed away; we don't need to move on from anything. This is my home, I don't even know him!"

"You won't even give him a chance!" Her mother responded, her voice back to her loud volume.

"Are you not listening? I do not want to!"

"That's it!" Claire screamed, holding her hands up. "If you can't even be mature enough to listen to what anyone wants but yourself, then you can leave. I did not raise such a self-absorbed daughter and I do not want to talk to you till the daughter I love is back."

"I don't want to live with you anyway; I thought you cared about me when clearly all you care about is yourself!" With those words, Harmony stormed from the house, slamming the front door behind her whilst Claire collapsed heavily on the sofa. She hung her head in her hands warily, her body lightly trembling from the fight.

Meanwhile, Harmony hastened down the street, not caring about the strange looks people gave her. She was fuming, her body shaking, but she didn't stop. She kept walking till she found herself in the park. She wasn't just anywhere in the park, she was at the bench she'd taken Alex when she saw him for the first time since he moved there.

Not knowing what else to do, she collapsed heavily on the wooden bench and started to cry. She took advantage of the privacy as she sobbed, tears soaking her face and dripping endlessly on her jeans as she hunched over, head in her own lap. It felt like all her emotions were spilling out and, once she started, she couldn't stop.

Through tear-filled eyes and deep sniffles, she pulled out her phone and dialled a very familiar number. She held it to her ear, trying her hardest to hold in her cries.

"Hello?" A voice came through the speaker. Harmony couldn't help the sob that escaped her lips.

"Dad? Can you come and get me?"

Richard didn't miss the crack in her voice and was instantly worried. "Of course, where are you, darling?"

"I'm at the park," Harmony replied, knowing he'd immediately understand which one.