Backfire | Harry Styles AU COMPLETED

Chapter Forty Five

The days pass quickly here in Holmes Chapel. It's already been four days since my sudden arrival and with each passing moment I am dreading going back to Tennessee. The bright Christmas lights seem dull with the tragedy of Harry's dads passing, but each day his family seems stronger. Gemma has started joining us for meals and has become apart of the conversation, and the more she talks I can tell her sense of humor is just like her brother's.

"I don't want to go home," I press my hand lightly against Harry's back as we help Anne with the dishes. His tall body looms over mine and I look up into his green eyes as he peers down at me.

His lips curve into a pout and he sets the plate he is holding into the sink. "Then don't." He whispers, pulling me against his chest. I let out a breath and wrap my arms around his waist. My options feel like an angel and devil on my shoulder. I could go home for Christmas to see my family like any normal college student would do, or I could stay here with Harry and his family for the holidays. I haven't exactly asked if I could stay, and if Anne says no, I will go home, but I am praying she says I am allowed to stay. Harry and I have too much to talk about. Too much time has passed, and to keep our relationship we need to talk about these things that have happened.

"I don't want to intrude. It's Christmas and I just met your family." I tell him, pulling myself out of his arms so I can look at him.

"My mum would love to have you. She's not exactly a stranger to company. Niall, Liam and Zayn would stay here when we had breaks for tour. Besides, I think she could use a little company right now anyway." Harry says, his lips curving into a sad smile.

I know he's right, and staying here would save me so much money. Flights to the US are insanely expensive, imagine what kind of gifts I could buy with all the money I would save. What does Harry even want for Christmas? I'm a terrible gift giver compared to him.

"Hello earth to Addie!" Harry says breaking me out of my thoughts.

"What? Sorry, I was just thinking of what I was going to say to my parents when I tell them I'm not coming home for Christmas this year." Harry smiles wide and grabs the side of my face, kissing me hard. I giggle against his mouth and pull away, afraid of Anne or Gemma seeing us making out in their kitchen.

"When we finish this do you want to go on a walk?" Harry asks and I nod, knowing that on this walk we will talk about everything that has happened since we've been apart. It won't be easy, but it needs to be done. No more secrets and lies.

I set the last plate in the cabinet and retreat to Harry's room and grab the sneakers I've been borrowing from Gemma for the time being. The only clothes I brought with me were the ones I was going to wear on my date with Lincoln. She's been kind enough to lend me T-shirts and leggings, but that isn't going to last me through Christmas break. I'm going to need to go back to school to grab some of my own clothes.

"Here take this, it's cold out." Harry says, throwing me a plain black hoodie. I pull it over my head, the smell of him instantly washing over me. The black material reaches my mid thighs, but I don't mind.

"I think that looks better on you than it does me." He says, grabbing my hand as we walk out of the door. The December air hits us hard and I stuff my free hand in the sweatshirt pocket.

I scoff. "That's a lie. Nothing looks bad on you. Seriously, you could be wearing a plastic bag and it would look good on you. It would probably become a trend just because you wore it." I tell him, laughing at the thought.

Harry laughs and shakes his head. "It's sad that you're right."

We fall into a comfortable silence as we walk down the street. The houses all look similar, with Christmas trees in the windows, and colorful lights on the porches.

"I always liked coming home," he tells me, his voice deep and raspy, making it easy to listen to. "Holmes Chapel has this comfort to it that has been hard to find anywhere else. I come here and everyone knows me as Harry, not Harry Styles. I can go to the market and see people I've known my whole life and they ask me how I'm doing, and mean it. I've been in the spotlight since I was 18. I've forgotten what it's like to be normal. This is the most normal thing I've done in a long time. Something as simple as taking a walk isn't that simple anymore." He huffs and stops his sentence. I know he's getting worked up over this, and I wish I could understand, but I know all I can do is be there for him.

"Growing up I always wanted to be famous. An actress or a singer, even though you and I both know I can't sing for shit, but eight year old me thought I was a rockstar." We both laugh, lightening the mood, "but I never thought of what went along with it. The constant rumors, the cameras everywhere, the contracts. Harry, I see you as normal. You go to parties, you're in a fraternity, you take me to dinner and come home with me for the holidays. I see you as someone incredible and down to earth. I see you as my best friend who I love so much I think it hurts, and I'm so sorry for everything that happened between us from Thanksgiving until you called." My voice cracks, giving away the tears that flow from my eyes. I knew they would come, but I didn't think it would be this soon in the conversation.

Harry tightens his grip on my hand and pulls me toward a bench on the sidewalk. Streetlights illuminate his face and I bite my cheek to stop from crying.

"Adelina listen to me. What happened over Thanksgiving break sucks. It fucking sucked seeing you kiss another guy but I know that isn't you. It was wrong of me to leave you without listening to the story. I shouldn't have gone out with other girls just to make you upset, it was immature. But I want you to know I didn't do anything with them. It made me sick to my stomach to even think about being with anyone else but you. You're the only one I want, Addie. I hope you know that. If my dads death has taught me anything, it's taught me to never waste a moment because you never know when your last moment could be. I never want to live in a world without you, or your laugh, or your eyes, or your awful singing. I can't promise that being with me will be easy, and I can't promise that we'll never fight again, because we both know we're both very stubborn people. All I can promise to you is that I'll love you with everything I have in me until I die. I'll scream it to the world if I have to, just so everyone knows you're mine."

Tears stream down my face as I lean in to kiss him. He said everything I've been needing to hear and more and I haven't fully wrapped my head around the fact that a boy as amazing as Harry can love someone as plain as me, but life has a funny way of working out sometimes, and if this is supposed to be my life, then so be it. I'd say my life turned around when I met Harry that night. I figured I would make a few friends, go to parties and class, but that plan backfired on me, and I'm so glad it did.

THE END

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And just like that, it's over. (With an Epilogue of course!!!)