The Bachelor: Harry Styles #Wattys2016

Chapter 55

Jen's POV

I hang up after Harry says goodbye and walk over to my bed, plopping down on it.

I need to phone my mom but I really really don't want to. Claire will arrive home any second so it's now or never.

I roll over and sit up on the edge of the bed.

I scroll through my contact list and finally find her name. I wanted to delete her contact a few years back but I though one day I might need it, like today.I click on it and my phone screen changes. I've been dreading the day I talk to her again, I really don't know what to expect.I press the phone to my ear and listen to the ringing.

After a few rings she picks up.

"Jennifer?" My mom answers, sounding more scared than ever.

"Hi mom." I reply.

"Oh Jennifer. How are you? I haven't heard from you in over a year!"

"Yes mom." I start to pace up and down in my room to try keep calm.

"So why the sudden phone call. Is everything alright? You aren't in trouble are you?" I'm starting to get annoyed with her inquisitiveness already.

"I'm fine mom. I just needed to speak to you about something."

"Sure, anything. You can tell me whatever you like." She quickly replies.

"Well I went on this show The Bachelor and met this guy Harry. Basically it's hometown dates now and he is arriving tomorrow expecting to meet my family. So it would be really nice if for one day you could be a normal mother and prepare a nice dinner for us when we visit. "

"What happened with Zach?" My mom asks after a long silence.

"He left me mom okay? Now are you going to do this for me or not?"

"Umm, I suppose I can try, but Jen you need to-"

"I don't need to do anything mom, all I'm asking is this one favor and it's the least you could do for not being a proper mother the last few years." That last part sounded a bit better in my head. I know I need to stay calm but she's making it hard.

"But Jen..."

"What? But what?"

"Your father is coming out tomorrow."

I freeze and there's silence between us. My breathing picks up and I can feel my head begin to spin as I sit down on my bed.

"So, so does that mean he'll be at the house?" I manage to spit out.

"Well he doesn't have anywhere else to go?" My mom replies.

What am I going to do? Not only have I not seen my father in years but the day that he'll see me after all this time is the day Harry needs to meet my family. I don't know if I can handle this.

"Jen, you're going to have to face him sooner or later. We both have to."

"I prefer later." I say abruptly. I walk over to the kitchen to grab a glass of water before I pass out.

"Jennifer, I know what he did was horrible. But we need to at least give him another chance?"

I nearly choke on the water in my mouth.

"Give him another chance!? He had so many chances! He could have apologized after Leanne died! He could have apologized after coming home every night late and drunk! He could have apologized after hurting you every night! But he didn't!"

"Jen, I'm sorry you feel that way."

I don't reply and have to force my tears to stay away.

"So should I prepare a dinner for tomorrow?" She asks after a while.

"Prepare it, but no promises that we'll be coming. I'll have to speak to Harry and maybe think about it a bit more."

"Ok no problem. I'll see you maybe tomorrow."

"Okay bye." I hang up and throw my phone onto my bed as I walk back into my room.

I don't know how to handle this. I knew my dad was coming out of jail this year I just didn't know exactly when. Why did it have to be tomorrow? Harry May as well just leave me here and continue the show without me. He probably had amazing, perfect hometown dates with all the other girls and now he's going to end his amazing week off with my screwed up family.

Before I could call Harry again and tell him he should rather not come, Claire arrives home from work. I hear the front door close and her car keys being thrown on the kitchen counter.

"I'm home!" She shouts from the kitchen.

"In here!" I reply from my room and within seconds she's standing at my door.

"So what did you get up to today?" She asks.

"It was horrible. " I cover my face with my hands and sigh.

"What? I thought you like grocery shopping?" She crosses the room and sits next to me on my bed.

"It's not the grocery shopping. It's who I happened to bump into while doing the shopping."

"Was he hot?" Claire quickly asks.

"No Claire! It was Zach!" I look at her face as her eyes widen.

"What happened?"

"He asked me to do something for the afternoon and I couldn't say no. Then he took me to Mindy's where he apologized but I told him we could just be friends. But the worst part is when he dropped me off here he pushed me up against the door and started kissing me." I sigh again and lay down on my bed.

"Did you kiss him back??"

"No I pushed him away and quickly came inside, locking him out."

"Okay good. But wow he is such a jerk! Who kisses someone after just agreeing to be friends?"

"I felt so guilty though. I started to think of Harry. I don't want him to know that Zach wants me back or that any of this happened."

"Okay, my lips are sealed."

"Thanks. " I sit up and lean my head on Claire's shoulder.

"By the way, you have to pick Harry up from the airport tomorrow."

"What? He normally has a driver that takes him to and from the airport."

"Apparently not this time." Claire smiles at me.

"What are you up to?" I look at Claire who seems to look like she might explode.

"Nothing, nothing at all. " she smirks.

"You and Harry planning something . I don't like the sounds of that combination of craziness."

A/n Hay everyone!

So we know this chapter is short but we promise the next few are longer! The next chapter will finally reveal the surprise that Claire and Harry came up with!

Hope you guys are enjoying so far!

Yours in styles
N&S