Buses & Bunk Beds (Zarry)

Chapter 41

Hearing Anne's voice through the speakers did nothing to calm my nerves. In fact they seemed to increase tenfold as I realized that this was actually going to happen.

"Harry! I've missed you my sweet boy."

"Hi mum, how're you? I've missed you too."

"I'm good love. You're looking well. You've looked so down the last few times we've spoken, are you feeling better?"

"I'm much better mum. And I've got something to tell you," Harry began, and I suddenly felt so sick to my stomach that I had to sit down. I had no idea how Harry could be sitting there with a smile on his face as if he wasn't about to drop a bomb, and I wondered if that confidence came from knowing that you were unconditionally loved. I hoped that one day I would know what that felt like.

"I'm actually seeing someone, and I'm pretty sure I'm in love. Actually, I know I'm in love."

"Oh hon, finally! I knew you'd settle down sometime. Who is she? Is it that girl from Little Mix I saw you in the papers with?"

"No, it's actually someone you know, and you probably never expected me to be with them, but I hope you'll be okay with it because I've never been happier," he told her, and at this point I was so nervous that I almost slammed the laptop shut before he could say anything else. Harry could probably sense me falling apart, because he shot me a wink to let me know that while I might have been scared of her reaction, he wasn't. His calm demeanor settled me down a bit, and was the only thing that kept me in my seat.

"I'm sure I'll be okay with it. Don't keep me in suspense you naughty boy, out with it!"

"Ummm, don't freak out, okay? It's Zayn. Zayn's the person I'm in love with."

There was a moment of silence from Anne, and Harry's confidence seemed to falter a bit. But after the longest sixty seconds of my life she began to speak, and her gentle tone immediately seemed to put him at ease.

"Harry, that's wonderful, it really is. I'm...I'm a bit surprised, but I've been waiting years for you to fall in love, and you know how much I care about Zayn. As your mother of course I want everything to be easy for you, and I'm worried that some people may be unkind to you about this, but I will always be on your side, no matter what. If this is what you want and he makes you happy then I'm happy too."

Harry's responding smile was radiant, and he was practically bouncing with excitement. "I'm so glad to hear you say that mum. I love you so much, and you have no idea how much he means to me. I could gush about him all day but he's right over there and I don't want him to get too cocky."

My heart literally stopped at his words and I hopped up, looking for the quickest escape route. But Harry, little fucker that he was, grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the sofa he was on before I could leave the room. He yanked me down, practically on top of him, and I quickly scooted off his lap before putting my head in my hands. I could not believe that I was sat in front of his mother - my boyfriend's mother - wearing only a towel and still looking a total mess from my mishap in the ocean.

"Well hello there, Zayn."

"Hi Anne," I said, still not daring to look at the screen. Harry pulled my hands off of my face and I swear I had never blushed so hard. "I'm so sorry about my outfit-"

"Or lack of outfit really," Harry interjected. I elbowed him in the ribs, but he just smiled and wrapped an arm around my shoulders to bring me closer.

"I'm really sorry, if I had known we'd be chatting I would have dressed up or something."

"Or at least dressed," Harry laughed. "He likes to be naked almost as much as me mum!" he said, and I wanted nothing more than to melt into the couch and disappear forever. I settled for burying my face in his neck, because as much as I wanted to throttle him, I loved that he really did seem intent on not just telling but also showing his mother that we were a couple.