Again

Chapter 23.

1.3k reads! Thank you guys, you're the best! If you're reading please, please vote! ♡

• • •

He doesn't say a word as we go back to the car, or looks at me while driving. I don't know what I was expecting, though. Maybe that he would be nicer now?

I don't know what it is about him that makes me so nervous. I am in focused around him and I should hate it.. I should hate him. So why don't I? It is weird how some things work. I can't believe I just met him yesterday. It feels like much longer.

"What is wrong?" he asks, half-way through the drive. I was daydreaming, playing what just happened over and over again in my mind. How his touch felt. The way his soft, warm lips came in touch with my cold skin. Suddenly my skin feels like its on fire, and I pull the cardigan from my shoulders, placing it on the side of my seat, right between me and Harry.

A blush creeps into my cheeks as his voice pulls me back into reality. "Nothing. Why?"

He shrugs. "I thought.. Maybe we could get something to eat?"

I raise my brow at him. I didn't see that coming. I want to check my phone for the time, but then remember that it is off. I found my phone along with my little purse on the passenger seat. I must have left it there. A little glimmer of panic raised in me when I realized that my phone is off. I hope my mum didn't try to call me.

To my own surprise, I shake my head. "I need to get home, my mum will worry," I explain. ''Why are you home so often, though?''

He frowns. "Maybe because I live there?'' he snorts.

• • •

"So this Friday at nine. I will pick you up right here," he says as I unbuckle my seatbelt. Harry stopped the car at the end of the road to make sure that none of our family members see us.

"Alright," I sigh. He reaches his hand out to tug a strand of hair behind my ear, the proximity of our faces is so close it makes me feel dizzy. As if the weight of my body is nonexistent and I'm weightless.

"Oh, and please wear something normal," he says a grin spreading on his face. He's so close, I wouldn't even had to lean in very close.

"What?" I breathe, my brain still trying to process his words. His hand lightly touches the skin of my cheeks before leaning back.

"The dress you wore was hideous. It wasn't showing anything of you, I was surprised it even showed the skin of your arms."

I can feel the heat in my cheeks again. "So you want me dress like who? Like Eve? In only a piece of nothing?" I snap. I hastily gather my stuff together before climbing out of the vehicle. I linger a little longer on the door hoping he would say something.

"Are you closing the door or what?" Without hesitation, or an apology, he drives down the road the moment I do so.

Great. So I am going to a party with him again, but didn't get any further in things like why he's fighting with Finn or why they hate each other so much. He's distracting me too much. I'd be a shitty detective. I need time to think this out.

I push the door to the house open, making sure to not look towards the Styles house. I hang my jacket on and pull my shoes off. I make my way to the kitchen being wrapped by the sweet scent of biscuits. Almost immediately my heart begins to race like mad. There is my mother with Mrs. Styles each one of them a cup of tea in their hands.

"Mia! There you are. I was worried," my mother smiles kindly at me. At least that is what other people who wouldn't know her as much as I do think. But I know better. There is a storm coming and right now Mrs. Styles is the only one holding her in place.

"I'm sorry, my phone is dead," I explain, showing her. Mrs. Styles eyes me from the edge of her mug. ''Hello Mrs. Styles,'' I say, trying to hide the nervousness that is overcoming my whole body. Mrs. Styles is still dressed as she was when I saw her a few hours ago, only that now she has some more make up on and her hair is loosely falling on her chest.

Mrs. Style’s smiles. ''Call me Anne please, Mia."

''Would you like some cookies?'' my mother asks, gently pushing a plate with some chocolate cookies over at me. ''Take one. Anne has the best recipe for these.''

I gulp down heavily and I can feel all color draining from my cheeks. ''Thank you,'' I say, taking one. ''Is it okay if I go upstairs? I need to study.''

''Of course,'' she says and Anne smiles at me. I wonder what happened after I drove away with Harry. Did she see us? Did she put one and one together and ran off to my mother? My mother eyes me vigilant. ''Oh Mia. Did you wear this outside?''

I stop in my tracks and look down. ''What is wrong with it?''

''You have so many cute clothes, you should really dress more like your age.''

I turn back around so she couldn't see how I roll my eyes at her. ''Of course, mother." I'm about to run towards the stairs, when I stop in my tracks. Before I can stop myself I'm leaning behind the door, hearing my mum and Anne talk. I know I shouldn't do it. My mother raised me better and I know that eavesdropping is definitely not appropriate.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with her," a voice says, sighing. I recognize the voice as my mum's.

"Why?" Anne asks. "So if she lied to you, she might just wanted some time for herself."

I can feel my hand starting to shake. They are talking about me and how they know I was lying. Well, I already realized that when I saw Anne in the kitchen, but I didn't expect them to talk so openly about it.

"But she doesn't has to lie to me. Who does she thinks she is? I'm her mother and she has to respect me enough not to lie to me," I hear my mother say. I can't help, but feel both disappointed and angry. I can hear someone standing up and water boiling.

''Jane, she's your eighteen year old daughter whom wasn't allowed to go outside like others do. Surely she must have wondered why," Anne defends me. "I think she did pretty well, but you can't keep her here forever. What about College? I don't think she would like doing online classes like you hope she would. She needs to live her own life."

What? Online classes?

"No," my mother says, and chills run down my spine. No, she can't do that. "You know I'm not doing this for fun. Bob and I decided a long time ago that this was the best thing for her. You know damn well why I'm doing this. I'm surprised you didn't do it with Harry as well. I know Marcus wanted to...“

"I tried, but living in fear for the rest of my life is just a waste. I might as well be dead."

I hear someone gasp. There is a moment of silence, before I hear my mother whisper: "Please don't say that.. I couldn't bear losing you, too."

I hear the chair moving. ''I'm sorry. I didn't want to upset you. But you can't just keep her on lock down. As a mother we are gifted with free trust and respect from our children. But with time they grow older and start questioning the things well them. They build an own opinion which lead us to earn the trust and respect again so it can grow into a stronger bond. You got to learn to let her go, so she can grow into the beautiful young woman I see her as."

There is silence again, and I grab the hem of my shirt. I hold my breath as the moments pass. This could be the moment my mother finally realizes that I'm old enough to make my own decisions. This could be it.

"I wish I could be as strong as you are Anne," my mother begins. "I can't. Anne you know-"

I don't hear the rest. Someone knocks on the door and I take this my opportunity, to run up my room. My heart aches, my chest is heavy as I make it upstairs. I hastily put my phone on the charger, throwing my purse on the bed. I run my hand through my hair, waiting for the phone to load faster.

While waiting I slice down on the side of the bed and let my thoughts flow.

• • • • • •

A/N.: I hope you liked the chapter! Please, please vote it'd mean so much to me. Also, let me know in the comments what you think! I would love to hear your opinion. XO