things i can't (l.s)

Chapter 19

Author's note: Hello everyone! Jeez, it's been a while, hey? But I'm back with another chapter and I do hope to continue writing this novel regularly rather than updating once every 8 months... Whoops. So stay tuned for more LARRY!!!!! I love you guys a lot- thank you for voting, commenting, and reading. It really does mean the world to me that you enjoy this book. Do take care of yourself out there and always reach out if you need help. Anyway, enjoy the new (short) chapter!!!! 

P.S. give me some suggestions as to who you think should portray Scott (who you'll meet in this chapter)!!! 

All the love as always, 

Ash x

Harry's POV: 

I stumbled home from Louis' house, dreading it the whole way. It didn't feel like home. There were no greetings or home made dinners most nights- not that I would eat it anyway, but that's besides the point. The point is that my mom wasn't there. Sure, she said she loved me but, did she really? I could never fill the void that lazy sex with random strangers did. I could never fill the void that four glasses of red wine did. I could never fill the void that my father created in her when he left. 

Still, I opened the door. My mother was sat on the couch- the smell of garlic in the air. Across from her, plopped on the chair my father used to sit on, was a man. Ragged and oily, this man peered at me through beedy blue eyes. My mother stayed sat where she was but began to speak, 

"Harry! I am so glad you're home. What took you so long? I want you to meet-"

"Scott," the stranger said flatly. 

My mother smiled nervously and gestured towards him, 

"Scott and I have been meeting up for a while when I go out and-"

"I'm moving in," Scott said while lighting a cigarette. He paused and waited impatiently for my reaction. 

Wait, what happened to Matt? God, I shouldn't be surprised- she meets and gets dumped by guys all the time. But this entire time he was looking at me I must have seemed so confused and stressed, like I was trying to process everything that was going on within minutes of me walking in. I didn't want this. I didn't know this greasy old man, I didn't want him living in my house. From what I could already tell, he would control my mom like my father did- which meant he would control me too. 

But what could I do? I could barely take care of myself. How was I supposed to stand up against this stranger who looks like he gets in bar fights for fun? And how was I supposed to ruin something that my mother finally got ahold of? I decided to play it off as calmly as I could and smiled nervously. I needed to let this happen. I needed to be okay with this and let this man into my home without any fight. Maybe this would work out- for my mom.

And for me... Right?