flower. h.s ✔️

two.

"Je n'ai pas besoin d'un gardien, je ne suis pas un enfant!" (I don't need a babysitter, I'm not a child!)

"Ce n'est pas un guardian, ton père l'a dit. C'est pour votre sécurité, ma chère." (He's not a babysitter, your father said so. It's for your safety, my dear.)

I looked at Colette with an eyebrow raised before she patted my cheek and continued on with whatever lunch she was making for my father.

It didn't really matter what I said, or what she said, the fact was; I had a babysitter, despite being twenty one.

I guess the only silver lining was the fact that practically overnight everyone had disappeared apart from a select few, my new babysitter being one of them and my house was almost back to normal.

It helped that I hadn't seen Styles' since yesterday afternoon, but that also meant I hadn't seen Brian much either considering they had been locked in the office with my father for almost twenty four hours.

I didn't know what they were discussing or what exactly was happening but I imagined it was along the lines of ruining my life. Not that my life was very exciting in the first place.

I sat up straight as Styles' appeared in the doorway to the kitchen and I tried to act if I wasn't just moaning about him but his eyes never even glanced at me as he headed straight to the fridge.

"Tu veux quelque chose pour le déjeuner?" Colette asked with a friendly smile. (Would you like anything for lunch?)

I watched curiously as Colette's question went unanswered and I chewed my lip as I watched her eyes flick to me before they returned to where mine were on the tall body who was still rummaging through the fridge.

It seemed like my initial thought of him not knowing french was correct considering the only sound in the kitchen was Colette's tongue clicking every so often and the ticking of her utensils as she continued to cook and I fiddled with my fingers.

"What?"

I blinked as Styles' spoke his eyes almost narrowed in a glare as they flicked between Colette and I.

"Tu veux quelque chose pour le déjeuner?" Colette repeated her question to his face and I watched as his eyes did narrow before he looked at me pointedly and I almost flinched backwards.

"The fuck she saying?" Styles drawled and I swallowed.

"Colette asked if you wanted anything for lunch." I explained watching as Styles' rolled his eyes and I gritted my teeth.

"No. Speak English." He snapped before rolling his eyes again and left the kitchen.

I didn't even dare to look at Colette as I heard the spatular drop to the pan in shock and even I had wide eyes.

For a start, we were in France, why wouldn't they speak French?

And honestly, who did he think he was? How dare he talk to Colette like that, how dare he talk to anyone like that considering it wasn't hard to be a decent human being.

"Grossier petit garçon! Comment ose-t-il me parler comme ça ! Nous sommes en France, il devrait apprendre à parler français. Un enfant grossier." Colette suddenly exploded making me bite my lip.

(Rude boy! How dare he talk to me like that! We are in France, he should learn to speak French. An uncouth child.)

I pushed the stool away from the counter and hopped down knowing that she most definitely was going to stew for a while and I slipped out of the kitchen unnoticed as her angry voice got fainter and fainter as I made a beeline to my bedroom.

+

I pushed off the pool wall and continued to swim towards the other end. I could feel the sun burning my wet skin and I knew that I needed to cut this short soon otherwise I was going to be a walking lobster but right now this was the only place I was safe.

My arm hit the water heavily as my stroke was disturbed and I startled to a halt and was forced to start treading water as the body stood at the end of the pool loomed down on me, blocking the sun from my eyes.

I pushed myself further back in the water so my head wasn't uncomfortably tilted upwards.

"Your father wants to talk to you." He stated and I nodded immediately, as my arms floated on the water, small waves pushing against the blue walls.

We stared at each other for a few minutes before he nodded but didn't make any effort to move and I chewed my lip. Why was he still here?

"Now." Styles' said and I nodded again, why wasn't he leaving? "Are you stupid or summat?"

"Sorry?" I blinked as he snapped at me as I stared up at him, what was he not understanding here? Also why he was always so rude?

"Are you a fucking idiot? Get out of the pool." Styles' snapped and I swallowed thickly.

I floundered for something to say because I sure as hell wasn't going to tell him the actual truth because it was pretty clear he wasn't very nice and he most definitely wouldn't understand.

"Turn around." I mumbled watching as he frowned down at me.

"What?"

"Can you...can you turn around please?" I tried to speak confidently but I could hear my voice shaking so I was sure he could too.

"What are you? Twelve?" Styles muttered but turned on his heel and I watched him stride back inside and I pulled myself up and out of the pool.

I hid my hands in the sleeves of my jumper as I headed towards the office, my heart still stinging from Styles' comment. I didn't want to admit it, but it had hurt and I hated that I was so sensitive.

"What took you so long?" Father asked and I flushed as I saw his eyes roll.

I suppose I should really ask his first name. I couldn't really keep calling him Styles or him.

Although that guy was an option.

"Sorry."

I dropped down into the empty seat, sending Brian a small smile before returning my attention to my Father who shuffled some papers on his desk.

"You're going to back home tomorrow afternoon." He stated and I felt my chest sink.

"Why?"

"Because you need to get settled with Styles in the house with you. You'll be flying back, you need to be at Marseille airport at seven, be ready to leave by six o'clock tomorrow evening." Father explained.

"What do you mean in the house?" I questioned, my brows meeting above my eyes as my Father glanced at Styles' behind me.

"He'll be staying with you. Your course starts again on the fifth, everything has been arranged for him to accompany you every day. Brian will be coming with you on the plane and back to the house but after that he's going to be taking a step back from you."

He continued on as if some random man living in our house was completely normal and I couldn't help but stare at him as if he'd grown an extra head.

"At university?" I questioned instead, my eyes wide as I glanced over my shoulder, Styles was completely impassive, as usual. His eyes barely flicking to me before they returned to my father above my head.

"Are you being particularly stupid today?" Father asked and I licked my lips nervously.

"Sorry."

"I think that's all you need to know. Don't be late, don't make anyone else late tomorrow evening and try not to be so stupid tomorrow." My Father looked at me pointedly and I got the message to leave as I nodded and left the office quickly.

I fisted my eyes as I practically sprinted to my room and locked the door behind me. I was twenty one, I shouldn't be crying in my bedroom like a fourteen year old but I couldn't stop myself.

I guess all my real life responsibilities were about to come back full force, and I knew I shouldn't be so quick to judge, but honestly?

Fuck Styles.