Softer Side

Chapter three

I hum softly as I wipe the white cloth across the work top, cleaning the surfaces from our lunchtime a few moments prior. Becky was coming to see me for something shortly so I had a feeling I needed to make sure the house was tidy. Apparently she needed to do something with me before she took Ariella for the night while I went out with Harry. That was something else I was dreading, causing all of my thoughts to run wild about what was happening today. "Mummy! Come and play" I hear Ariella whine as she holds up her baby doll to me.

"Two minutes baby, let me just clean this side up and then I'll be there to play" I smile as she sighs with a nod. She was so much like me and Harry mixed it was crazy. I smile softly as she sits on the floor, grabbing some clothes for her baby from the set of drawers situated in the living room housing some of her toys. I was very fortunate to have a child who tidied up more than most, leaving her spaces tidy and putting away what she wasn't using. I place the cloth in the cupboard, making my way to the young girl on the carpet who handed me a baby to dress for her. She loved playing with her babies, already having real motherly instincts in her, something she had gained from myself when I was younger. She was a wonderful little girl, always so kind and gentle with everybody, and from what I had heard from her nursery she played so well with everybody else and helped them when they were sad.

A heard a groan leave her lips as the doorbell sounded, the familiar ding-doing filling the flat as I stifled a laugh, her attitude showing through as she sat back on the floor. "Baby, look who it is" I smile with a smirk at Becky. She was definitely Ariellas favourite auntie. I laugh softly at the sound of the child's feet pounding through the flat, screaming happily at her auntie who was stood in the doorway. "Go and make sure you've packed your teddy" I smile as she goes running to her bedroom to make sure she had everything for her night.

"So, as you know I said I had to do something with you" she smiles and walks into the living room with her shopping bag in her left hand. Was she really about to show me every item of her food shop?

"Yeah and I'm very confused by that" I say slowly and sit on the bar stool, raising my eyebrows as she laughs softly, digging into the bag and pulling out a wooden box with an engraved 'S' in the bottom left hand corner. The S shape was then painted in gold glitter to give it a bit of sparkle, a gold latch on the front of the box matching the small metallic theme going on. "What is this?" I ask, confusion clear in my voice as she smiles and pushes the box slightly closer to me.

"Open it and see" she prompts, pulling out the grey stood and sitting on top of it. I furrow my eyebrows, undoing the latch and opening the lid. There before me sat a tall glass with my name printed in gold letters, a small bottle of champagne and a candle with a gold lid. Everything was laid on pastel blue shredded tissue paper and a blue flower in the corner, a clear theme beginning to form with everything inside. Above this on the back side of the lid was a card, outlined with white roses and some writing. I leant forward, reading the words in my head as a grin formed on my face. The question running through my mind as I smile softly and lean forward to hug her. "So, will you be my maid of honour?" She says softly as I smile happily and nod.

"I wouldn't dream of a job less than that" I tease with a smile, hugging her once again.

~~~~~~~

I sigh softly as I slide on my shoes, having opted for a white pair of converse to go with my blue wash denim shorts and black crop top with balloon sleeves and a lower cut front. I stand up, walking to the mirror in the hallway, fixing my hair that was in a messy bun on top of my head with a smile, making sure my makeup was fine before grabbing my handbag. Ariella had gone to stay at Becky's now, thanking her eternally for having her for the night. I wasn't planning on sleeping with Harry or anything, but I just didn't know what time I would be home since it was five in the evening already.

I turn my head when the doorbell rings, allowing the breath in my throat to drop despite not knowing I was holding it. My feet slowly walking to the door, opening it slowly to reveal Harry stood in a pair of blue jeans and a patterned shirt, smiling softly with his right arm on the door frame. "You look beautiful" he says softly as I smile gently, feeling my cheeks redden. I grab the house key from the bowl beside the door, sliding it into my handbag with a smile, still having said nothing in return to the compliment. "Are you ready?" he says softly as I smile and nod, stepping out beside him with a smile, turning my head to look at him as he pulls my front door shut.

We walk slowly down to his car, beginning to chat more comfortably which was something we didn't do much of anymore. I had missed his company, and since we had split I did miss him. We were meant to be so much more than this but it just didn't work out that way at that time. I slide into the passenger seat as he smiles, climbing into the drivers side and pressing a button on the screen in front of him. A song began to play through the car as he began to sing along quietly, smirking at me now and then knowing I would want to join in.

I groan softly, caving as I began to sing along with him at the top of our lungs. This is how we were when we were halfway through our shortened relationship. Happy. I laugh with him as the song ends, entering the car park with a smile as Harry pulls the car into the space. This was the best thing about living in London, is no matter where you needed to go, it was basically on your doorstep or at least in the city. I step out of the car slowly, closing the door behind me and hanging my handbag on my shoulder. We hurry into the building before anybody could see us, Harry going to purchase the tickets as I stand looking around the building in front of us. He wouldn't let me see what we were going to see.

We walk to the stand to get our snacks, myself opting for a lemonade and a popcorn for us to share. Harry paid the cashier, grabbing the popcorn bucket in his hand as I turn around. "Shit!" I hear him shout as I turn around quickly to see him stood with his hands over his face, the cashier behind him giggling as I look at the floor, bursting out with laughter as I see the bucket on the floor, a wide ring of popcorn around it. The cashier continued to giggle to herself as she filled a new bucket, handing it to Harry whilst muttering not to drop that one too. He blushed, scurrying away from the stand and to the screen.

"That was so funny" I laugh as we find our seats, settling into them as he huffs, pouting like a small child who had been told off. "What are we watching then" I say softly, breathing out slowly as he shakes his head with a smirk.

"It's something new, I just hope you like it" he smiles, looking around as the lights begin to grow dark signalling the start of the film. A quiet laugh left my lips as I heard him yawn, stretching his arm up and laying it over my shoulders.

I lean towards him, whispering to him, "Harry we have a baby together, you know you can put your arm around me if you want to without that cheesy stuff" I smirk as he shakes his head. His bright smile was clear in the dark as his eyes focused on the screen at the beginning of the film.

~~~~~~~

I yawn as Harry moves, opening my eyes to look around me, noticing the lights on and the screen black. Shit, I'd fallen asleep during the film on Harry. "Harry, I'm sorry" I say quietly as he shakes his head with a smile.

"It's okay, it wasn't a great film anyway, you didn't miss much" he laughs as I smiled softly, grabbing my handbag as I stand up slowly and walk towards the door with him, stretching my arms as we did so. We walked out, heading back to the car and climbing in. He didn't start the engine though, instead he began to speak. "I'm sorry tonight wasn't great" he says softly, looking at the steering wheel sadly.

"Don't be silly, it was nice" I smile softly at him as he shakes his head softly.

"Babe, you fell asleep" he laughs as I pout, looking at my hands telling him once again I was sorry. "I mean, we could go back to yours? My place is still in the process of being furnished" he smiles softly as I sigh softly, going to speak.

"Harry I don't know, I-" I start, beginning to tell him that I wasn't sure on the idea, something about it just wasn't sitting right with me.

"No no, not like that... I mean to watch a film and spend time just the two of us" he says softly with a smile on his face. "If it gets late then I can sleep on the sofa if you would like me to, I just don't want tonight to end on a bad note like this" he smiles softly as I stay looking at my hands.

"Okay, I guess it should be okay..." I start before smiling softly, "but on one condition, we aren't watching the notebook again, we watched it about a million times whilst we were together" I smirk as he nods.

"Anything for you" he says softly.