Bring It, Bitch ➳ Harry Styles {completed and editing}

Chapter 63: I'll Be Home For Christmas

Ray's POV

1 year later

I stared out the window blankly, watching as the the other cars flew by. The snow was heavy, slowing down our progress. We were driving along the highway to Holmes Chapel.

Liam, a friend of mine from Yale who was visiting his family as well, had made the trip with me from America and had even offered to drive me to my house before he headed to Wolverhampton.

I cringed at the thought of what my mother would say once she saw that I was being dropped off by a boy. Is that your boyfriend? What's he doing here? Does he want to come in for tea?

Good grief, I thought, shuddering slightly. No, Liam was no more than a friend to me. We had met last September when I had bumped into him in the hallway, resulting in both of our books scattered on the hallway floor. When we picked up each other's novels only to realize that we were reading the exact same book. It was one of those cheesy romance film moment, minus the romance.

"Are you excited to be home?" Liam asked, snapping me out of my trance.

I glanced at him for a moment before answering "Uh, yeah, I guess so. It's going to be great to see my parents again." I was happy that I would be spending a few days back in my old room. Claire and I had skyped last week and she had told me that she would be in Holmes Chapel as well for the holidays.But something else that she had asked me was still replaying in my head, making my stomach churn uncomfortably. 

***

"Are you going to see Harry?" she asked, taking her bottom lip between her teeth.

"I don't know." I sighed, picking at my nails so I wouldn't have to meet her gaze. Even though she was only a picture in the screen, I could practically feel her judging me.

"Ray, you should see him. It's been a year since you've talked."

"There's a reason why I haven't talked to him for a year," I snapped, making her raise her eyebrows. I closed my eyes and lowered my voice. "Sorry, it's just-I'm a little bit on edge about this trip. My mom will probably tell everyone that I'm coming back for a few days, which means people that I'd rather not have hearing about me will know about my visit."

Claire studied me with a contemplative look on her face before quietly saying "Talk to him." 

***

I rubbed my hands together, trying to warm them up. They were cold and clammy from a combination of the weather and my nervousness.

I couldn't help but wonder what everyone would think of me. I hadn't changed much the past year, other than I was a little bit more tattooed and my face looked older. Yale had taken it's toll on me, causing multiple all-nighters and and endless consumption of caffeine.

My face had become longer and thinner. I had started wearing more makeup and most of my wardrobe now consisted of more professional clothing. I looked more like an adult.

Liam pulled into the driveway and the sight of my old house brought back good memories but also a lot of anxiety. Harry's house was no more than five minutes away from mine, and the thought of him being so close was making me feel sick. I slowly climbed out of the car, staring up at the Christmas lights that shone brightly along the edge of the roof. Despite the festiveness and the good feelings that were supposed to be flooding through me, I couldn't shake the nervousness that was creeping through my veins.

Liam climbed out from his side of the car and opened the trunk. He grabbed my luggage, making me protest. "It's alright," he said and grinned. "I'll carry it to your door." I knew he was going to be stubborn no matter what I said, so I let him bring the large suitcase all the way up the driveway.

The suitcase was really heavy, but he made it look like he was carrying a pillow. When I had tried to get the bag off the carousel at the airport I had almost ended up getting pulled onto the floor and dragged along with it.

A wreath hung on the door, and I could see the the fireplace was lit from the window. I knocked three times, my hands shaking slightly. It took no more than a few seconds for the door to open and reveal my beaming mother wearing a Santa apron.

"My baby!" She screeched, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug.

I wheezed, trying to breathe while she continued to bear hug me. "Okay, mom, I missed you too but I can't breathe," I managed to croak out.

She finally released me and gripped my shoulder as she held me in front of her. "I missed you so, so much, Ray," my mother breathed, her cheeks rosy and glistening from tears.

I smiled and kissed her forehead. "It's great to be home, mum. I missed you and dad a lot."

My mother's attention turned to Liam who was still holding my luggage. "Who's this?" She asked curiously, eyeing Liam up and down. He had placed my luggage on the ground and now had his hands tucked in his pockets.

"This is a good friend of mine from Yale, Liam," I introduced them, noticing my mother shooting me a look. I raised an eyebrow in challenge, almost daring her to bring up Harry. "Wonderful to meet you, Liam, would you like to come in for some tea?" She offered after shaking his hand.

"That's sounds lovely Mrs. Shroeder, but I'd better get back onto the road. I have to be in Wolverhampton," Liam said politely, smiling warmly. "I'll see you back at Yale, Ray. Happy Holidays!" He waved as he opened the door and and left.

My mum shut the door behind him, all the while giving me the same look she had been giving me before. "What?" I asked, an edge in my voice.

"He's cute," she said casually.

"And?"

"That's it, he's cute." She shrugged, smoothing out her apron. I narrowed my eyes at her suspiciously, but she took no notice. "Anyways, I made cookies," she said, changing the subject.

"Since when do you bake?" I asked, shocked.

"I decided to give it a go a little while after you left and I've gotten pretty good if I do say so myself," she said proudly. Her dark eyes gave me a once over and she regarded me with a melancholy look on her face. "You look beautiful, honey. All grown up." She touched the fur that lined the collar of my trench coat and smiled. "You're already beginning to look like a hotshot businesswoman."

I snorted as I shed off my coat and hung it on one of the coat hooks. "I'm still a bit too young to be a businesswoman."

"You won't be once you finish your degree," my mum sang as she flounced back into the kitchen. I watched her, my eyebrow practically escaping form my forehead. The woman I had hugged at the airport a year ago wore suits on the daily and addressed me as Rayla. This woman wore Santa Claus print aprons and called me Ray.

Weird.

I was about to follow her in the kitchen when a knock on the door made me spin 180 degrees. I crossed the room, my heels clicking against the hardwood floor. I opened the door, immediately regretting it once I saw who was standing on the porch.

"Been a while, princess."

---------

OH SNAP

Updates will be more frequent now that I'm on winter break YAY

I'm going to try to finish this book before New Years or at least right after idk

[picture of Ray's outfit to the right>>>]

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What's your favourite part about Christmas? Funny enough for me it's the lead up that's the best part like all of the carols that start playing on the radio and people put up their Christmas lights and my sister and I always get advent calenders (lol she's 25 and I'm 18 and we still ask fo them XD)

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-BLISS XX