The Encounter |H.S|

9

Harry was still carrying Hazel in his arms when we got out of Liam's office and it was honestly a really good sight. 

"Well, it's lunch time, do you guys want to grab something to eat before you go back?" Liam asks with a smile. Me and Harry glance at each other before nodding at Liam, which makes him smile.

"Good! There's a restaurant nearby, we could walk there." Liam says as we walk towards Amanda, who was sitting behind her desk.

"Oh, I still have to go to the car then, to grab Hazel's bag." I say as Amanda gives me Hazel's basket with a wide smile on her lips, and I smile back at her while grabbing it.

"Uh, I can go there if you want me to." Harry mumbles while Hazel softly touches his face with her small finger. I turn my head to look at him and he bites his lower lip, looking at me with furrowed eyebrows. 

I hesitantly nod, expecting him to put Hazel in her basket while he goes to the car but instead he walks out with her in his arms. I look at the doors as if Harry and Hazel were still there with slightly widened eyes. 

It was rather weird, Hazel usually couldn't handle being carried by other people apart from me and Louis. I had a feeling that she would start calling out for me after a while, but she just fell asleep on Harry's arms and when we were leaving Liam's office she woke up, but didn't make a sound.

"She isn't really your niece, is she?" Liam asks from next to me while we waited for Harry and I immediately look at him, widening my eyes at his statement. 

I was really glad that Amanda was listening to music with her earphones, or else I'd be really scared, more than now. "I uh, no no! She is my niece." 

He narrows his eyes before sighing. "You can tell me the truth Evelyn, consider me as a friend please." He says, resting a hand on my shoulder and I gulp nervously. 

"I…don't know Liam, we barely know each other." I mumble while sighing, feeling my head throbbing with this pressure. 

He keeps his hand on my shoulder as I look at him with a fast heartbeat due to the nervousness. I shake my head, taking a step back so his hand leaves my shoulder and I look down.

I see Harry walking in with a small smile and Hazel's bag on his shoulder while Hazel seems to be talking, in her own way of course, I've always liked seeing Harry with children, and this was no exception.

Hazel looks over at me and stops talking. "Ma!" She exclaims and I widen my eyes while she sends me a big smile. Hazel opens her arms, gesturing that she wants me to carry her and I gladly do under Harry's intense stare. 

She rests her head on my shoulder and I look at Harry as he takes Hazel's basket from my hand, carrying it himself. "I can take the bag if you want." I mumble, glancing at Hazel's bag that was on his shoulder and he shakes his head.

"Well, let's go!" Liam beams cheerfully and we start walking out of the building, following Liam as he guides us to the restaurant he suggested. 

Once we arrive, Liam pulls out a chair from one of the tables near the window and I quietly thank him, seeing Harry looking around before walking away, which makes me frown. 

I focus back on Hazel, who was sitting on my lap looking up at me with a huge grin as I keep my hands on her back to steady her. I felt my heart fluttering with happiness when she said half a word not too long ago, it took me by surprise but I couldn't get upset at it for sure, I couldn't be more relieved with the fact that none of them questioned me. 

Harry walks towards us with a high chair on his hands, putting it right next to me and I smile slightly at him in a way to thank him. I put Hazel on the high chair, causing her to pout at me and I kiss her forehead while quietly telling her to not cry.