oh, anna [-hs]

used to be lonely

a/n Sorry for being absent! Here's a really long chapter for you :) Hope you are all well.

Happy 11k friends! I'm so glad so many people are enjoying this story! Welcome to all the new readers (and old readers I love you guys)!

39.

"Quinn," Emma whines. "Come on, please."

I toss my head back. "I don't want to."

"It'll mean a lot to her though, if both of you came. Plus, it'll be fun,"  she follows me around the kitchen island to the sink, where I'm washing dishes.

"Harry has his show."

"So come after," she pushes. I huff. "Come on, it'll be fun."

"Halloween is not fun," I declare in protest. "It's creepy."

"Five minutes." She haggles.

"Ugh!" I groan in frustration, slamming the pot I was washing down into our sink. "Five minutes! Fine!"

A small smile of victory twists onto her face. She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and waltzes away. I shake my head and go back to washing my dish. Out of the corner of my eye I see Leo perched on the floor. He cocks his head slightly and looks up at me.

"What are you looking at," I snap at him. He lets out a pitiful meow. I roll my eyes again and grab the bag of treats off the windowsill in front of the sink, cracking open the bag and tossing two down to him. "Everyone in this house is so needy," I mumble under my breath, bringing my attention back to the dish.

So Kate's having a Halloween party. I've only agreed to go two minutes ago and I'm already dreading it. I hate that she asked Emma to get Harry and I to come. I have a feeling all Kate really cares about is Harry.

But also Emma's smitten. She comes home some days and her cheeks are still flushed from excitement. She's starting singing songs in the house. It warms me up seeing her this happy. I guess if this is the person to give her that, I have to let it be.

I am excited for Halloween, despite my declaration that it's not fun. I mean, it isn't. But Halloween means Harry's coming back to New York. He's got some big show planned. A couple months ago he had a meeting with Jack, and decided he wanted to perform again, even if he doesn't have new music yet. I'm not excited for Halloween, but I'm definitely excited for Harryween. It'll be his first show I get to attend.

I realize I've been washing this dish for a long time. My fingers are starting to feel pruney. I set it aside and reach for another one. Emma slinks back into the kitchen with a guilty look on her face.

"You have to wear a costume," she murmurs hesitantly, worried she's going to set me off.

"Okay," I smile through my teeth.

"You'll miss me while you're gone" She pouts her lip out.

I smile at her more gently now. "I will."

I finish washing my dirty dishes from breakfast, and grab my suitcase by the door. Before I swing it open, I turn back to the space. Even if she's not in front of me, I feel her presence in the house right now. I smile.

"Goodbye, Emma!"

"Wait!" Her head pokes upside down from the ledge above me. I chuckle as she disappears again, and I hear her feet pounding down the stairs. She collides into me with a massive hug. I hold her tightly back. "Have a lot of fun. Tell Harry I say hi."