3 Years Later

“Babe are you almost ready? We’re going to be late!”
I heard Harry calling my name from downstairs as I quickly applied the last wisps of my mascara.
I grabbed my bag before heading downstairs, trying not to blush as Harry smiled at me as I walked down the stairs.
I waltzed over to him, quickly placing a light kiss on his lips.
“Well hello.” He said wrapping his arms around my waist, cradling my body into his chest.
“Come on, we don’t want to be late remember?” I said taking his hand leading him towards the door.
“I mean we don’t have to be right on time...” He began placing kisses on my neck, leaving a trail with his plump lips. “Haven’t you ever heard of being fashionably late?”
“Styles! It’s your sister’s wedding. It’s not like we can be late!”
I quickly grabbed my extra lippy and wallet from the kitchen bench putting it in my purse and clicking it shut. As I spun around, I saw that Harry had a smug grin on his face. He pulled me in closer, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Styles, seriously we gotta go.” It was hard to resist him when he was wearing a tux. His elongated torso looked nice underneath a crisp white shirt.
“Look who’s talking now miss ‘take forever in the bathroom.’”
“Hay!” I slapped him cheekily before hauling him out the door.
We walked along the sidewalk hand in hand, my head resting on his shoulder until we reached the car. God it felt nice to be able to hold hands in public. This was something that we were unable to do a few years ago when I was still in school.
Now that I had graduated, the world was my oyster.
I was going to University and doing a course in photography, I had moved out of home and into an apartment with Daisy, and Harry and I had finally become a proper couple.
My friends, and a lot of people from school who knew, found our relationship weird at first and wondered if anything had gone on during school. Harry and I assured them all, nothing had ever taken place, and that it wasn’t until after I graduated did things start forming between us. We didn’t want to risk it. Harry and I could still get in trouble for past events, and besides, Harry was still teaching at Cherry brook. If the school found out or had their doubts, Harry would be fired. Or worse, he could be put in jail.

As we began the long drive to the church, which was in Surrey countryside, I thought about everything that had happened that had led us up to this point.
All the hiding and secrecy that had accompanied our relationship almost wore us out to breaking point. The sneaking of kisses in the janitor’s closet or when the staffroom was empty. The private tutoring sessions at his house that mum thought I was going to, that didn’t actually involve any tutoring at all.
Harry enjoyed the thrill, I could tell. There was a devious and rebellious side to him that came out to play every now and then, it was the best bit about him.
I couldn’t help but smile dreamily thinking about all the nights spent in his apartment, the coffee and banana bread in the mornings, and the way he looked when reading the newspaper across from me at the breakfast table.
“What are you thinking about?” He asked reaching for my hand.
“Nothing. Just thinking.”
“About what in particular?”
“Just stuff...you and I...you know, stuff.”
He rubbed his thumb over my hand and gave it a quick squeeze before returning his hands to the wheel. I snuggled up down into the seat and felt myself smiling like an idiot as I nodded off to sleep.

After the ceremony, everyone gathered together at the venue that Harry’s sister had hired for the wedding dinner and party. It was a large farm field, with a huge table lining straight down the middle. Fairy lights and lanterns hung in the trees, an old folk band hummed silently in the corner, and a marquee was being used as a bar and dance floor.
“Wow this is incredible! Gemma did a great job.”
Harry and I walked into the field, his arm lightly wrapped around my waist.
“Yeah, she’s pretty talented with all that stuff. Looks amazing.”
“I’m going to go to the bar, you want anything?” I lazily strung my fingers in between his and rested my head on his shoulder.
“Sure, I’ll just have a beer thanks.”
He quickly gave me a kiss on the head before I headed over to the marquee.
I ordered our drinks and I admired the view. The whole field was covered in laughter, dancing and music and the warm food could be smelt from a mile away.
As I walked back over to the table, I spotted Harry with two young flower girls. They were all sitting in a circle, playing what looked like duck duck goose.
It was Harry’s turn to chase one of the girls around the circle and I watched admiringly as he pretended that she was way too fast for him. He eventually scooped her up and spun her around, her curls bobbing up and down in the wind.
I couldn’t help but smile as he sat back down again, letting the girls tap him on the head as they went round and round in circles.
“They’re pretty cute huh?”
“Yeah they are.” I said replying to the stranger, not bothering to turn around.
“Harry’s always been good with kids. He’s a natural really.”
I turned around to acknowledge the voice that came from behind me.
“Sam?” I felt my chest tighten slightly and my breath catch in my throat. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
“Hey Soph.”

***

It was like the world came crashing to a halt. I hadn’t seen Sam since...since...well since before high school ended, and now here he was standing before me, hands in the front pockets of his suit.
“Hi.” I said through a breathy sigh.
“It’s good to see you again.” He kicked at the grass with his shoe, rocking his hips back and forth nervously.
“Uh yeah, wow. I haven’t seen you in...well seems like forever.”
He scratched the hair at the back of his head as he smiled gently at me. He looked different. Better. More mature perhaps?
The events that had occurred between us in our last couple of weeks together were ones that haunted me for a long time. I didn’t want to remember the night he had hit me, or the night he had showed up to my house in the middle of the night banging on the door, begging my parents to let him in. Or the day at school when I found him in the bathroom, head over the toilet bowl, throwing up over and over again.
I still remember the day I turned up to school to find Harry with his head in his hands. He looked like he hadn’t slept in weeks. The tears in his eyes proved to me that something awful had happened.
And turns out, I was right.
Sam had had an overdose and was in hospital. They had no idea if he would make it or not.
Harry spent sleepless nights watching over his cousin, having no idea that Sam was addicted to such dangerous substances.
It all came crashing down the day Harry told me that Sam was being booked into a rehabilitation clinic. I remember how shattered Harry was, how bad he felt within himself that he hadn’t done anything to look after Sam.

I never told Harry what he did to me.
I couldn’t bring myself to tell him and give him more pain than he needed.

“Do you want to maybe...grab a drink or something?” He asked.
I was shocked at how casual he was being, but I guess he couldn’t really be anything else.
I gestured to him that I already had a drink and began backing away towards Harry. I didn’t know if I was comfortable being near him again.
“I’ve got to go and give Harry this, but I guess I’ll see you later?”
I watched as he flinched at the word Harry. I wondered if he knew we were still together after all this time?
“Sure.” He smiled polietly as I turned my back on him and walked away as fast as my legs could carry me.

Notes

Hey guys! Hope you're enjoying everything so far :)
Please leave a comment and tell me where you'd like this story to go! I'm having a bit of a blank about what to do with Harry, Sam and Sophie!
All my love,
Aria x