HANNAH’S P.O.V.


I haven’t seen Niall since we went to Hempstead on Thursday. It’s Saturday evening now and I’m putting together the finishing touches of my outfit before an evening on the yacht with Niall, my dad, Fleurette, and my aunt Shelby.

Mom has no idea that I’m going with them. In fact, I haven’t seen her at all today and she probably doesn’t expect me to be leaving. I almost hope to sneak out without talking to her, but since Joe will be driving me there, she’ll realize the car is gone.

I slip on my navy-blue, form fitting dress and find a pair of white sandals that seem appropriate. I
spray a subtle amount of my favorite perfume on my wrists and neck before fetching my phone
and small clutch and leaving my room.

As soon as I make it down the stairs, mom strolls around the corner, a glass of white wine in her hand.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Great. She’s already in a bad mood. She crosses her arms and taps her foot, awaiting my
response. So, I tell her the only thing that will switch her mood faster than a Prada release party.

“I’m going on a date with Harry.”

Just as I expected, her lips curve into a devising grin.

“That’s so lovely, Hannah. Where is he taking you? Somewhere fancy, I hope.”

“Mom...”

“What? He better take you somewhere nice. It’s not like he can’t afford it.”

I roll my eyes and start to walk toward the door, but she follows closely behind.

“Is he outside? I want to say hello!”

I grasp the doorknob and turn to face her, a forced smile plastered on my face.

“No, Joe is driving me to meet him.”

She scoffs and nearly spills her wine. I wonder how many glasses she’s had so far.

“That’s just unacceptable. Why wouldn’t he pick you up?”

“Good lord, mother! Lay off it! It doesn’t matter.”

She’s appalled by my outburst, but I ignore her glare and exit the house, shutting the door
carefully behind me. I wish I slammed it, but that wouldn’t have done me any good.

By the time I get in the backseat of the car and the door is shut, I’m already venting to Joe, fed up with my mom.

“She’s so pompous. I don’t understand how her mind works. Who the hell let’s every single thing
go back to money? I haven’t seen her all week! We live in the same damn house and she just avoids me until she feels like being nosey! I can’t take it anymore!”

Joe does what he always does. He nods patiently in the small mirror and waits for me to finish.
We drive the short distance between my house and Louis’.

“What can I do, though? I’m fucking trapped! I’m just so sick of her and her negative attitude.
There’s always something wrong with what I’m doing.”

I sit back roughly in my seat and cross my arms, pouting and feeling quite sorry for myself.

“Well, Hannah. Think about it. Sure, your parents weren’t happy before, but since your dad found someone before she did, she probably feels extremely lonely. You know that she’s all about appearances. How do you think this whole thing is starting to look to her friends?”

“They’re not really her friends-”

“Then you should feel sorry for her! I know it’s difficult to believe, but your mom is a person just like you are; with emotions and problems that she struggles with. She’s probably worried she won’t find someone suitable at her age and maybe she’s right. Maybe she won’t find some rich, respectable guy to swoop in and take your dad’s place.”

Now he’s getting a bit heated. I can tell by the way his knuckles turn white as he grips the steering wheel. I’ve never thought about it that way, though. The way she thinks is obviously beyond my comprehension, but it’s still the way she thinks. In her eyes, her whole world is falling apart.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll try to remember that.”

Joe takes a deep breath and nods as we stop in front of the Tomlinson’s drive.

“Just try to be understanding, honey. Your mom isn’t evil.”

I nod silently and pick up my phone to text Niall that we’re outside. Joe and I sit in comfortable
silence for two minutes before Niall appears from the corner of the house. He looks amazing. His khaki jeans are form-fitting and his mint green dress shirt is un-buttoned just enough to make me want to take off the rest. My demeanor shifts dramatically the moment I see him, a bright smile cemented on my face.

I open the door as he approaches and scoot over to make room. When he sits down next to me,
the scent of musky soap and his sweet-smelling hair creme subdue my senses.

“You look gorgeous.”

He shuts the door and places his hands on either side of my face, pressing his lips to mine gingerly. I close my eyes and lean into the kiss for a moment.

“You look pretty great yourself. I’m quite impressed by the ensemble.”

He sits up straight and shows off his clothes.

“Why, thank you. I was going to ask you to go shopping with me, but I was already in the city, so I
just went alone.”

I flaunt a dramatic pout and lay on his shoulder, allowing his arms to engulf me.

“Well, I’m proud of you. You look very proper.”

He grins appreciatively, squeezing me tightly.

“That’s what I was going for. You know, yacht and all.”

I giggle as Joe begins to drive to the docks.

_____________


“So, miss Hannah. I haven’t seen you in what; four years?”

I grin across the table at my aunt. She looks great; even better than the last time I saw her and she was younger then.

“Yeah, it’s been a long time. It’s good to see you again.”

Niall is playing with the hem of my dress under the table and my hand is resting atop his.

“Well, fill me in! I mean, you were fourteen when I saw you last. I’m sure lots has happened.”

I glance up at dad as the waiter brings out our salads. He looks really happy, his hand in

Fleurette’s resting on the table.

“Yeah, I suppose so. I mean... There’s the obvious ones... I graduated-“

Shelby hums, trying to chew her food quickly to interrupt me.

“About that. I’m sorry again for not being there.”

I was a little offended that she didn’t come, but the brand new Fendi bag she sent made up for it.

“It’s not a problem. But, yeah. Since graduation, I’ve just been... I don’t know, hanging out. It’s only been about a month.”

Shelby nods and it’s Fleurette’s turn to interrogate.

“What do you want to do?”

What do I want to do?

“I honestly haven’t thought about it. I want to go to school, but I don’t think I’d be allowed...”

It’s awkward with my dad sitting just across from me. I don’t know how he really feels about me going to school or something. I do know that mom hates the idea, especially if I go to the city to do so.

“Hannah, I’d be thrilled if you branched out and went to school. You’d just have to work on your
mom.”

That’s something I’ll have to think about later. What would I major in?

“Niall here goes to school in the city. You know, Niall. I didn’t ask you what school you went to!”

I’m thankful that my dad’s prying answers out of Niall now and giving me a break. To be honest, though, I don’t even know what school Niall goes it. He’s been vague about it this whole time.

“Oh, uh. Just a school -um- downtown.”

Now, I’m really curious.

“You know, I don’t know what school you go to either.”

He pulls his hand away from my thigh and I rest my elbows on the table, facing him inquisitively.

“Well, I go to Julliard.”

Julliard? As in THE Julliard?

“What? That’s... incredible! Why didn’t you tell me?”

I kind of feel like a fool having him tell me this bit of basic information about himself in front of my
family. I don’t see why he’s ashamed of it, though. If he’s ashamed. He’s stiff as a board and pushing his food around his plate with a fork.

“Seriously, you should be proud. That’s a hard school to get into. I’m guessing you do music.
What do you play?”

Shelby doesn’t stop eating as she questions him further.

“I play the piano. I just- didn’t want to- I don’t know. I don’t tell people that I play.”

“You must be really good! We have a piano on here in the other room. You should play for us!”

Dad’s excited, which is obvious by the way his smile reaches his eyes.

“Dad... Don’t be pushy,” Niall has his head hung between his shoulders, fumbling with the napkin in his lap, “Niall, can we talk outside?”

I speak the last part quietly and it takes a moment before he nods subtly.

“Please excuse us for a moment. You guys can keep eating.”

I direct my focus to Fleurette, because I assume she’s the one who will tell my dad to lay off Niall. She nods understandingly and I lead Niall out to the back deck. Once the door is shut and we’re leaning over the edge, peering into the still water, Niall takes a deep breath.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Julliard.”

I shake my head and squeeze my body between his and the rail.

“Hey, don’t apologize. I just want to know why it’s a sensitive subject for you.”

He shrugs and wraps his arms around my waist.

“S’not.”

I give him a knowing look and straighten the collar of his shirt.

“Yes, it is. You can tell me, babe. I just want to know you better.”

He stares between us and doesn’t acknowledge me. I lean forward and rest my forehead against
his, silently encouraging him to trust me.

“Alright, fine.”

He doesn’t move away from me, but finally looks up and when our eyes meet, I can tell that his
are sad.

“Piano... was always something that I did with me mum. I know that sounds overly emotional and
just plain stupid, but I don’t enjoy it anymore. It just makes me sad and reminds me of all the ways I’ve failed her since she died. We always talked about me going to Julliard one day. I always wanted to move to the states and it was like this thing we always talked about. And-“ then he cries. Actually cries, burying his face in my neck, “And she’ll never see that I did it. I’m here and I did it. Doesn’t fucking matter, though.”

I rub his back and let him cry for a moment, because I’m pretty sure it doesn’t happen often and we all need someone to comfort us when our emotions get like this.

“It does matter, Niall. Your mom would be so proud of you. I’m sure your dad is and even Greg. I’m proud of you; if that counts for anything.”

He chuckles and sniffles before standing up straight again and kissing my forehead.

“It does. I’m sorry for crying like a baby. I avoided telling you about where I went to school because I knew you’d want to know how I got there and... well, I can’t talk about that stuff without getting upset.”

He wipes tears away from his cheeks with the back of his hand and I wrap my arms around his
neck.

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

He smiles and leans in to leave an open-mouthed kiss to my lips.

“I’m glad I have you to talk to.”

I kiss him again briefly and lean back against the railing, pulling his body closer to mine.

“You totally ruined my plan, you know?”

His eyebrows scrunch together and he looks genuinely concerned. I can’t help but to chuckle.

“I wanted to go to school with you, but of course you go to a fancy, elite school that I’m
disgustingly under-qualified for.”

He laughs when he realizes that my ‘plan that he’s ruined’ isn’t something quite so serious.

“Well, I think you should decide on a major first, love.”

He pins me against the rail harder and my breathing hitches as he flicks his tongue against my neck.

“I think we can work on that.”

He bites down and wraps his lips around the red mark forming above my collarbone.

“You know you promised to take me on a tour of the city and it never happened.”

He pulls away, blowing cool air onto the sensitive skin.

“That is very true. Tomorrow. We’ll go tomorrow, alright? The day before school starts. I’ll show
you the campus and my favorite coffee shop and the park I sit in sometimes and-“

“Well, you’re going to ruin it all! Just take me!”

He laughs and kisses my lips once more.

“Alright, tomorrow. It’s a date.”

I grin facetiously.

“Our last date.”

“Last date? You’re already sick of me?”

I laugh and smack his arm before releasing myself from being trapped against the rail.

“No, silly. Our last date until the five dreadful, sexless dates are up.”

He rolls his eyes, but I can see the excitement behind them.

“They weren’t that dreadful.”

No, they really weren’t.

Notes

So sorry for the slow updates!!! I've been busy and just ugh...

TOMORROW (friday) IS MY 21ST BIRTHDAY!!!! I'm so freakin' excited!!! :D

So, I will be updating again next week xx Thank you for your patience!

This is the dress Hannah is wearing:

and the shirt Niall wears: