Loose Change (Harry Styles) [BOOK 2]

"Tomorrow's Christmas Eve you know." I whisper in his ear as I bury my head into the crook of his neck.
He just mumbles something I don't understand. A yes I'm guessing.
"Hmm."
I chuckle tiredly.
I feel him begin to rub small circles on my back as he pulls me slightly closer to him.
"It's also Louis' birthday." He mentions in a tired raspy tone.
I sigh as my eyes continue to stay closed in comfort.
"Hmm. I know." I respond.
I got the birthday boy a Marvel cigarette lighter since I know that he likes the comics so much, but since he's in London for the week, I'm going to have to wait till he returns.
"As much as I enjoy having you here, why don't you go home and spend Christmas with your family? I mean I think you can still catch a plane on time an-"
I feel his grip loosen around me as he sits himself up.
"You know why Jane." He interrupts, causing me to sigh.
I sit up as well in his bed and I plop my feet on top of the duvet, since I'm beginning to feel a little warm. Harry is like a heater and sleeping next to him for a few hours is like wearing eighteen layers of clothing in one hundred degree weather. Maybe not that hot, but still.
"Maybe you should try, I me-"
"No. Just leave it alone." He says, obviously trying to keep himself from losing his temper.
I feel myself sigh again as I begin to play with the white comforter under me.
"Look. I'm sorry. I know you have good intentions, but I'm just not ready yet and I don't think they are either. Okay?"
I feel my hand stop what it's doing as I feel him place his own upon it, the calming sensation suffocating my senses.
I glance up at him to see how he's grinning softly at me, looking slightly guilty for his harsh tone. I feel myself grin back and I just nod.
"I understand." I simply respond, earning a more relaxed and genuine smile from him.
He leans himself close to me and places a soft kiss on my forehead before getting out of his bed.
"You can stay here if you want, I'm going to take a quick shower." He states as he scurries off to his drawer, grabbing his clothes.
"Okay."
My eyes begin to roam around his very messy room and I smirk to myself, which Harry notices.
"What are you planning?" He questions as he raises an eyebrow right next to the door.
I just giggle as I shake my head. I'm not gonna tell him anything.
He looks around the room for a second before meeting my eyes again.
"Don't you dare clean my room." He says as he points over at me, reading my mind. Dang, I always give my plans away.
I stick my bottom lip out in a pout, causing him to chuckle.
"Don't do that Jane." He says.
I flutter my eyelashes in an exaggerated way as I keep my lip out.
"Please." I state.
He licks his lips and turns his gaze to the things in his hands.
"Jane."
I step out of the bed and I hold my hands together in an innocent way as I walk myself over to him, his attention landing on me.
He licks his lips again as his eyes look me up and down .
Am I making him nervous? Maybe I can use this to my advantage. His room is seriously messy and it's not that I'm one of those people who always have to have everything clean, I just think that he'll feel more relaxed and even more at peace if he can walk an inch without stepping on a dirty shirt or empty water bottle.
"Harry."
His black T-shirt is really big on me as well as his boxers, and even though I feel a little exposed, by the way he's looking at me, I think he'll actually let me fix his space up.
I bite my bottom lip as I stand in front of him, knowing that for some reason he likes it when I do that.
"I said not to do that." He whispers as I stand closer to him, only inches away.
"Do what?"
I flutter my eyelashes again, knowing exactly what he's talking about.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about." he says.
I just smile a little as I wrap my arms around his neck, standing on my tippy toes.
"Do you really?"
He nods as he stares down at me.
"Yes and no matter what you do, I still won't give you permission."
I stick my bottom lip out again.
"No matter how much you tempt me by looking fucking hot in my clothes and looking god damn adorable, no. I refuse."
I bite my bottom lip and then groan as I release my arms, placing them back to my sides.
"And stop biting your lip. You know how I feel about that." He says as his eyes roam to my lips, making me blush.
"I actually don't." I reply honestly.
He grins at me slightly as he places the things in his hands on the floor slowly.
I raise an eyebrow.
"Harry."
He just walks himself up to me, causing my body to hit the wall as well as shiver a little.
This time he bites his lip as he leans his forehead against mine, driving me insane. Oh God now I know why he hates it so much.
I feel his warm breaths hitting my face, making me redden from this weird frustration I'm suddenly feeling.
"Harry I-"
He leans his face close to mine and brushes his lips upon my own. Damn.
My eyes shut closed as I await for him to lean in already, but all I feel is his body moving away. What?
I open my eyes to see him grabbing his stuff.
"Harry." I whisper, feeling very embarrassed.
He just winks.
"Now you know."
I just remain frozen as I see him glance at my framed drawing for a few seconds before finally leaving to the bathroom. Oh God he kills me. It's only the morning and I'm already flustered.
Calm down. Calm down.
I sit at the edge of the bed and I just stare at the tiled flooring before finally giggling. Katherine would really be ashamed of me right now. Oh well.
I shrug at my own thoughts before standing up and beginning to pick up all the trash and clothes he has on his floor.
Who says I would actually do what Harry said.
I discard of all the trash in the garbage can in the kitchen and I place all of his dirty clothes in the laundry bin before walking to his night stand. He has a lot of crumpled up pieces of paper on the floor. Most of them are very tiny, most likely receipts he was planning to throw away later or something.
I begin to open each one, just to make sure they don't hold any importance before throwing them away. My assumptions are proven correct when I finish un wrinkling three receipts out of the stack. Two of them were for groceries and the third was for the pair of shoes he bought me. I still haven't worn them yet. They're a pair of white sneakers, or Converse as it said on the box.
I make a mental note to myself to try them on as soon as I return to Katherine's. Since Harry and I have both been reunited with our pasts this week, I decided that I need him and I think that maybe he needs me, so for the past four days, I've been sleeping here. The first two nights, I actually slept in the guest room like I did when I was staying here, but each of those nights, I ended up just plopping myself into Harry's bed since I had nightmares and also because he is really comfy. So the third night Harry just told me to sleep with him, and I agreed. So the fourth night came as well, and well here I was.
I smile at the thought as I begin to un wrinkle a quite large piece of paper. I feel my curiosity get the best of me as I recognize the numbered paper. It's the paper with all the numbers...
I glance behind me, because for some reason I feel that Harry might barge in and get angry with me. But this is not some dramatic movie, so I turn my attention back on the paper, staring at the number that ate my mind the first time I saw it. The last one. The one with all the stars...
The house phone is literally right on his nightstand, practically screaming at me to dial the number. But I feel as if it's like the apple from the tree of knowledge with the snake wrapped around it, tempting me and I am the oh so naive Eve, wanting to take a bite so bad.
The apple is forbidden and as the story goes, this cruel world is so imperfect because of Eve and Adam's betrayal. But then again, I don't think this number holds any relevance to Harry anymore since it's paper that it is written on was all crumpled up, and besides the world is already messed up, what more bad can a simple phone call do?
My hand grabs the phone and my fingers begin to dial in the number. I pray that it won't be anything I'll regret, but not everything has to do with me so-
"Hello?" I hear a woman whisper on the other end.
I just remain silent, not knowing what to respond. Say something you idiot!
As I'm about to finally respond, I bite my tongue and become breathless as I hear the woman beginning to cry...
"Harry. Are you there? Please. Answer."
The woman sounds like an older lady, and as I hear her continue to beg to hear Harry's voice, I begin to realize who it is.
"Mrs. Styles?" I finally speak.
Her sniffling echoes in my ear and I can practically feel her confusion.
"W-who are you? Why are you calling from Harry's house? Is he alright?"
I feel my heart begin to hurt for her.
"Yeah. He's fine and I-I-"
I don't really know what to label myself since Harry and I haven't really discussed what I actually am to him.
"I'm his friend. He invited me over." I respond
She continues to sniffle and I can tell that she's trying to compose herself. Oh God Harry. If only you saw how much she misses you.
"Well Harry's friend, may I ask how you got this number and your reason for contacting me?"
I turn behind me again, just in case, but quickly turn around as I see how the coast is clear. I walk myself to the edge of his bed and I sit down.
"He's actually occupied at the moment, but he wanted me to call you." I lie.
"W-what? He did? What did he want?"
Her tone is beginning to sound hopeful and I just pray that Harry will forgive me quickly for what I'm about to do.
"He wanted me to tell you that he would love it if you would come over here for Christmas to spend it with him. You and your husband and daughter of course." I chirp.
I hear her sigh. Oh no why is she sighing.
"What's your name sweetie?" She questions.
I feel a little caught off guard by her question, but I decide to answer truthfully.
"Jane."
"Jane? As in Jane Weck?"
My heart stops.
"Yes... how did you-"
"I watch a lot of television. You and my Harry have been popping up a lot lately."
I remain silent.
"You're a good person Jane. And I can tell that he cares about you...and by the way you're lying for him, I can tell that you feel the same way."
"Lying, um I-"
She forces a few chuckles.
"My son didn't even call me for my birthday... I doubt he would all of a sudden want to spend Christmas with me or his sister."
"He has been through a lot." I say.
"I know. Just if you can... Can you let him know that Gemma forgives him and like me and Robin, have been missing him terribly."
I nod as if she were actually standing in front of me.
"Of course." I state.
"Thank you." I hear her whisper.
"Um Mrs. Styles..."
She chuckles.
"Call me Anne. And what is it love?"
I feel my cheeks redden.
"Okay. Anne. Can you at least call him on Christmas?"
"Of course I will. I doubt he'll answer, but I'll try."
I smile.
"It was nice speaking with you Jane." She adds.
"It was nice speaking with you as well. And Anne?"
"Yes?"
"He misses you... Trust me."
After a few seconds of silence she speaks again.
"Thank you." She mutters.
And with that, we both hang up and I place the numbered paper in his drawer, before cleaning the remainder of the mess.
...
"Are you ready?" I ask as Harry and I stand right in front of the door of Aiden's father's house. When Aiden found out that I was going to be alone on Christmas Eve, he immediately offered me to spend it with him and his family. I agreed since he let me bring Harry, because I haven't had a real Christmas since I was a kid, and as I vaguely remember, Aiden's mom makes the best sweet potato casserole.
"Do we really have to be here? I mean we could just go back to the house and order pizza or-"
"We're already here Harry, and besides, I think we both need to take a break from pizza." I say as I chuckle.
I look pretty casual in my black tank top with my dark green cardigan and light colored jeans, while Harry looks... yeah let's just say that he resembles one of those models that are on those billboards I used to see near downtown. He's wearing a light denim jean jacket with this fur collar, a white t shirt, his ripped black skinnies, and of course...boots. Is he even real, I mea-
"Jane! I'm so glad you could make it!" Aiden says excitedly as he opens the door and hugs me very tight.
I hear Harry clear his throat behind me, causing Aiden to finally release me. God, even though he's pretty thin, that child is pretty strong.
"Oh, hello there man." He states as he gives his hand to Harry to shake, his other arm around my shoulder.
Harry forces a smile as he stares at his arm around me, before finally shaking his hand.
"Hi." He retorts in a dull tone.
I feel my eyes widen a little at his sudden rude behavior and I just mouth Harry, in hopes that he'll be more polite.
He ignores me completely and just walks passed us, brushing Aiden's shoulder. What has gotten in to him?
"He's quite tired. He's not really aware of his actions." I apologize to Aiden, receiving one of his very pleasant grins, because I swear that boy has and most likely never will think horribly of a person. If only everyone would think like him.
"It's fine JJ. Boyfriends are just protective like that." He says as we both walk into his home.
He closes and locks the door behind us and I can't help but feel a little down at his words.
"Um he's not my boyfriend." I reply quite awkwardly, shaking his arm off of me in the least rudest way.
"Oh...Well um I guess he's just like that then." I hear him comment from behind me.
My hands begin to hold one another and I don't know what else to say since my cheery mood has kind of vanished.
"Jane!? Jane honey is that you?!?"
My smile instantly grows as I see Aiden's mother, Angie, practically run to me.
She quickly hugs me, holding me even tighter than Aiden, and I feel my face beginning to redden from the tightness of her grip.
"Oh my how you've grown! You're a young lady now. I remember when you were just a baby and I used to assist your mother in changing your diapers. You we're quite the little stinker back then, but now-"
"Mom." I hear Aiden intervene as he walks up to his equally charismatic mother, saving me from further humiliation. I really hope Harry didn't hear that. Where did he even go?
I laugh a little.
"Yeah it has been so long. I mean but you haven't aged one bit." I exclaim, causing her to finally release me and giggle.
It's true, she hasn't aged, but it's most likely due to the much amount of plastic surgery she has gotten over the years. When I was a mere child I would always admire how blonde and long her hair was, and would always love the cheesy Christmas sweaters she would wear, but as the years passed, she changed. Her glowing almost white hair is now a dark black and instead of an over exaggerated red linty sweater that reads the words Merry Christmas along with an image of Rudolph, she's wearing a black cocktail dress that is as tight as the skin that has practically been stapled back on her face to preserve her youth.
But even with everything she has done to herself, she still smells like pure sugar with a side of mint. The way she has always and most likely will always smell.
"Why thank you dear. Now if you two will come with me to the kitchen, I made some cookies with your names written on them."
Aiden and I both nod excitedly as we begin to follow her.
"So, are you going to tell me who this special guest is?" I whisper as I continue walking beside Aiden down the hall.
Aiden has been calling me day by day, just teasing me about this special guest he invited, and I've been really curious about the whole ordeal. The last time Aiden tried surprising me, I ended up with cake in my face as well as a very traumatized clown who most likely has nightmares about having lit up birthday candles stuck up his bottom.
He's not really good at surprises, but even if everything does go bad, we'll probably just laugh about it later. And besides it's Christmas Eve, what could go wrong?
As we enter the kitchen, the smell of baked goods enters my nose and I try my best not to drool at that moment.
My questions of where Harry could possibly have gone are answered, when I spot him leaning against the black and white marble counter taking a bite of one of Angie's delightful and festive sugar cookies. He's staring Aiden and I down and all I want to do is slap him.
I hear Aiden walk to his mother who is taking things out of the fridge and I saunter myself up to him.
"Why are you acting this way?" I whisper into his ear, grabbing the sleeve of his jacket.
He takes another bite of his cookie as he stares at the fridge where Aiden and his mother are having a conversation about where his father could possibly be. According to what I'm hearing, Aiden's father couldn't come since he is currently in Japan making a business deal with some company dude.
"I don't like him." he mutters.
I pull his jacket sleeve again and he turns his attention back on me.
"You don't even know him." I defend.
Aiden is a genuinely good person and if he just knew everything we've been through, how much he has helped me, then he would truly be able to judge him correctly. But right now he's acting very ignorant and stubborn.
"I am not ignorant and stubborn." He remarks as he plainly eats the last bite of the baked good in his hand.
I seriously have to watch what I think.
I just sigh.
"Just can you please be nice? I just want you to have a good Christmas with me. Please." I whisper, hoping that he will just change his attitude.
He glances at Aiden who is now assisting his mother in carrying the macaroni salad from the fridge.
"Fine." He gives in as I release his jacket from my hands.
As I'm about to scurry myself to Aiden to see if he's alright, I scream a little when I feel Harry wrap his arm around my waist out of nowhere.
"Sit with me. Not him." he mutters in my ear as he pulls me to his side.
I feel my cheeks redden and I just nod, not having any comment for his action.
"Good."
...
We're all sitting down in the very extravagant and large dark brown wooden dining table. It is almost midnight, and I can't help but feel nervous, giddy, bust most of all, stuffed.
"That was delicious." I say as I dab my mouth with my napkin.
Harry just smiles beside me, nodding in agreement.
Even though he doesn't want to admit it, he's having a good time. Angie and Aiden aren't one of those people who only chat about a person's status and wealth in society like most others do. They are very respectable and treat everyone equally, so when they talked to Harry, they just asked him about his favorite Christmas, how London was, his interests, and simple things like that.
Him and Aiden even bonded a little over this band, since they both enjoy their music. I think I see a little bromance going on. I chuckle at my own thought.
"Thank you both. I really am delighted that you enjoyed it!" Angie says modestly.
As she is getting up from the table, we all begin to help her in cleaning everything up.
"Do you happen to know what the time is?" I question Aiden as I carry all the dirty plates to the trash bin.
He quickly places all the dirty cups in the sink before sliding his phone out of his front pocket of his dark blue jeans.
"Eleven fifty-eight." He replies.
I feel my eyes widen and I quickly run up to Harry, who is carrying the silver tray holding the remaining half of the gigantic turkey that Angie cooked.
"Harry it's almost midnight, do you mind if I call Katherine to wish her a Merry Christmas?"
He gives me a soft smile and nods.
"Of course I don't mind. My phone's in the pocket of my jacket and the password is 0723." He responds.
Oh lord. He truly has no clue of what I'm about to do.
"Thanks." I say as I reflect his features and practically run to the front of the house where he took off the very attractive denim jacket.
I quickly search through the pockets until I finally find the black squarish looking cellular device, immediately unlocking it.
As planned, the numbers on the top right of his phone turn from 11:59 to 12, and his phone begins to ring, which I immediately answer before anyone can hear.
I feel a little guilty that everyone is cleaning while I'm just here on the phone, but it's for Harry, so I don't really feel that bad.
"Harry?" His mother questions through the line.
"No, it's Jane, but I'm about to put you on with him." I state, feeling my stomach turn nervously.
I really hope he doesn't get that angry with me.
"Thank you Jane. And Happy Christmas."
"Happy Christmas." I whisper, with a small smile spreading on my face.
Harry needs his mother and sister and I just hope that he finally brings them in, instead of pushing them away again, because I care about him, and I just don't want him to lose that relationship with his family like I have.
I hurry back to the kitchen, seeing Aiden and Harry discussing with one another about other bands, Aiden washing plates, while Harry is drying them with a purple towel.
"Harry."
I say from the entrance of the kitchen.
Aiden and Harry both look at me, and I just swallow hard, glancing at the phone in my right hand before looking back up with a nervous smile.
"She wants to talk to you Harry." I hear myself whisper before biting my lip.
Calm down Jane.
Harry looks over at Aiden, receiving a nod before going up to me.
The door bell suddenly rings from the front and I hear Angie's heels hit the floor as I hear her sauntering to the front to welcome the bell ringer.
"Your surprise is here." Aiden says, with a slight grin.
I smile back before handing the phone to Harry.
"Hello?" Harry states as he places the phone in his ear.
His eyes widen and he just turns to me, looking confused.
"One moment." He comments to Aiden before looking over at me with slight disgust, and disappearing into the hallway.
"Who was that?" Aiden asks as he walks up to me.
"His surprise." I mutter, feeling a little saddened as I remember the way Harry just looked at me. I really hope he does forgive me...
Aiden's arm slings around my shoulder again and we both begin to walk to his surprise guest.
"Forgive me." Aiden says softly, causing my heart to stop.
I stop in place and I just turn my head to the side, looking up at him with my eyes narrowed.
"Aiden what did you do?"
I soon shake off Aiden's arm as I see the most revolting creature stop in front of me with Angie, a stupid smile on her pretty face.
Her smile soon fades as she notices my automatic anger and hatred towards her.
I never should've come here.
"Jane." She simply says.
How dare Aiden invite that witch, that demon, that embarrassment... my mother.

Notes