Always.

“Alright, is everyone dressed and ready? Oh, there’s the doorbell. That’s your father Kelly, I’ll get it.” Anne says, scurrying toward the door.

“If you can even call him that.” Harry whispers in my ear and then kisses the spot of skin right above. I looked at him and smacked his shoulder lightly.

“Stop, it’s not the time to let out all your pent up anger.” I turned to him and kissed his cheek. “Be good.”

“I’m not your child.” He rolls his eyes at me and gives me a grin.

“Yea, but mentally you can be.” I kid and hug him. He wraps his arms around me too, but I know he’s rolling his eyes at me. “I love you.”

“Not as much as I love you.”

“Harry, Kelly. Food’s ready come on. Oh, we need to take another picture with Eric.” (a/n: did I ever give her dad a name I don’t remember.)

“I get to stand by Kelly this time, Harry.” Gemma punches him in the arm as we walk towards the fireplace. “You need to stand in the back anyway. You took ugly sweater to another level this year, baby brother.”

“Gemma, be quiet.”

Every year for Thanksgiving, we always wore ugly sweater. Mines just a brown one with a turkey on it. Nothing to fancy, or not fancy if I may.

I walk and stand next to Gemma and my father. Harry was between me and Gemma, but behind us. He swung his arm around her shoulder and another around my waist sticking his head between ours with a cheeky grin as the camera snapped.

We then made our way to the table. I helped Anne uncover all of the food as the others sat down. Papa Des filled all of our glasses up with wine, I know we’re underage, but this is the only time the let us drink. It was a Holiday and we were under their roof, and we’ve done it since we were 16. Gemma started at 16 too.

We went around the table, saying what we were thankful for. Family, Friends, and Food, as well as just being able to be here this afternoon together… And probably for the last time.

The dinner started nice, Harry was sat beside me, moaning every time he put the mashed potatoes in his mouth.

“Harry, can you stop making those noise for 5 seconds please?” I whispered sternly to him.

He shot me a goofy grin with his mouth closed, full of potato, and then winked at me.

“So.” My dad began, and I internally rolled my eyes. “Kelly, says you guys are going through a rough patch. Is there anything I can do?” he asks, and I already want to smash my face into my plate, but Harry would probably get mad that I ruined the potatoes. Instead, I shoved a roll into my mouth. I looked over to see Gemma looking down at her plate and Harry had his eyes closed momentarily.

“No, there’s not. Thanks for your concern.” Des answers him.

“Des.” Anne scolds him. “Eric, we’re divorcing. . . And next week we’re moving back to England.”

“Oh, wow and Kelly you knew about this and didn’t tell me?” he asked.

“When do I see you?” I muttered, but it was still audible.

“What was that?” he tells me sternly.

“I said I never see you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean.”

“It’s supposed to mean exactly what it sounds like. I don’t want to talk about it right now, k? We’re having a meal.”

“With all due respect, sir.” Harry begins. “It isn’t really her business to tell, is it? Sure, she’s part of this family in more ways than one, but that doesn’t mean she needs to freely go around talking about family business. I don’t. It’s not a big deal, sir. So please don’t make it one.”

“Well, Harry. I am her father, she knows she can talk to me about this stuff.” He sits up in his chair.

I want to yell at him, I really want to just scream and pack all my stuff up now so I never have to see him again.

“That’s a load.” Harry laughs and eats his food. I nudge his arm and look at him, trying to tell him to shut up as he looks at me. He raised his eyebrows and took a bite of green beans.

“Excuse me?” he said.

“Harry!” Anne scolded.

He just shrugged at his family. “What? It’s true.”

“Harry, please.” I whisper.

“You have no right to talk about my relationship with my daughter.”

“I think I gained it every time Kelly came over crying because of you, or just upset. Do you even really know your daughter? Do you know she writes? She sings? She’s one of the best writers in our school and I bet you never even knew any of that? She’s also drum major, I know she’s told you that too, I just don’t know if you remember.” Harry doesn’t get too angry all the time but he’s starting to scare me. The grip around his fork tightened, as he spoke.

“Harry, calm down.” I reached for his arm but he jerked away.

“No! You think you can just come in here and act like you’ve never hurt her? Like everything is okay between you two? My mum and dad are better parental figures to her than you are!”

“Don’t talk to me like that!” my dad yelled at him.

I was scared, I looked at Anne who was sat, frightened in her chair.

“Eric, Harry. It’s time to calm down.”

“Actually, I think we’re finished here. Kelly, come on it’s probably best for both of us that they’re leaving.”

Gemma’s jaw dropped at his words, and I looked up to see Harry even angrier. “Actually Mr. Jones. I’m staying, found an apartment and everything already.” He smiles at him.

“Guys!” Des yells, but no one even flinches.

“Well, I’ll tell you right now. You’re not allowed over to our house, ever. And Kelly, you’re not allowed to see them anymore.”

“What!?” I yelled, he couldn’t tell me what to do, not now. “Listen. I think that Harry was a little out of line with his comments, but he was right. And you can’t make me leave, well I mean legally right now you can, but soon you want be able to tell me what to do. I’m 18 soon. If you wanted to play the parental role, you should have tried a long time ago. I’m sick of having this conversation, I’m not that little girl who can’t stand up for herself, and you know that. I’m gonna see Harry and all the Styles’ because they’re my family.”

“As long as you’re under my roof, you follow--”

“She moving in with me!” Harry butts in, I want to scold him but I know he’s only doing it because he cares, and he’s pissed. So I decide to stay quiet.

“What?” my dad looks lost as he looks around the table at all the eyes focused on him. “No! You can’t be serious! You’re allowing them to live together?”

“They’re both old enough to make their own decisions Eric.” Anne pipes in.

“Yea, and their track record isn’t that good. They sneak into each other’s rooms at night and think they’re sly and that I can’t hear them fucking!”

My jaw drops at his last sentence, Harry’s eyes go wide and so do Anne and Des’. This is mortifying, completely horrific.

“I think it’s time you leave, Mr. Jones. Kelly will be alright here for tonight.” Des says, standing and looking him in the eye.”

“Hell no. I’m not finished, and she can’t stay here. They aren’t even together and you let them have sex in your house! Bet you didn’t know she’s been with other guys! She’s a slut, this one.”

“Alright, that’s enough.” Gemma speaks for the first time since this whole thing started. And when she began is when the tears started running down my cheeks. “Let me tell you something! You talk bad about this family, you’re done! You have no right to speak to her that way! You should be lucky she’s your daughter, because she is going to go so far in life, and it’s a shame you don’t care enough to be there. And also, who the hell cares if they have sex. I’m sure you did when you were their age. And also, I don’t know how you didn’t know, but they are together. And they will be for a while. So if you will, please get the hell out of our house before I call the police.”

My dad looked me in the eyes and that’s all I needed to completely break inside before he turned and walked out of the house slamming the door.

“Holy Shit, Gem.”

“I know, must I do everything Baby Brother?” she smirks at Harry, but I don’t move. Usually I would laugh or something but I just can’t.

I slowly walk out of the room and back to Harry’s quietly. I lay on his bed and just cry. It’s not fair, not fair that my family doesn’t care about me, and he was so happy to see me down.

“Baby?” I heard Harry say then I felt his arms wrap around me. “Hey.” He cooed, petting my hair. “His opinion doesn’t matter. You need to do what you want, love. I know it’s hard, but I’m here for you… We’re all here for you. We are your family, which is kind of weird to say because we’re dating.” I wanted to laugh, but I just snuggled into him more. “I love you, you know.”

“Yea.” I reply weakly, “I love you.”

Notes