**HARRY’S POV**


I woke up the next morning with Stella snuggled close to me, my arms around her. She needs protection; someone to make her feel secure and safe. I tightened my grip on her and inhaled her wonderful scent. She groaned lightly and her eyes fluttered open. A look of worry flashed upon her face until she noticed me.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty. How are you feeling?” I asked her softly. She looked up to me with her big doe eyes.

“I’m doing good. A lot better. Talking really helped a lot,” she said with a small smile.

“Well that’s good. It is currently 7:30am and you need to get to skating by 8:30. I have to go to football practice at 11:00 and then, there’s a get together that the boys from the team are having, if you wanted to go,” I suggested.

“I don’t want to go to skating,” she whined. I laughed lightly.

“Yeah, I know, but you have to,” I said, sounding like her mum.

She groaned and turned over, shoving her face into the pillow. I shook her and she swatted my hand away.

“C’mon love,” I coaxed. She finally got up and lazily walked to the bathroom. I checked my phone and saw a text from my sister, Gemma.

From: Gemma
Hey:) dad said you two had a little argument a while back. He wants you to come over for dinner tonight to talk about it

I rolled my eyes.

To: Gemma
Tell him I want nothing to do with him right now

From: Gemma
C'mon Harry. He wants you guys to talk

To: Gemma
No, Mum wants us to talk

From: Gemma
Same difference... Pleeeeaaaasssseee?

To: Gemma
Fine, but Stella is coming with me.

From: Gemma
Finally! I get to meet the infamous GF

To: Gemma
You better not scare her away!

I looked up from my phone to see Stella standing in the doorway.

"You ready to go?" she asked.

"Yeah, I just need to run over to my house to get some new clothes."

I walked out of her bedroom and down the stairs as she trailed behind. I opened the front door and we made our way outside. I closed the door behind me and Stella quickly ran across the yard. As she ran, her foot slipped out from under her and she fell on the powder. I couldn't contain the laugh that escaped my mouth. I walked in front of her to see her glare. I offered her my hand which she rejected. I raised my eyebrow at her as she stood up and brushed off her butt. I shrugged and walked to my porch, opening the door.

**STELLA'S POV**

His house was spotless. There wasn't a speck of dust in sight, not a crumb on the floor, the couch pillows perfectly fluffed.

"I'm going to go get dressed," Harry said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Ok," I nodded.

I looked around his living room, gazing at the many picture frames. Many of them were of Harry and a slightly older girl, probably his sister. He had a few family pictures with his mother and father, as well. I spotted a photo with a ginger-haired man standing next to Harry. I picked it up and studied it carefully. The man looked so familiar.

"You ready?" Harry's voice startled me and my eyes darted to him. He was leaning against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets.

I placed the photo back in its place on the mantle and nodded my head. I scanned his body as I walked toward him. He was wearing a pair of dark grey sweatpants and a red Manchester United crewneck sweatshirt. His floppy curls were tamed under a matching dark grey beanie.

He smirked at me and I smirked back. He put his jacket on, and I put my hands in its pockets, pulling him closer to me. I stepped my feet onto his shoes and tippy-toed so that I could reach his face. He lowered his neck as he wrapped his hands around my back. He placed a gentle kiss on my lips and grinned at me.

"I know what you're doing."

"And what is that?" I said innocently.

"You're trying to distract me. It's not gonna happen, sweetheart."

I loudly groaned and threw my head back.

"Fine!" Harry chuckled and grasped my hand.

"C'mon, your mom will kill me if you're late," he said as he dragged me to the car.

"Hurry! You have two minutes before you're officially late!" Harry rushed me out of the car.

"I need to get my back out of the trunk!"

"From where?" he asked with a confused look.

"The trunk?" I said again as I furrowed my eyebrows.

"You Americans are seriously so odd," he said as he shook his head. "It's called the boot."

"Yeah, okay. Hurry and get my bag from the 'boot'," I said sarcastically.

He sighed and quickly grabbed my bag before taking my hand and running.

He opened the door, revealing the long hallway that leads to the rink.

Harry ran ahead of me and I took it as a challenge. I pumped my legs faster and pulled ahead of him. He smirked at me and ran directly in front of me. He just cut me off! I sprinted as fast as I could behind him and took a huge leap onto his back. He grunted in surprise, but kept running. He reached the double doors and dramatically pulled them open. I let out a slight giggle at his emphasis.

My eyes widened in surprise when I saw about thirty heads turn toward Harry and I.

"Shit," I whispered under my breath. I hopped down from Harry's back and took my bag from his hand. I nervously walked down the stairs paved through the bleachers with Harry behind me.

"Stella! Nice of you to join us!" my coach called out. My cheeks flushed pink and I looked down at my feet.

"I'm sorry. I was-"

"Nevermind that. Come on," he said, gesturing to the other team members. I rushed over to them and quickly pulled my skates on.

You idiot! This is the most important day in your skating career and you're late because you were too busy kissing your hot British boyfriend!

After I laced up my skates, I looked around for Harry. I saw him running his hand through his hand angrily as he was talking to a frustrated coach. Harry lifted up his hands in surrender and sat down on a far away bleacher. When he caught me staring, he gave me a half smile which I returned.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Finally, some peace and quiet.


"Hey!” Caroline called.

“Hi,” I said with a half smile. I’m really not in the mood for talking right now.

“I’m sorry for ruining your date with Alex the other night,” she said nervously.

“Oh, don’t worry about it. You guys are cute together,” I said.

“We aren’t together. He had to go back to the States, and you know how long-distance relationships go,” she said looking down.

“Yeah, that really sucks…” I couldn’t say anything else.

“Stella! You’re up!” Coach Edward called.

I rose from the bench and skated to the center of the rink. The music began to play and I went through the routine that I knew so well, except I didn’t go to the usual heaven – earth medium. Instead, I went back to the bridge where Sadie died.

I was running from Jack, and Finn was after Sadie. I was trying to get to her before she jumped, but Jack was holding me back. I turned around and pushed him off of me and ran to the side of the bridge. I looked down to see the ripples forming in the water.

My toepick was planted firmly in the ice as I was frozen in my final position. I was snapped out of my trance to hear the sound of applause. I looked up and saw all thirty-some business people standing and clapping. I was surprised that people actually enjoyed my routine. My coach ran to my side excitedly as I exited the rink and began unlacing my skates.

“That was amazing! The scouts loved it! You are going to have so many opportunities!” he shouted, flailing his arms. He rushed to talk to a man in a suit, shaking his hand vigorously.

I looked for Harry, but I was immediately swarmed by a bunch of people handing me business cards and shaking my hands. I tried to get to Harry, but they were holding me back.

“I’m Jane Elliot. I represent Gem Skating Company…”

“Darren Castor of World Ice…”

“I have people on the line from Ice Show Representatives…”

The room began to spin and my head began to pulse loudly.

“Harry!” I shouted.

I saw a pair of green eyes leaping toward me through the sea of people, catching me before I fell.

“Are you okay?” he shouted over the loud voices.

“Yeah, I just need to get out of here.”

Harry nodded and grabbed my hand. He pushed his way through the crowd and I followed behind. We walked up the stairs and into the lobby.

“What the hell was that?” he asked breathlessly.

“An audition,” I said with a small laugh.

“For?”

“Different companies. If they like you, they’ll offer you jobs and opportunities.”

“Oh. Okay… Well are you ready to go, then?” I remembered the rest of our plans for the day.

“Yeah, I’ll just leave my bag.”

“Alright.” He looked down and then turned away from me. Something was not right.

“What’s the matter?” I asked. I hate it when he’s upset.

“Nothing, I just am tired and want to go,” he said, a little more harshly.

“Harry, I know it has something to do with the little chat you had with my coach.”

“He said that he’s going to inform your parents that I’ve been distracting you and keeping you from skating. He said that you need to focus on skating, and I’m just getting in the way,” he said as he looked down.

“Well, he doesn’t know everything. He doesn’t know how much you’ve helped me. He doesn’t know that you saved me from potentially dying from panic attacks. Three times. He doesn’t know that you’re the best influence I’ve had in forever. He doesn’t know that you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” I lifted his chin to meet his emerald gaze. “He doesn’t know that I need you.”

He cupped his hands around my face and lowered his neck. He placed his lips on mine and the Animal Kingdom was back.

Notes

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A lil romantic HELLA moment for you

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