Smile For Him
Chapter Six
Harry ran quickly up the grey stone path to his front door. As usual Tobias swung it open. The smell of pasta and bolognaise greeted Harry as he stumbled into the house. “Mr. Styles, you’re back surprisingly late. Is everything okay?” Tobias asked, shutting the door behind him and watching as Harry flung his now wet blazer onto a table. “I’m fine, thank you, Tobias. I just got caught up with some things at school, that’s all.” It was the first time Harry had ever had to lie about something like this. Usually Harry was the first to arrive home, as he had nowhere else to go. Harry never spent longer at school than was necessary. He ruffled his brown curls and looked up into Tobias’ grey eyes. There was doubt shining in them, an almost knowing look. Tobias was certainly smart – a lot smarter than Harry would have liked him to be. “Are you sure, Mr. Styles? I hope you understand that whatever you tell me will stay strictly between us.” Tobias’ eyebrow twitched a little, while his face tried to hide a smirk. Harry licked his lips, debating telling the truth or not. He cleared his throat and spoke, “No, Tobias. There is nothing I need to tell you. I was at school, like I said.” Harry removed his shoes, aware of the eyes still staring at him.
“Very well, Mr. Styles. Dinner shall be ready in an hour; I shall call for you when it is ready.” Tobias gave a polite nod and walked away. Once he was out of sight Harry let out a long breath, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers. “What are you doing, Harry?” he whispered to himself. He stood like this for several minutes, thinking about what would happen if his parents found out he’d been hanging around with a stranger. It had only occurred once, but from the way Louis spoke it sounded as if it was not to be the last time they saw each other. Harry had to be careful. He couldn’t risk anybody finding out, including Robin. Especially Robin. “Mr. Styles?” A soft female voice asked. Harry jumped and turned around to see the house maid, Chelsea standing behind him. “A-are you all right, Mr. Styles?” her voice was quiet, almost afraid. Her dainty blonde hair was pulled back into a bun – only one angelic curl had escaped and was hanging prettily by her cheek. “I’m fine, Chelsea. Thank you.” Harry’s lips twitched in an attempted smile which proved good enough for Chelsea. She gave a small curtsy and grabbed his damp blazer before running off to the laundry room. Harry sighed heavily. He was fed up of the maids, and the butlers, and the chefs. They treated him like royalty when he was anything but. And there was no denying that every employee in this house was petrified of his family. Harry was the only one to offer them kindness, as even his Mother tended to have a temper with the staff.
Harry hunched his shoulder and dragged his bag along the floor as he headed to his room. As he was walking across the freshly vacuumed carpet upstairs he accidently ran into their newest employee, Beth, causing her to drop the tray of dirty mugs on the floor. She was in her early twenties, with a strong Welsh accent, and was obviously petrified of every member of the household. “M-Mr. Styles. I-I’m so sorry. I didn’t hurt you, did I?” she stammered, looking as if she may cry as she hurriedly began collecting the mugs. “I’m fine, Beth. Here, let me help you.” He dropped his bag and helped her place the mugs back on the tray. Her hands were shaking and he swore he could hear her heart hammering from nerves and embarrassment. “Please, d-don’t. It’s okay. I’ve got it. Y-you don’t have to help me.” Harry placed the last mug on the tray and picked it up for her. Even her brown eyes were quivering as she looked at Harry with shame. “It’s okay. Here you go.” He held out the tray which she took with shaking hands are whispered, “Thank you.” Harry could hear the china tremble as she hurriedly moved away. Harry stared after her with something that felt a bit like sympathy before entering his room.
Instead of heading towards his window like he always did, he seated himself at his desk and opened his laptop. Harry drummed his fingertips impatiently on the wooden surface as his laptop came to life. As soon as he was able to, he clicked on his internet browser and was greeted by Google. His hands hovered over the keyboard for merely a second before they tapped away – typing up the lyrics from the song Louis had played in the car from earlier. He smiled as a YouTube link appeared, and clicked on it almost instantly. Moments later he was greeted by the same music he had heard just hours before. It wasn’t a particularly ground-breaking song. Harry wasn’t even sure of its meaning. But, that wasn’t entirely the point, because it had meaning to him. He sat perfectly still, his eyes staring into space as he just listened. It was so happy, so carefree and so loud. Harry frowned as it ended, and clicked the replay button. Halfway through his fourth listen Harry stretched to the floor and rummaged around in his bag for his iPod. He untangled the troublesome headphones and plugged it into his computer.
Half an hour later he had the entire album on his iPod. Both buds sat in his ears as he sat on his window seat, his head bobbing gently to the beat. He couldn’t help but imagine Louis singing at the top of his lungs, eyes shut and mouth wide. Laughing as he head-banged to the loud music. Or sitting cross-legged with a guitar, singing softly to someone, his fringe hiding one of his blue eyes. Harry really didn’t know what it was about Louis. But there was just something about him – something good that made Harry smile at the mere thought of him. Harry couldn’t wait to see Louis again. And it made Harry extremely impatient to know that he only had to wait until tomorrow. It was barely twenty-four hours, but to Harry, it felt like a lifetime. Even now the minutes were dragging on. Only the music and the view from his window were relaxing him. But he knew tomorrow in school it would be painfully slow. Even more so than usual. Because for once – for once in his life, Harry had something to look forward to. Harry had a reason to wake up and get out of bed. And Harry had a reason to smile. He just hoped Louis felt that same excitement too.
“Very well, Mr. Styles. Dinner shall be ready in an hour; I shall call for you when it is ready.” Tobias gave a polite nod and walked away. Once he was out of sight Harry let out a long breath, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers. “What are you doing, Harry?” he whispered to himself. He stood like this for several minutes, thinking about what would happen if his parents found out he’d been hanging around with a stranger. It had only occurred once, but from the way Louis spoke it sounded as if it was not to be the last time they saw each other. Harry had to be careful. He couldn’t risk anybody finding out, including Robin. Especially Robin. “Mr. Styles?” A soft female voice asked. Harry jumped and turned around to see the house maid, Chelsea standing behind him. “A-are you all right, Mr. Styles?” her voice was quiet, almost afraid. Her dainty blonde hair was pulled back into a bun – only one angelic curl had escaped and was hanging prettily by her cheek. “I’m fine, Chelsea. Thank you.” Harry’s lips twitched in an attempted smile which proved good enough for Chelsea. She gave a small curtsy and grabbed his damp blazer before running off to the laundry room. Harry sighed heavily. He was fed up of the maids, and the butlers, and the chefs. They treated him like royalty when he was anything but. And there was no denying that every employee in this house was petrified of his family. Harry was the only one to offer them kindness, as even his Mother tended to have a temper with the staff.
Harry hunched his shoulder and dragged his bag along the floor as he headed to his room. As he was walking across the freshly vacuumed carpet upstairs he accidently ran into their newest employee, Beth, causing her to drop the tray of dirty mugs on the floor. She was in her early twenties, with a strong Welsh accent, and was obviously petrified of every member of the household. “M-Mr. Styles. I-I’m so sorry. I didn’t hurt you, did I?” she stammered, looking as if she may cry as she hurriedly began collecting the mugs. “I’m fine, Beth. Here, let me help you.” He dropped his bag and helped her place the mugs back on the tray. Her hands were shaking and he swore he could hear her heart hammering from nerves and embarrassment. “Please, d-don’t. It’s okay. I’ve got it. Y-you don’t have to help me.” Harry placed the last mug on the tray and picked it up for her. Even her brown eyes were quivering as she looked at Harry with shame. “It’s okay. Here you go.” He held out the tray which she took with shaking hands are whispered, “Thank you.” Harry could hear the china tremble as she hurriedly moved away. Harry stared after her with something that felt a bit like sympathy before entering his room.
Instead of heading towards his window like he always did, he seated himself at his desk and opened his laptop. Harry drummed his fingertips impatiently on the wooden surface as his laptop came to life. As soon as he was able to, he clicked on his internet browser and was greeted by Google. His hands hovered over the keyboard for merely a second before they tapped away – typing up the lyrics from the song Louis had played in the car from earlier. He smiled as a YouTube link appeared, and clicked on it almost instantly. Moments later he was greeted by the same music he had heard just hours before. It wasn’t a particularly ground-breaking song. Harry wasn’t even sure of its meaning. But, that wasn’t entirely the point, because it had meaning to him. He sat perfectly still, his eyes staring into space as he just listened. It was so happy, so carefree and so loud. Harry frowned as it ended, and clicked the replay button. Halfway through his fourth listen Harry stretched to the floor and rummaged around in his bag for his iPod. He untangled the troublesome headphones and plugged it into his computer.
Half an hour later he had the entire album on his iPod. Both buds sat in his ears as he sat on his window seat, his head bobbing gently to the beat. He couldn’t help but imagine Louis singing at the top of his lungs, eyes shut and mouth wide. Laughing as he head-banged to the loud music. Or sitting cross-legged with a guitar, singing softly to someone, his fringe hiding one of his blue eyes. Harry really didn’t know what it was about Louis. But there was just something about him – something good that made Harry smile at the mere thought of him. Harry couldn’t wait to see Louis again. And it made Harry extremely impatient to know that he only had to wait until tomorrow. It was barely twenty-four hours, but to Harry, it felt like a lifetime. Even now the minutes were dragging on. Only the music and the view from his window were relaxing him. But he knew tomorrow in school it would be painfully slow. Even more so than usual. Because for once – for once in his life, Harry had something to look forward to. Harry had a reason to wake up and get out of bed. And Harry had a reason to smile. He just hoped Louis felt that same excitement too.