The Unexpected

I was seated in the pub, drinking my problems away, when he sat down next to me. He was gorgeous, but he had a troubled look in his eyes. I turned my eyes back to the bartender,

"May I please have another?" The man passed me another.

"Rough night?" I heard a beautiful voice speak. I looked to the boy with beautiful, unruly curls. He couldn't be older than eighteen.

"Eh, more like a rough year. You?"

"Yeah, bit of a rough couple of weeks for me."

We chatted about random things.

"So, I don't believe I caught your name."

I didn't reply to that.

"You wanna get out of here?" I asked him.

"More than anything." We walked out of the pub into the humid August air

We ended up renting a beach house in Southend, which was my hometown.

"So, here are the rules, stranger.

1. We go by first names only.

2. No one will know about this week together. Or at least no one will know my name. Got it?

3. At the end of the week we will part ways, no if ands or buts.

And that's about all I have for rules. I'm Alexandria, by the way. Alex, Lexi or Andria are fine as well. I'm not picky"

"I will follow your rules, Alex. I am Harold. I prefer Harry." He smirked, I admired his gorgeous smile complete with dimples.

"Alrighty, Harold it is." I winked at him.

At the end of the week we decided to extend it to two. What can I say? We had fun together. If you know what I mean. I knew that the time we spent together had to end, they were my rules.

"Well, Harry, I guess this is goodbye. I had a great time. See you around. Well probably not. But yeah.. I'm no good with goodbyes."

"Alex, I had a great time with you too. I hope to see you around." He smiled that dimpled smile and winked at me. He stepped towards me and grabbed me into a hug, he kissed the tip of my nose and we parted ways. I could've sworn I heard him say something before we parted, but I didn't catch what it was.

I looked back and caught him staring at me, my heart fluttered in my chest. I dismissed it and walked to my cab.

Goodbye Harry. I'll always remember you.

Little did I know how easy that would be. My reminder was named Anabelle Louise Asher turned to see her sleeping peacefully, her dimples still prominent even whilst she was unconscious. Her unruly curls, identical to his, resting gently on her pink pillow. She looked a helluva lot like Harry, but she had my brown eyes. I never expected to be the mother of a four year old at age twenty three. I never expected to be a single mother either. I never expected my fashion line to take off. I also never expected to love one little girl with as much love as humanly possible. This was all completely unexpected, everything in my life was completely unexpected.

Anabelle asked about her mysterious father quite a bit, what four year old wouldn't be confused as to why most of the other children in daycare had mums and dads. I always told her that her dad was living his dream. Yes, eventually I did find out who he really was, and yes, I did try to tell him about Ana. Once when he was in Southend I tried to find him, but there was always a big man that would ask me my business and of course I would tell him the truth, he just told me to leave and go join the rest of the over obsessed fans. Of course he wouldn't believe me. I even wrote him a few times after Ana was born, attached to the letters were pictures. I stopped after a few months, realizing he probably wasn't receiving them since I sent them through the management because I had no other way of contacting him. I stopped trying, I didn't know what else to do. Maybe one day we will meet again. I told him we probably would not, but I also wasn't expecting this.

After I showered I threw on some black skinnies and a white collared short sleeve shirt with a studded bow tie. I was going for a more punk look today, I'm a fashion designer, I'm allowed to switch it up. I went down to make some breakfast, I just made some toast with jam on it for Anabelle, if she wanted something else I would get her something else. I went upstairs to her room. She was still asleep, I moved some of her curls off her face. This girl was my everything I don't know what I would do without her. She saved my life, as did Harry. The only reason I was that reckless that night was because I was planning on ending it all. Harry helped me realize that things have to get worse before they get better. He helped me get out of my depression, I started to sink back into it, but then I found out about Anabelle. I was eighteen, I didn't know what to do. I almost had an abortion, but I couldn't go through with it.. Then I went to the doctors and I saw her heartbeat, it was the most magical thing. There were complications during her birth, it was that moment that I realized She was my everything and I would protect and love her with all my being.

"Ana, love, it's time to wake up, you have to come to the London shop with me today. If you wake up we can go shopping and maybe stay in London for a few days."

She shot out of bed like a cannon,

"I'M UP. Can we please stay in the London home for a few days?! THEN WE CAN SEE AUNTIE JESS! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!"

"Hmmm... I suppooooooooose. If you give me my good morning kiss!" She ran into my arms and planted a big kiss on my cheek. I kissed her forehead.

"Alright, let's find you something to wear, what do you wanna wear?"

She ran to her wardrobe and of course grabbed one of her MANY tutu's this one was black with silver stars on it, she grabbed a shirt that had Princess written across it.

I think it's needless to say that Ana loves fairytales. She is a princess at heart, she can be quite sassy like one at times as well. What four year old isn't?

She put her outfit on and came to me, and stuck her tiny little thumbs in the air, I gave her thumbs up back.

"Now, come on, your breakfast is getting cold and we should leave soon."

Finally we were walking out the door, I grabbed the keys to my Audi and Ana and my matching leather jackets. She had ended up grabbing a pink tiara and her stuffed owl that she has had since birth. I put her in her booster and buckled her in, I got in the driver seat and started playing one of Ana's CD's which happened to be One Direction. I sighed to myself.

I stopped to get Starbucks and some snacks for Ana before I started the hour drive to London, I hoped my sister, Jess has been keeping the flat clean. She is a bit of a messy person and the flat is mine as well, I just never stay in it. I preferred living by the beach. It depends on the store, which usually the one in London needs me the most, seeing as it is the largest.

Finally we got to London, Ana was blabbering away the whole way here. She is just the most perfect thing. We pulled up to my spot behind the store, and walked into the store.
"IS THAT MY LITTLE ANABELLE!"
"GEORGIAAAAA!" Ana ran into my best friend Georgia's arms.
"Keep an eye on her please, I have to go up to my office and sort some things out with the summer line." Georgia nodded.
I went upstairs to my office and began to make some calls.

Finally after about forty minutes, and three screaming matches I got things sorted out. I walked back down to the store area, I couldn't hear Anabelle's laughter ringing through the store. I immediately panicked.
"Georgia! Where is Ana?"
"Uh. Uhm she ran off into the men's section about ten minutes ago. I rang Max and told him to keep an eye out for her. Don't worry."
I bustled off to the men's department. This store is rather large so I was getting worried.
"Anabelle! ANA. Anabelle Louise Asher!" I was getting mad. She never runs off.
"psst." What was that?
"mummy. down here." I heard Ana whisper. I knelt down to peak in the clothing rack.
"Anabelle Louise, what are you doing down there?"
"SHHH. I'm pla-"
"I FOUND YOU!" I looked up to see attractive man with grey blue eyes and light brown hair. He looked slightly familiar but I couldn't place him.
"Awh, MUUUUM! This is your fault. I was winning." She pouted.
"Erm, who are you and why are playing with my daughter?"
"Oh, hi! I'm Louis. Pleasure to meet you. She looked bored, I was bored because my mates wandered off to get clothes or something. So I decided to play with her."
"Mum he is nice! And he says he knows a leprechaun!" I looked at him with a confused look.
"Would you like to meet him?!" Ana squealed and looked at me pleading with her puppy dog look.
"Fiiiiiiiine. For a little bit. Then we need to go get settled into the flat."
"YAY!" Louis and Ana yelled.
"Children." I mumbled. Louis glared at me and threw me over his shoulder.
"PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW. DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" He chuckled.
"Do YOU know who III am?!" He smirked at me.
"No, and I don't care. Put me down." Ana was giggling.
"Little girl I'm going to get you. No shopping for you! And here I was going to buy my little princess another crown."
"I'M SORRY MOMMY. Do you think daddy will come protect my kingdom someday?" She looked at me sadly.
My heart hurt whenever she said things like that. Louis finally put me down.
"What happen to her dad?"
"Erm, I could never get the message to him that he has a daughter."
"Why not?"
"He isn't the most easy to reach person. Too many people worried about his safety."
"oh." was all he said and then he grabbed Ana and flung her onto his shoulders as we approached two other lads.

"Lads, This is Anabelle and her mum, erm, I didn't catch your name." He looked slightly embarrassed.
"I'm Alexandria Asher."
"You mean like the designer of these clothes?"
"Precisely." I grinned at them.
"Alexandria, Anabelle, as I promised this is our leprechaun, Niall. Oh and that's Zayn."
Zayn was absolutely gorgeous. As was Niall, he wasn't really a leprechaun, he was taller than I was.
"Lou, I thought we talked about not calling me your pet leprechaun." He laughed.
Now I got it, he's Irish. I laughed.
"Well, lads, it was nice meeting you, but I'm sure Ana wants to go shopping and get some food."
"Awh you want to leave me already? I could feed you two at my flat." Louis pouted towards Anabelle.
Ana's eyes lit up. "CAN WE MOMMY PLEASE?!" Que the puppy dog look.
"Ugh, fine. Someday I will grow out of giving into that puppy dog look. I think its the dimples and curls. Those can get someone anything."
I heard Zayn say something to Niall,
"Uh oh. Keep her away from Hazza." What the hell is a Hazza?

Louis rode with Me and Ana while the other two drove ahead of us. We chatted and finally we reached a building that was oddly right across from my building.
"Hey, we live right over there." I pointed at the building.
"WE ARE NEIGHBORS." I giggled and parked the car.

Louis unlocked the door as the five of us piled in.
"HAAAAZZZAAAAAAAAA?! ... He must have gone out or something. He'll be back later." I shrugged, not really caring. Zayn, Niall, and Ana went to play the Wii. I sat on the couch. Louis went to start cooking,
"ALEX COME HELP ME. YOU'RE THE WOMAN."
"I thought that was you." I winked at him.
We began cooking spaghetti, well I cooked, Louis watched and talked to me.
"So how old are you?"
"I'm almost twenty-three."
"And Ana?"
"She just turned four on the third"
I heard the door open and Louis ran out screaming,
"IS THAT MY HAZZA?!"
"Hey Lou, smells good. You can't be the one cooking then."
"Not nice, but no, I made friends!"

I just strained the noodles and put them back in the pan and went to rinse the strainer. I looked up when Louis reentered with this Hazza character. My eyes came in contact with a pair of green ones I hadn't seen in almost five years. My breathing caught in my throat as the strainer dropped from my hands.

"H- Harry..?" it came out in barely a whisper.