#harry styles and alena

[zayndrivesmeinvain]

The One That Got Away - Part 1

A.N- This is one of my first series that I wrote after a long hiatus and I am just getting back to it. I hope who ever comes along for this journey, they enjoy it. I would love to hear everyone's thoughts, ideas, opinions. Enjoy!

Summary: In which Harry and Alena were college sweethearts, however, all of that has changed and the only thing keeping in contact is the fact that they have a child together. Is it possible for them to even get to a normal standing friendship or is that long gone?

Word Count: 2.9 K

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Alena

Pain. 

Pain is something that is different to everyone but to me, it's caused by the distress and lack of control I feel as though I have in my life. I’m pained that I am not able to give my daughter the best life that she absolutely deserves. It pains me that she doesn’t have a two parent household, because growing up neither did I and I vowed everything inside of me that when the day came I had a child that I would pick the utmost perfect partner that would stick around and be madly love with me in which we would make a life for ourselves and have that happy ever after - but unfortunately those cards were not on the table for me. 

I live a pretty generic life I would say. I work a 9-5 as a social media manager and editor for a top design magazine, I have a tight knit friend group, as well as a dog and a house and a daughter. I’m not the crazy going out type of girl, or the hook-up kind of girl. I keep to myself, take care of my daughter and live life to the best of my ability. 

-

It’s an early Monday morning which means I need to get myself ready for work as well as my daughter ready for school. I am lucky enough to be able to work most of my days from home and the office is used as an as-needed basis especially since I am a single parent. I’ve never been one to take “ the easy way out” but I sure as hell will take advantage of situations that do benefit me. 

My chestnut brown hair falling down my back as soon as I get out of bed, one quick look in the mirror and I can say thank the Lord himself that I work from home today. Over the years my hair has become unruly and quite the challenge to maintain. My skin slightly goose bumped due to the slight breeze in my bedroom, thanks to my ceiling fan. My feet are cold against the hardwood floors in my home, and I almost curse myself for not having enough carpet or rug in my room - when first purchasing my home I swore that carpet would not be part of the home's aesthetic but I would be young and dumb and would refuse to go back. 

“ Good morning Sunshine” is my go-to for waking my daughter up in the morning, unfortunately my daughter is not a morning person - a trait that she picked up from her father. Her emerald green eyes stayed hidden from me as she did her absolute best to try and stay asleep as she knew that it was time to get up and ready for school. 

“ It’s time to get up, Bubs, how are you going to become an Astronaut princess if you don’t go to school?” my arms embrace my daughter as I gently pick her up and walk her into the bathroom. 

“ Mommy, my tummy hurts.” my froggy 5 year old croaked. Now that I think of it… she does feel a bit warm. I was lucky enough that she was typically an energetic child who looked forward to going to school and meeting her friends, another trait she got from her father, however, today seems to be different. I placed her down on the edge of the sink and placed my hand onto her forehead as she seemed to be burning up. I do my best to be a fair and strict parent, so I can instill a routine and boundaries but it wouldn’t be fair to send her to school like this.

“ It’s okay, Bubs. Why don’t you stay home today and rest up. Why don’t we give you a bath and you can lay down next to mommy while she works, yeah?” I make my way over to the tub and start running a bubble bath for her to enjoy. “ Stay still, mommy will text daddy so he knows not to pick you up from school later.” 

Texting my daughter's father isn’t my least favorite thing to do, but I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite by any means either. There is so much built up pain and history even when I see his name pop-up on my phone or even see a picture posted of him. Harry Styles. My childhood best friend, my first crush, my first love and my first heartbreak. How is it possible for one person to be so many of my firsts? Some would say that Harry & I ended on a mutual note but it doesn’t mean that it hurt any less. We did our best to try the long distance thing while we tried finding ourselves in college but one thing led to another and it didn’t last. After agreeing to end things, we met-up one night and one thing led to another and a few weeks later I found out that I’m pregnant. Harry is an amazing father and I couldn’t ask for anyone better for my daughter, but he was not a good partner. He often slept around, could not commit to anyone and played every girl like the fiddle. We tried once more after Aria was born but that is when he was unfaithful and would stay out late and it's almost as if his whole personality changed.I guess people do change while in college and even after. 

“ Hey H, Bub’s isn’t feeling well. I’m going to keep her home with me today so no need to pick her up from school… thanks :)” I place my phone back down onto the counter and get Aria undressed for her bath. While allowing Aria to play around a bit in the bubbles I notice my phone has none stop been going off. 2 missed calls from Harry & 4 text messages. He’s so over dramatic. My phone rings again, before I could even say hello he gets his word in: 

“ What the hell, why haven’t you answered your phone?” I could sense his annoyance over the phone. 

“ Because I am bathing our daughter and I believe her cleanliness is more important than  worrying about my phone” I could see his eyes rolling already. 

“ What’s wrong with her? What happened?” His concern for Aria is something I could admire and could almost push past all the horrible things he has done to me in the past. 

“ Harry, she’s sick. She’s around other sick kids almost everyday… it was practically bound to happen. She’ll be fine in no time… she just needs to rest for the day and drink fluids and cuddle. I promise you I won’t let anything happen to your precious angel.” The last sentiment of my statement to Harry was meant more as sarcasm but in all honesty, she really is an angel and couldn't ask for a more perfect child. 

“ Erm, yeah.. Okay. Can I stop over after work later on? I can pick up some dinner for us three and maybe watch a movie with her…” I can sense the hesitation in his voice. Harry and I had an agreement that we would be civil parents for Aria, but I would prefer to not have “family hangouts” as much as I could avoid it. As much as I wanted a two-parent household for my daughter, I refused to confuse her anymore and give her a false hope that Harry and I would ever get back together. However, there are some exceptions to this rule and tonight is one of them. One thing I hold my ground on is never holding Harry back with Aria or anytime he wants to spend with her. 

“ That would be nice, Har… thank you. Just let me know what time you think you’ll be over later on tonight, and remember.…her bed times  9:00 PM” a gentle smile plastered on my face when I look back over at my daughter while she plays with the bubbles in her bath. 

“ Of course, give her a kiss for me to hold her off until I get there” before I could even say goodbye the line drops. 

-

The day was filled with many email correspondences, phone calls as well as planning for the upcoming next few months. Being the lead editor for one of the top design magazines in the country was no easy job by any means, but my passion and dedication for the job was what makes it all worth it. I’ve been very fortunate as well to have a very understanding team behind me which were my top supporters, and they absolutely adore Aria. 

Besides all of the work I needed to attend to, cuddles and a napping child were on my top priority list as well. I mostly worked from my couch today, which I excuse to my child being needy because she wasn’t feeling well but I would be lying to say that I just didn’t want to leave her side as well. For a while, it was mostly just the two of us together navigating through the world with no idea or plan in mind. 

Before I knew it, it was close to 5:00 PM and Harry said he will be here in less than an hour. While Aria was sleeping and I was on my “lunch” break earlier I was able to sneak in some dishes, laundry and a quick shower. My unruly hair from this morning was washed and maintained and I was able to apply the lightest layer of make-up. My outfit of choice for this gathering we were about to have was a pair of basic black leggings, paired with an oversized sweatshirt. 

“Mommy, do you know when Daddy will be here?'' She adores her father, a total daddy’s girl. I wish it didn’t make me jealous but knowing that he is her favorite person pulls at my heartstrings a bit. 

“ I think he’ll be here shortly, Bubs. Why don’t we get you changed in your comfy pjs so when daddy gets here, you guys can watch a movie?”

I gave Aria a quick bath to help her fever settle down. Her fever has been on and off for most of the day; but it seems as though it was getting back to normal for the last hour. She picked out her favorite waffle knit pajamas to wear with the pink and red hearts. She swore up and down that they were her movie watching pajamas & that they were the most comfy for “lounging around”. By the time Aria and I made it back into the living room, Harry had arrived. 

I walked to the front door with Aria in my arms & by the time I opened the door she couldn’t jump into Harry’s arms quick enough. There he stood with his work attire on: a pair of dress pants and a button down shirt paired with his matching tie. The young frat boy has turned into a businessman, Harry followed in his fathers foot footsteps and is now a partner in his fathers law firm. His hair looks like it’s been freshly cut, but a few curls still peak out on the top. 

“ Hi Bubby, I’m so happy to see you.” A smile is plastered across Harry’s face, he’s always been a proud father. He always says that Aria lights up his world, and that she in fact saved him and has made him a better man. The same smile he gives Aria, is a similar smile that he used to shine at me, those pearly whites were once my weakness. 

-

Harry so kindly brought over Chinese for the 3 of us, the three of us scattered on my dining room table. Harry and Aria spike up most of the conversation, Aria tells Harry all the letters and colors that she’s learned at school so far and what she thinks her classmates worked on today without her. It amazes me watching the two of them interact together, it’s almost as if I’m seeing double: Aria is so much like Harry in so many different ways: between their smiles, the way their nose scrunches up while them are really focused in on what the other is saying, to they way they chew at the the same time or how they both furrow their brows the same exact way. 

-

After dinner, I excused myself to flip some laundry as well as clean the kitchen up from the day's mess. Harry and Aria are now sprawled out in the living room watching Lilo and Stitch, Aria is laid out in between Harry’s legs, with her back to him while his hands are laid in her lap. Every so often I catch Aria holding her fathers hand and even planting kisses on them. Aria’s love and admiration for her father makes Harry a little bit more bearable, he is someone I will always love but I fell out of love many years ago after everything he had put me through: the lies, the cheating, the girl, the uncertainty… It was all just too much. 

-

It’s a little after 8:30 PM now, Aria fell asleep watching the movie with Harry and he insisted he would take her to bed and do her nightly routine with her which consists of cuddles and reading a book, if we ever skip this step she never has a good night's rest. I hear soft snores coming from her bedroom which indicates that Harry can handle her nightly bedtime routine and he will be leaving shortly, which allows me some alone time before the end of the day. 

- 

“ She’s fast asleep now…” a soft smile has taken form on Harry’s tired face. 

“ Looks like she isn’t the only one that needs to be put to bed” I begin walking him to my front door, to kindly let him know that I would like for him to leave, however, he asks if we can have a talk. 

Harry and I walk back over to my living room as I take a seat on my sectional and he sits across from me. The expression on his face indicates that he’s nervous and is testing the waters out before he opens his mouth. 

“ I’ve been seeing someone…” is what he blurts out with. “I’ve been seeing her for a while now and I would like to know if it’s okay if I introduce her to Aria.” His words take me by surprise, one of our initial rules was that we would not introduce Aria to anyone unless we thought it was serious and up until now it had not come up. For whatever reason, his confession stings a little bit. I was under the impression that Harry wasn’t really into keeping anything serious or that’s at least what his mother gossips to me about. Anne and I always had a very close relationship, even after everything that had happened between Harry and I. 

“Uhmmm, yeah…” my heart starts pounding a little quicker than usual and I’m hoping Harry can’t hear it. 

“ Her name is Elizabeth, she works in the same building as I do at the accounting office across the hall from my law firm… she’s the receptionist there. She’s really great, and makes me really happy. I’d like for them to meet this weekend… I’m going to my parents for dinner and they’ll be meeting Elizabeth for the first time too.” 

“ Har, I’m happy to hear you’re happy. If you feel as though this is someone you would like to introduce Aria to, then go ahead… under one condition.” I can see Harry’s once anxious demeanor break and a look of curiosity takes over him. 

“Under no circumstances and I mean none, are you to have any sleep overs with this girl while Aria is there. If I find out from our daughter that you had a woman sleeping over while she is there… I promise you Harry, I will raise hell.” A slight nod is always I get out of him before he speaks again. “ Understood… thank you.” Call me traditional, however, I don’t think it’s appropriate to have girls in and out of the house while our daughter is there.. Even if they are dating but knowing Harry, he can sometimes spin the truth. 

“I’m gonna go… I have a long day tomorrow.” I nod and get up to walk Harry out of my house. As we approach the door, I gently open it for Harry to walk through. 

“ Have a goodnight, Har. Thank you again for dinner.”

As Harry walks out my door and into his car, all I see is the young guy that I grew-up with and wonder how things went so wrong for us. My heart aches for what ifs? What if we did end up being the end game, would Aria be happier? Would I be happier? Would we have regular family dinners and have family vacations and family traditions?

I wiped those ideas out of my heart as quickly as they came, because I did not get to where I am in life harping on the past. I, Alena, do not sit around and feel sorry for myself or what my life currently is versus what I once dreamed of it being.

[eds6ngel]

Hello lovely I was hoping you could do a Steve with a kid fic! Reader is Steve’s kid’s teacher and they have a parent/teacher meeting and Steve falls for her!

Love you and your writing 💋

✎ when i kissed the teacher | part one

firstly, thank you so much for the compliment darling!! secondly, you are one lucky person as i've decided to make this into a multi-part series! i've always been a massive fan of dad!___ x reader, so i've taken it upon myself to create a series out of it! i'm aiming for four or five parts, but we will see where it takes us <33

warnings: dad!steve. singledad!steve. 90s!au. fem!reader. mentions of bad mother. deep talks about life. swearing. slow burn. mutual pining. pet names. fluff. comfort. steve's daughter is the cutest. more warnings as the chapters commence! [4.9k].

“All right my loves!” you yell calmly to the children, them waving at their parents from the glass window, the group excited to head home after a tough day of school. “Come and sit on the rug for me, I have one more thing for you all before you get to go home!”

A bunch of chatter and pattering feet can be heard as the six-year-olds bounce over to the colourful, spotted rug, each plopping themselves down and crossing their legs as they look up at you with eager eyes.

You cross your arms and put your finger up to your lips, the children copying you and nudging their friends to look up at you and replicate your action. The final kid finally turned his eyes towards you and copied you, you shaking your head and smiling, “What took you so long Harry?”

He frowns slightly, “I’m sorry Miss, I wasn’t paying attention.”

If there’s one thing you could call a success in your teaching, it would be the ability for your kids to reflect on where they went wrong. It was one of the most important things they could learn as they grow.

“It’s okay honey, just remember to use those listening ears to hear your friends quieten down next time, okay?”

He nods as all of the kids sit with their hands tucked between their crossed legs, you now knowing that everyone was completely focused. “Firstly,” you smile softly, “You have all made amazing progress today, I’m very proud of each and every one of you.”

You can see each of them smile brightly, bouncing in their sitting position, especially the less-able kids, they deserved some extra love with all the hard work they put in to improve.

“Secondly,” you say, leaning over and grabbing a neat stack of papers, “Next week is your parent-teacher meetings! So, I’m each going to give you a letter and I want you to give it to your mommy or daddy, okay?”

The children nod, you smiling and standing up, giving each of them a letter. Once you put the spare sheets on the side, you say to them, “Okay, as always, stay seated and I’ll call you up if I see your mommies or daddies, okay?”

You walk over to the window, peering out to see two different parents stood next to each other: Mr. Byers and Mr. Harrington. Mr. Harrington, who from day one insisted you call by his first name Steve, waved at you, you giving a small smile back as you turn towards both dad’s daughters, “Okay, Ashley! Alena! Your daddies are here!”

The two girls stand up, toddling over to their tables to grab their backpacks, you giggling to yourself as you see how huge they look on their small figures. Ashley is the first to stand in front of you, smiling as you open the door, “Go and see daddy. See you tomorrow!” you say, the girl rushing over as Mr. Byers picks his daughter up, grabbing the sheet she was holding in her hand and heading out of the gate.

As you turn your back, Alena is standing there, grinning at her dad through the open door. Alena was a spunky character. She was super friendly, always willing to help out the other kids and almost always had her hair styled in two un-even pigtails. But, she wasn’t fussed, her hair usually a mess by the end of the day after tumbling around on the grass in the playground. The amount of times you had to bring in the poor girl when she had scraped her knees or elbows was insane, but she always put a brave face on. She was a very cute kid and you were lucky you got to teach her.

“Hello!” you say, pretending to jump at her sudden presence, making the young girl giggle, “Oh, come here my love, your backpack strap is twisted.” You lean down and un-twist the purple backpack strap, swiping the few bread crumbs off of it as you signal to her dad. “There’s your dad, honey. Have a great rest of your day!”

She bounces over to her dad, smiling as she passes him the letter, him taking a quick glance over it as he realises what it was.

He had to spend time talking with you. Just you, him and Alena. Alone.

It was no doubt that Steve knew of his little crush on you. He tried his best to push it to the back of his mind, but with seeing your gorgeous face five times a week, how could he ever forget about your beauty?

Now, he had to practically spend time alone with you. Sure, it was still under professional circumstances, but how was he supposed to concentrate? It was a meeting to talk about his daughter’s school progress, yet his mind treated it like a first date.

Steve looks up from the sheet to see your back turned attending to the other students, Alena tugging at his leg, “Daddy, come on! I wanna go home!”

“Yeah, okay, okay,” he replies, waiting for the moment for you to turn to face the window again, which you do. He can’t stop staring at you as you give him a small wave, Alena waving back at you as you giggle, the girl not knowing that you were in fact waving at her dad, who weirdly couldn’t stop looking at you. Strange.

You divert your eyes to attend to the next kid, Steve snapping out of his trance as Alena continues tugging at his jeans. “Okay pumpkin, I’m going, I’m going.”

He grabs his daughter’s hand as he heads out to the gate, him trying to compose himself at the inevitability of you two talking in private. Hopefully his daughter being there would be enough of a distraction.

Until she wasn’t…

You were setting up your classroom for the day. It was the start of a brand new week, so you knew it was going to be a little bit more tough on your end to get the kids to be quiet. They had curious minds, so they would definitely want to go into excruciating detail about their weekends to their friends.

A knock on the door can be heard as you lay out a worksheet full of math problems on the children’s desks. You turn around, smiling as you see Alena standing there with her dad, sheet of paper held between her small hands. “Good morning Mr. Harrington, and good morning to you too Alena!” you brightly say, her dad replying, “Please, just call me Steve.”

“Well,” you chuckle, “Good morning Steve and Alena. How was your guys’ weekend?” you ask, turning your back as you put out the final worksheets.

“Daddy and I went to the aquarium!” she beams.

“Ooh, that sounds like fun!” you smile widely, “Did you see lots of fish and sea creatures?”

“Uh huh!” she chirps, “I saw clownfish and seahorses and turtles and octopuses!”

“That sounds like you had a great time! But, remember, what do some plural nouns end in?” you ask her, trying to correct her on her simple mistake. Even you didn’t have the answer to why some end in ‘I’ instead of ‘Us,’ it was just another weird variation of the English language.

“Um…” she thinks, “They end in ‘I?’”

“Good job! So, it wouldn’t be octopuses, it would be…”

“Octopi!” she smiles brightly.

You put your last worksheet down as you walk over and ruffle her hair, “Well done!” You look down to the sheet of paper in her hand, “And what is this?” you ask, taking it from her delicate hands.

“Parent-teacher meeting letter,” Steve tells you, “Is it alright if I bring her along? I chose some of the earliest slots as it’s just easier for me to come straight from work to here instead of hiring a babysitter. But, if you just want parents alone, I’ll get a friend to pick her up.”

“No, it’s totally fine Mr. Har— Excuse me, Steve,” you reply, “I’m sure a lot of parents are in the same position as you. You can totally bring her along! It’s also an opportunity for her to hear how she can improve first hand, which is great. So…” you mumble, walking over to your computer and opening up Excel, “Alena… 3:45PM. Is it just you coming or is your wife coming also?”

He freezes up at the mention of his ex. His ex-girlfriend’s name wasn’t on the school system at all as he frankly has nothing to do with her. But, you’re Alena’s teacher, how were you supposed to know his life history? Steve stutters as he thinks of a reply, “I, um… I don’t have a wife…” Shit. Not the answer.

“Oh my Gosh,” you frantically say, looking up at him where he had now entered the classroom and was stood in front of your desk, “I am so sorry. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had the chance to go through the student’s personal files yet. I apologise for assuming, I really am.”

God, you were too kind. It just made you all the more attractive.

“It’s okay,” Steve sighs, “It’s not even on the record. Well, her mother isn’t mentioned on there for… reasons, so it’s fine really.”

You sympathetically smile, “I may teach children Steve, but I know when an adult is hiding a pain too. Whatever happened, I truly am sorry, and you shouldn’t have to pretend that everything is okay to make others feel comfortable.”

He knew you were right. But, you were the first person to ever say it out loud. To be completely honest with him. No beating around the bush and just accepting his passiveness, you understood how he felt about Alena’s mother, even without the backstory. You’re exactly the kind of person he needs in his life.

You turn your head, sighing with a smile, your head leaning against your intertwined hands. Alena was sat at her desk, grabbing a piece of paper and a couple of crayons from the centre and doodling away. It was a rule in your classroom that no kid was to start their early morning worksheet before the bell rang. That way, no kid felt left behind.

“She’s such a good kid,” you smile, “She’s kind and brave and always completes her work. I’ll obviously tell you more of that on Wednesday, but you’ve done an amazing job raising her, especially as a single dad. I hope you know that.”

Steve looks into your gorgeous eyes, fumbling over his words, stunned at the comments that easily flow out of your mouth. You weren’t afraid to be kind, and that was a beautiful quality. “I try my best,” he awkwardly says, not used to the compliments, “I have a hard time accepting that, but, thank you anyway.”

“Of course,” you softly reply, “You deserve to hear it.”

The two of you stay in silence, the quiet sound of Alena’s crayons scraping across her paper being the only noise in the brightly decorated classroom. Steve rubs the back of his neck and coughs, “Well, I should get going. Head to work and all…” he says, pointing his thumb behind him towards the door.

“Uh, yeah…” you awkwardly reply, “Don’t want you to be late,” you quietly laugh.

“I’ll see you later,” he finalises, referring to when he would pick up his daughter at the end of the day. You nod, Steve heading over to Alena and asking for a kiss which she gives him, before he turns around and heads towards the door, exiting the classroom.

You sit there in contemplation, how did you compliment him so easily? You didn’t do that to other parents, and you knew that a few of them were single moms. Why just him? Why did you feel different towards him?

Steve was feeling a similar way as he pushed the door open out to the main entrance. He swore he wasn’t going crazy, he felt something between the two of you. It couldn’t have just been his crush on his daughter’s school teacher convincing him that. He’s dated women in the past and even they haven’t complimented him to that extent. Even the women he tried to date as Alena was growing up hadn’t dared say anything complimentary about his parenting skills. You were different. You showed him the kind of praise he always wanted.

He was falling in love with his daughter’s teacher.

Your day had gone pretty well. As predicted, the students were extra chatty because of their busy weekends, but you didn’t mind. All of them getting along with minimum bullying in your class is what made you most proud. If they were kind to each other, a little extra talking was good for the mind. They were developing, which means their brains were super busy. It was a sign of healthiness.

All of the parents had shown up on time to collect their kids, which was the biggest accomplishment for you. Usually, at least one parent was running late, so you had to take on the task of guiding them to the front desk to wait for their mom or dad. But, today you were free, meaning you got to go home a little earlier, or so you thought.

As you led the last kid out to their parent, you shut the door, beginning to tidy up the classroom before you drive home. However, a faint knock can be heard against the glass, you turning to see Steve and Alena patiently waiting outside, his larger hand holding her smaller one.

You open the door, you smiling and saying, “Hi guys!” Steve speaking up, “Hi, um… I know you’ve probably filled up a lot of your slots by now, but is it okay if I could change the time for our parent-teacher meeting? Work asked me to stay an extra two hours.”

“Of course!” you reply, walking over to your desk, “I’ve shut down the computer for now, but I’ll make a note in my planner, okay? I keep everything stored twice in case this thing decides to play up.”

“Sounds great.”

You flip through the pages, finding Wednesday’s date and opening the cap to your pen, “Okay. How late are we talking?”

“You have anything after 6PM?” Steve asks, “I can do slightly earlier if it’s a problem for you, but I don’t want to accidentally run late and mess everything up.”

“Not to worry,” you reply, “I’m pretty sure I have after six,” you look down through the list, finding some empty slots after 6PM, “Yes, I do. I have 6:15 and 6:25. Any preference?”

“6:15 would be great, thank you,” he says with a sigh, thankful that his change of work schedule hasn’t messed up yours. You cross out Steve’s 3:45 appointment and re-write him in for 6:15, making sure to update that in the school system tomorrow.

“Also,” he starts, “Is it alright if I get my friend Robin to pick up Alena on Wednesday?”

“Um…” you think, “If you could give me a description of them, that would be helpful. You know, keeping the kids safe and all. Don’t want to give your daughter to any stranger who claims they are your friend, you know?”

“No, I totally get it,” he replies, “She has a dirty blonde coloured hair that, I guess is shoulder length? She has a fringe too, slight wave to her hair. A little shorter than me, so I guess like 5’9-ish. Blue eyes, freckles on her face, she had black painted nails the last time I saw her which was like three days ago. Is that good enough?”

“Yes, let me just write it down so I don’t forget. I’ll confirm with Alena on the day anyway, she’ll probably be excited to see her,” you say, making a note underneath your column of parent-teacher meeting times.

“Oh yeah,” Steve chuckles, “She calls her Auntie Robin, so if she yells that, you have the right person.”

“Great,” you smile, mumbling out, “Okay… Alena picked up by ‘Auntie’ Robin — short, dark blonde hair with fringe, blue eyes, freckles, black nails. Okay, all written down.”

“Thank you,” Steve breathes out, “I’m still on for dropping her off tomorrow and Wednesday, it’s just picking her up Wednesday afternoon that’s the change. Hope it’s not too much of a fuss.”

You wave your hand, “You’re fine, trust me. It’s only one day, you pick her up every single other day on time. Plus, you told me in advance, which many parents have failed to do in the past,” you softly laugh, reminding yourself of the endless days of random people claiming they’ve come to pick up a certain child, you having to go through the endless hassle of contacting the parent to confirm the stranger is who they claim they are.

“Yeah, well, I thought it was best you should know. Hawkins is a scary place, I’m sure you’re well aware,” he awkwardly smiles, trying not to focus of the events that happened just under ten years ago.

“Yeah, not got the best reputation around here,” you laugh, brushing your hair behind your ear. “Well, I guess I will see you in the morning.”

Steve smiles, lifting Alena up onto his hip, “You will. And again, thank you for letting me change the time.”

“No problem at all,” you smile, “Bye Steve. Bye Alena!” you shout, her giving you a big smile and a wave from over Steve’s shoulder. God, she was a cute kid. And her father… Well, he wasn’t bad-looking either.

The parent-teacher meetings had been going well so far. You had conversations with parents that were brave, their kids little mini-me’s of them, to kids you just wanted to save from the inevitable attitude they would someday inherit from their parents. As a teacher, it sometimes felt that you were becoming the mother that the children wish they had.

No parent had actually booked after 6:15, so Steve was your final parent to speak with, and you couldn’t wait to gush about how beautiful of a girl Alena was.

As you bid farewell to Mr. and Mrs. Cromwell, you sigh in your seat, leaning far back and placing your hands on your face. A voice interrupts you, “Not the nicest, huh?”

You move your hands away, leaning forward once again and softly laughing, “Yeah, bit of a silver spoon shoved up there.”

Steve enters the classroom and takes a seat in front of your desk, “I hate parents like that. I heard them from outside saying that you were lying about Rhys. Like, come on man, just accept that your child has flaws. You didn’t even say anything bad!” he exclaims, arms flailing up in the air.

“Right?” you smile widely, “All I said is he needs to improve on his spelling and suddenly I’m the worst person in the world. I never even said it was a bad thing, they came to that conclusion. I don’t expect every child to be perfect at everything, I wouldn’t even say that about Alena, it’s normal for children to have a few tough spots in their education.”

Steve softly smiles, “Well, you’re lucky I won’t complain even if Alena was bad at everything.”

You laugh, “I certainly won’t be doing that. Speaking of, shall we start?”

“Of course.”

“Okay,” you say, flipping through your grade sheets and coming across Alena’s name, “Firstly, grades. I don’t really do a typical grade system, your A-F kind of thing, I actually do it in stars. A bit weird, I know, but it actually helps the kids understand their current learning levels, so I just adopt it as well,” you smile.

Steve grinned at your explanation, actually preferring your way of grading. So what if it was weird? It was different, and he liked that.

“Her spelling is spectacular, 10/10 on her spelling bee last week, 9/10 the week before. Pretty consistent in the top levels there. That would land her in adult talk around an A, so that’s five stars in child’s talk,” you say, turning the page over to the reading section, “Are you aware of our reading levels?”

He furrows his eyebrows, “I can’t remember what the highest level is again.”

“Not to worry,” you reply, looking him in the eye, “So we do levels 1-6. One obviously being the lowest, six being the highest. Six is very rare in this class, just for warning. I think I only have two students on level six, so don’t panic that Alena’s not there yet. She’s on level four, which is just above average, a B grade if you will. Plenty of room for improvement, so I’m not overwhelmingly worried.”

Steve laughs, “Definitely a change from me. I can’t spell for shit,” he freezes, “Sorry, I shouldn’t curse, should I?”

You chuckle, “We’re technically out of school hours, curse all you want honey.”

Honey. That was new.

“Now,” you say, flipping over to the next page, “She is struggling a little with math. I’ve noticed that she gets her numbers confused around a little. When counting on her fingers, sometimes she skips a number or goes ‘3, 2, 3.’ And that has sadly affected her in other subjects. We sometimes do timelines in history, and her switching up of numbers means she’ll put a date from the 1500’s in front of the 1600’s. So, she’s currently on two stars, which is sadly a D in normal grades. But, it is only simple mistakes. If she doesn’t get those numbers mixed up, she’ll naturally bump herself up to a B, possibly even an A. I was wondering if you could help me out with this next part.”

“Of course,” Steve replies, “Anything to help my pumpkin.”

You smiled to yourself. What a cute nickname.

You pass him over a couple sheets of paper, “Since I have fifteen kids to teach, sometimes it’s a little hard to notice the mistakes Alena is making before I mark her work, and the markings do equate to the grades. So, I have some math problems here, and I was wondering if you could maybe help her at home? Try and get her out of the habit of skipping numbers or mixing them up. That way, if you know they’re right, you can bring them in, I’ll mark them, and they’ll bump up her grade. Also, the affect of you getting her out of the habit will probably help her in class too.”

He takes the sheets off of you, “Totally, I’m on it. She’s still doing better than I ever did at school, so that’s always a bonus,” he slightly chuckles.

You smile, shaking your head, “To be honest, as humans, we’re not supposed to be good at everything. I shouldn’t really tell you my thoughts on this, but the education system is designed for competition. The idea is that kids are supposed to be good at everything, which is utter bullshit to me. Alena is probably just not gifted at math, and that’s okay.” You sigh, “But, because of the system design, if she wants to graduate first grade, she’ll need to get at least a C in math.”

Steve smirks, “Ain’t that the truth. But, I understand. Math homework will be on the agenda for this weekend,” he smiles.

You close your book, “That’s the main grades done. Writing is also very on point, she can trace the letters almost perfectly. It’s just removing that guide now and seeing how she does without it,” you smile.

“Great,” Steve agrees.

“Now, I’ve done this with every parent tonight, so I’m just going to talk about how Alena is as a growing human, because no amount of grades will ever outweigh personality, and it definitely won’t for Alena. She’s is such a sweet girl. She’s always willing to help others, easily makes friends due to her kind persona and has really respectable manners,” you explain, “I mean, you saw what she was like on Monday morning. Instantly came in, followed my rules about not starting any tasks until the bell rings, and just sat there drawing. She’s amazing at being honest and respectful, but also has just enough spunkiness to set her apart in a crowd. What I’m saying is, you’ve done an amazing job raising her Steve, and I’m sure she gets her beautiful personality from you.”

Steve can’t help but let a small blush rise to his cheeks at your compliments. Again, it was just something about you. You take notice, but don’t point it out, smiling widely at his reaction.

Steve sighs happily, “Well, I’m glad she’s like that. I wasn’t the most… nicest person at school. I let the popularity get to my head, all that shit. Treated everyone lower than me like they were a second-class citizen. Even did that to Jonathan, Mr. Byers, for a while. His wife is actually my ex,” he chuckles, “She pretty much got me out of that shitty popularity ordeal. So, I think I just want my daughter to be the opposite of me. Be the me I could’ve been when I was younger, you know?”

You nod, “I get that. I’ve learnt that parenting can either be one of two things: you don’t want your kids to end up like you, or you want them to be exactly like you. Based on how you described yourself, I’m glad you chose the first option. Although,” you shrug your shoulders, “I would give yourself some credit. It seems like you’ve done the inner healing and reflection to give your daughter a chance to become a kind human being. A shit person can’t create a nice one.”

“Yeah,” he thinks, “Maybe you’re right. I do still say mean stuff every now and again. Judge people before knowing them, all that kind of shit. I’m not proud of it, but it’s just engrained into me by now.”

You look into his eyes, “I think that’s more a generational thing. I mean, I try my best to see why people act the way they do, but even I judge people. What I said for Alena also applies for you too, Steve. Humans aren’t meant to be this definition of perfect. We’re always gonna have a flaw. You can try and work on it as much as you want, but there’s only so far you can go. Sometimes, it’s just easier to accept that’s who you are and it’s actually doing you more harm than good the more you critique yourself for it.”

You were so goddamn smart. You couldn’t have been more than twenty five years old, and yet, you had a better understanding of life than he ever did. Maybe it was seeing life through a kid’s lens, but he feels that can’t be all to the intellect. Life experiences make you understand the world. It sure helped him understand it. He was intrigued. He wanted to understand your mind, get to know you better than just his daughter’s teacher. You were such a beautiful soul and had such a fascinating mind.

Steve has no words as he stares at you in awe, unaware that he hadn’t even said anything as you clear your throat, “Um… anyway…” you begin, grounding Steve back to reality, “Do you have any questions for me?”

His mind did go to asking you out on a date. But, you were his daughter’s teacher, was that even allowed? Was that breaching any rules or codes?

And little did he know you were asking yourself the same questions. Your brain was itching to research into the questions. Why did he have to be one of your student’s dads?

“Uh, no, no I don’t,” he stutters out, taking this as a queue for him to leave as he raises from his chair. You hold out your hand, him taking it as you shake it, each basking in the warmness of the other’s palm.

“Well, thank you Steve for being here. I usually do another one of these around March time, so I hope to see you here for one of these again then!” you smile.

“Of course,” he replies, “But, really I should be thanking you. Supporting me and all when I basically rambled about my life.”

“Just because it’s a parent-teacher meeting doesn’t mean I have to lose all my kindness to be professional,” you sympathetically say.

Steve hums in agreement, you weren’t completely wrong. He’d take you any day to compliment and uplift him. If only he could somehow have that…

“Yeah… Well, see you tomorrow morning,” he smiles, turning his back and heading out the classroom door.

You stand up and start to pack away your folders and planners into your bag, thinking about Steve. You could tell that he wanted to change, wanted to shape his daughter into the man he never was. Give her the opportunity he only wished he had. But, there was something about him. Sure, he had a gorgeous mop of hair and the prettiest hazel eyes, but there was something inside too. A sense of kindness, warmth, comfort. Something you’d never felt so intensely with a man before.

Shit. You were falling for your student’s father.

thank you for reading!! i can't wait to write for the rest of it! i'll try and get a chapter out every few days amongst other smaller fics, so please be patient <;33

→ next chapter.

[livsunit1fashionillustration]

𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐂𝐄 - 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 - 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐍

For my final pieces I had merge two illustrator’s styles to illustrate a catwalk look that I chose from a collection from London Fashion Week.

For this piece I chose to merge the style of Jamie Lee Reardin and Alena Zakhvatkina. I also chose a look from Harris Reed’s Spring-Summer collection.

To illustrate this piece I used the style of how Jamie Lee Reardin illustrates a head and the features on the face. For the body I used the style of how Alena Zakhvatkina illustrates a body. I chose to merge these two illustrative styles as I wanted to experiment with two styles that has completely different proportioning techniques. Where Jamie has a more oversized proportioning technique, Alena has a more slim and slender proportioning technique.

I liked using these styles for this type of runway look as the oversized head proportions balanced out the way the dress is structured on a more slender body.

[marvelous-harry]

dad!harry doing a interview on facetime when his kid crashes the interview🥺🥺

Raisins Words: 685 Summary: Harry's doing a live interview when his 3 year old son needs a snack right now. A/N: Thinking of Dad!Harry makes me emotional. This was a true joy to write. Sorry it's so short!

“We are joined by Harry Styles on facetime! Harry! Welcome to Capital Breakfast!” Roman said excitedly as he looked into the camera.

“Hello! Good morning,” Harry smiled into his phone and did a little wave before adjusting his earphones.

“A huge congratulations on your new song, Blackcurrant Wine, becoming nr.1 on the charts and I have to say, the music video for it is amazing,” Roman said as he and the other two interviewers clapped.

“Thank you, it’s been an amazing week with the song coming out and the music video. We had so much fun shooting it. It was made at this beautiful vineyard, so much fun,” Harry nodded as he looked down. “And we got to drink a lot of wine, so that was a bonus,” he added with a little cough.

“I can imagine! And how was it working with your wife, Alena, on the music video?” Roman asked.

Harry coughed and chuckled. “Erm, it was fun. A first. No, it was really nice to share that experience with her, we ended up printing one of the stills from the video and put it up in the house. It was a lovely two days shooting. And Alena said that she wouldn’t not do it again so I wasn’t too bad to work with,” Harry replied.

Roman laughed loudly. “Wouldn’t not to it again. What a compliment and ringing endorsement,”

“Right? I was tempted to ask what I could’ve done to make it better but I have a long enough ‘honey do’ list as it is,” Harry cheekily replied before looking off camera and smiling.

“I’m doing an interview buddy, did you need something?” Harry asked watching as his son walked into the office.

“Daddy, I need a snack,” Chris whined, climbing up into his dad’s lap.

“Sorry, it seems we have a snack emergency,” Harry said at Roman as he made sure to angle his phone at himself and not show Chris.

“No worries at all, we all have those sometimes,” Roman replied, grinning at the camera.

“Did you ask your mummy for help?” Harry asked Chris as he looked at him. “No, she’s helping Alex burp. Who are you talking to? Come help me, please,” Chris rambled on.

Harry groaned quietly as Chris mentioned Alex. “I’m talking to Roman. Can you say hi?” “Hi, Roman!” Chris said excitedly and bounced on Harry’s lap.

“Hi, Chris!” Roman said just as excited back, waving even though Chris couldn’t see him.

“Can I have raisins now, daddy?” Chris stroking Harry’s slight stubble.

“Christopher! I told you not to bother daddy while he’s working! I’m so sorry, Harry,” Alena whispered loudly as she came jogging into the room, little Alex held tightly in her arms.

“But I was hungry, mummy!” Chris whined as he slid off Harry’s lap and ran over to Alena.

“It’s alright, I’ll come down when I’m done,” Harry smiled gently as Alena just looked apologetically over at him again before closing the door.

“So, uh, yeah. Sorry, it’s chaos around here sometimes,” Harry apologized as he moved his phone back so he could be seen more clearly again.

“Nothing to be sorry for, he seems like a very sweet kid,” Roman smiled as he looked down at his notes.

“Thank you, I think he is too,” Harry said proudly.

“I do also think he mentioned something about mummy burping Alex?” Roman asked and looked into the camera curiously.

Harry coughed again before doing a little laugh. “Erm, I was wondering if you’d pick up on that. Yes, he did say that” he replied looking sheepishly at his phone.

“So, who’s Alex?” Roman asked after a little pause.

Harry looked around the room as he smiled. “Alex is Alexandra. She’s uh three weeks old and the newest member of the family,” Harry said slowly, his smile growing for each word. He just kept grinning as he looked at his phone as Roman and the others clapped and cheered. It wasn’t exactly how he and Alena had planned on sharing the news but so far nothing had gone as planned this morning.

[thedevilliers]

hihi!!! can u do a whole style analysis on amelia from childhood to adult? like those videos on youtube 🥺🥺🥺

is this an opportunity for me to fully lore dump on AMELIA ?!?!? ill take it 😤 time for my experience watching like 3 parts 4 hour analyses of tv shows to come thru 😎

amelia (full name Amelia Alexandra Diane de Villiers Hampton) was born october 23rd at 11:29 p.m. harry, her twin brother, was born at 11:32 pm. she became 2nd in line for the gardanian throne, behind her 4 year old brother, edward.

something that i think changed amelias childhood was that the same day her and harry were born, the then king louis also died. literally within the HOUR. so her dad, david, went from cp to king and he also became the father of three 😭 blair was also now queen. davids mom, queen alena, passed away a few days later, most assumed it was bc of a broken heart : (

a lil more on king louis, he had very blatant favoritism. u can find this on my plumtree of him, but he wanted david to do EVERYTHING !!!! davids siblings, while senior royals, were never allowed to go anywhere if david could go himself. his schedule? FULL ! and now david had even more responsibilities and spent less time at home since he was king, had a coronation to plan, etc!!! he did his best to spend time with all 3 kids : ( more on how amelia felt later !

she was a very grumpy toddler 😭 she cried often, threw tantrums 😭 she also only let blair, her mom, pick her outfits. if not, she’d chose what she’d wear herself ! queen of mismatched colors and two different sock lengths! harry was considered the ‘calm’ one, but blair always needed help with them when in public hfjwkfkr they were a SCENE !!! she had a very good childhood if i do say so myself. david ALWAYS made an effort to spend time with her (and harry). reading to her, playing, etc.

now child amelia and teenage amelia were very similar in how confident she was; she used her title as a ‘shield’ but also a magnet. she got to befriend anyone she wanted, say anything, do anything . . . she was also motivated to ‘be better’ than harry, so she always wanted better grades, more attention, more friends, etc. amelia wasnt aware of how privileged she was until she was around sixteen years old and thats bc blair, who supported her thru so many things and defended her to david, had ENOUGH !

she did have her little rebellious era, which was when she met stefan, but he had nothing to do with how she behaved. i wouldnt say amelia had daddy issues, but she did want davids attention. she fully had blairs, but she also wanted her dad's. and well, by rebelling she DID manage to get it in a way. she did push his buttons a little too hard and got sent away to boarding school. he couldve easily sent her to a boarding school abroad, but he sent her to one 45 minutes away from the capital.

this caused some conflict between blair/david, because of course blair didnt agree with sending amelia away and for her it was obvious that what amelia wanted was her dad to pay attention to her. while amelia was the most 'vocal' one, both harry and edward would also admit that they barely spent time with david; there were days where they literally saw him for five minutes !!! they never complained about it though. they 'understood' his responsibilities and sadly they were used to him not being home often. david did learn how to manage both his work and family later on, but the kids were already eighteen by then.........................................

lets get into amelia and her relationships !!! amelia/stefan: amelia just dated him because she thought he was cute AND he was popular, like her ! amelia did like him a lil, but never to the point of say, crying n being sad when she broke up with him. as she said, as ‘revenge’, she dated his best friend for like three months 😭😭 that didnt last !!!!!!!!!!! before, oliver, she also dated a guy whos name i forgot. he was actually, at first, meant to be her endgame. but oliver had the active trait n kept workin out n he kinda convinced me to make HIM her endgame 🙄🙄🙄🙄.

now !!! oliver. they’ve known each other for years. they met via harry, amelia just always saw him as ‘harrys best friend’, while oliver thought she was always really cute. amelia was very comfortable with him and thought he was also a good friend to her. when amelia started seeing oliver as more than just a ‘friend’, aka when she was ‘BORED’ and wanted some ‘fun’, she was like DANG.......... oliver 😏 it was very sudden but she realized he was very handsome and also nice. throughout those first two months of them just ‘messing around’ behind harrys back, amelia was fighting back any feelings she had towards oliver. she DID have a crush on him and liked him, but she really didnt want to date anyone at the moment.

when they finally confessed to each other at olivers bday party, it really was just going up for them. amelia was truly happy with oliver. and viceversa. when edward abdicated, oliver and blair were really the two people in amelias support system. she lashed out a LOT to everyone. she always thought she was going to be second in line, never carry the burden of the crown but still have the benefits of it. as i showed in the story, she held the grudge against edward (and only him) for years. she hasn’t forgiven him, but she has moved on and accepted her role as queen (and then crown princess). she doesnt like to imagine what could’ve been if an abdication wouldn’t have happened and how much her life would be different.

when the abdication was recent, she understood why edward did it but that didn’t mean she was okay with her new situation. she was angry at edward AND david; for her, david could’ve done more to get gabriel accepted by the senate. gabriel and edwards relationship was really a shock to them, simply because edward had never announced anything. they didnt know anything about gabriel, other than he was 1. dating edward 2. in the same university.

ANYWAYS !!! moving on, amelia maintained her personality well into adulthood, bitchy, narcissistic at times BUT she was now happy. she got married to oliver, had her beautiful lil baby EMI !!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 < 3 and then three more kids. amelia always knew she was never going to be like david. she had something david didnt have and thats that david was king. she was crown princess. times were not the same, there were a lot more people to help with engagements and she could stay with emi (and the other kids) as much as she wanted.

for her, being hands on was a must. she wanted to spend as much time as she could with her kids because thats something she didnt get to have. she wanted to be there for all their firsts, change their diapers, feed them, all their dance recitals, hobbies, presentations, horse competitions, etc !!! she was very lax with alexander, theodore and theresa and a little more strict with emi. she wanted emi to be prepared from the beginning, unlike her who had to learn how to be a proper CP and then queen when she was already twenty-three.

id say current amelia continues to be this way. a little more... calculated. she cares a lot about her family’s reputation as a whole and them as individuals. she does take it personally when say, alexander’s acceptance rate goes down. for her, that means she did something wrong. she’s alexander’s mother and has always overseen all his studies and tutoring, has taught him things herself, reprimanded him, corrected him, etc. while it’s not her fault, good luck explaining to her that she’s not responsible for everything other people do. she’s not looking to have the perfect family and reputation, but more one that’s accepted by the gardanian public and liked. which they ARE !!!! people love amelia, they love oliver, emilia, etc. but for amelia, there’s always space for people to like them better.

about the first ever major marking event on amelias life, aka blairs death, there is no day where amelia doesnt think about her mom!!!! she loved her mom a lot; blair was the only person amelia felt really understood her. she could depend on her. by losing her, a lil part of amelia also disappeared; she became a lot more distant with oliver. she just wanted to be by herself. i never showed amelia crying and mourning blair in my story, bc i felt like i was invading my made up oc sim’s PRIVACY /!?!??!?!? she hid it from everyone, the only person who ever noticed was oliver. he never brought it up cos he knew amelia didnt want to talk about it : ( amelia always keeps a necklace blair gave her in her bedside table. she’s never worn it, but stares at it often.

if u did read everything i said, here’s a lil free spoiler: she relaxes later in life. thank you therapy !!!!!!!! as of my story right now, amelia is not going to therapy, just couple’s therapy with oliver (which they attended for five months). she loves her grandchildren and again, spends as much time as she can with them. she lets emi, her sil 😏, and her other children’s partners represent her more so she spends time with oliver and her grandkiddies : )

she gets to meet her great-grandkids too <3 n shes always her direct comment self ! u will not take that away  from her !

[lackwhen]

DAMEZ CUT.mp4 from LAQUANN DAWSON on Vimeo.

DAMEZ for MOBIFEST 2021

Produced by Mobilizing Our Brothers Initiative (MOBI)

Director Of Photography, Editor And Colorist LaQuann Dawson

Producers Damez GSOY bckgrnd Grillabeats

Lighting Damez Theryn “TK” Knight

Sound FX Damez

Styling Damez

Choreographers / Dancers Po Jefferson Jessie Martin Damez

Other Dancers Tinia Holmes Aeriel Harris Jasmyn Mercer Alena Wells

Show Production Alfred Ellis, Stage Audio Productions

Production Assistants Sonja Trotter Douglas Ruffin Matthew Campbell Julian J. Walker

Publicist Kri Peck, CR8 Agency

Company Southland Entertainment, LLC

Camera Operators LaQuann Dawson, Dashawn Usher, Julian J. Walker

Led Screen Visuals DAMEZ, LaQuann Dawson, Grandcois Records

Mobilizing Our Brothers Initiative (MOBI) Team

Founder and Executive Director DaShawn Usher Director of Operations and Events Anthony Curry, Celebrity Ambassador and Director of Talent Julian J. Walker Visual Director LaQuann Dawson Director of Communications Kenneth Courtney Director of Community Engagement Dwyane Williams, Jr

[thefashionistacook]

Printer Dress by lady-redrise featuring red leather boots ❤ liked on Polyvore

Erdem edwardian gown / Prada multi color dress, $2,995 / Alena Akhmadullina fur coat / Harris Wharf London brown long coat, $735 / Alexander McQueen red leather boots / Fendi burgundy ankle boots / Bertoni leather man bag, $625 / Lulu Guinness clasp handbag / Tom Ford strap purse, $1,975 / Alexander McQueen crucifix jewelry / Earring jewelry / Eclectica pin jewelry, $125 / Oscar de la Renta brown earrings / Madina Visconti di Modrone bronze jewelry / Surratt palette eyeshadow / Christian Louboutin moisturizing lipstick, $93 / Estée Lauder edp perfume / Serge Lutens edp perfume / House of Sillage blossom perfume

[harryissuchalittleshit]

I'd love some head canons about Harry and Ginny with their grandkids.

In order of oldest to youngest:

Collin & Jason:

The oldest pair!

They like to fly, so Harry and Ginny take them out when they’re younger

Collin and Jason are never without the other if they can help it

Collin likes the summers they spend with Harry and Ginny best, he loves being part of the Potter collective

Jason “runs away” to Harry and Ginny’s more than anywhere else, but especially after his parents divorce

I just see a lot of long summer nights with the pair of them trying to be quiet while giggling and joking and keeping Harry and Ginny awake

(And Harry and Ginny just happy to have them both in their life)

Alyssa, Cassandra, and Josey:

Aly and Cassi love to explore the back garden and spend time with Harry and Ginny

Josey just feels nervous the first time she’s invited to stay the night

Aly and Cassi are the ones to get Josey to open up a bit, she’s a lot like Al and their used to asking him invasive questions

Aly and Cassi hang off of Ginny, but Josey is content with watching, content being on the sidelines with Harry

The very first time it’s just her over at Harry and Ginny’s, she doesn’t know if she’s enough for them

She’s not close to her other grandparents, but Harry makes sure to make her feel welcomed

When all three of them graduate, they spend at least a month at Harry and Ginny’s

Cassi leaves first to move in with her boyfriend, Aly next to be closer to St. Mungo’s, and finally Josey when she finally feels like it’s the right time to go

It makes Harry and Ginny miss having a full home

Cecilia:

It’s not summer without her grandparents

Ginny teaches her to fly, but she has more fun going out with Harry

They alway take her places, they know she has a great sense of adventure and they like to support it

She’s a lot like Al, just a little less than Al when he was a teenager

Micheal Harry:

If he’s not at home or school, he’s at Harry and Ginny’s

Lots of homework, lots of time spent at the kitchen table

He has a lot of fun with them, but they also almost feel like a second set of parents

Kerrie & Hallie:

They’re both quite young when their parents get divorced, so they fall into being friends quickly

Kerrie loves Harry and Ginny, but she notices how hard it is for Hallie to be relaxed around Harry and Ginny

She makes Harry tell them the “good” stories

It turns out fighting a troll at eleven and breaking out of Gringotts on a real dragon are very entertaining for two six year olds

Hallie quickly figures out how to bring out Harry’s more silly side and they really get along because of it, she’s also a seeker like him and they have a lot of fun flying together

Kerrie brings out the girly side of Ginny and it’s Ginny who helps teach the girls how to apply makeup and helps them figure out their sense of style

Hallie refuses to accept a time in her life without Harry and Ginny as her grandparents

Stephan:

Just like Michael, if he isn’t at home or school, he’s at Harry and Ginny’s

He pulls away a bit when he gets older, but quickly surges back when he starts dating Ami

He was more nervous telling them about Ami than his parents

He always feels at peace in their home, mostly because Harry and Ginny never pressure him to do anything, they just ask

Michael Anthony & Henry:

They’re used to being passed around

But summers are made for Godric’s Hallow

Hours spent playing Quidditch and running through the fields and late night stories shared over cups of tea

Like their older brothers, there’s lots of late night giggling and friendship made in a shared bedroom

Being away from their parents just works for them and brings them closer

They remind Ginny a bit of herself and Ron when they were kids

In the best and most perfect way!

Hazel:

They just spoil her

When she’s older and Katie comes back into her life, Harry is the one to tell her that it’s up to her to decide

And Ginny reminds her that she’s allowed to say no at any moment

Their opinion means sooo much to her and she takes all of their advice very seriously

Katie brings up such a difficult time in her life that she can barely remember, but she’ll always know Harry and Ginny

Lilliana & Alena:

The sweet baby Hufflepuffs!! They were born 28 days apart!

Because it’s been so long since James and Marci or Lily and Ryan had a newborn, they take turns stepping in and helping out

The pair of them are cuddle buddies and they being out such a soft side in Harry

Ginny just adores them and they make her laugh so much when they get older

They always write joint letters to Harry and Ginny when they’re in school and they over share

They go to Harry for dating advice, because boys are weird and confusing

But then immediately realize they went to the wrong person and ask Ginny

Erinn:

She’s so smart

She loves to visit Ginny at the Prophet offices when Marci brings her in

She reads every article Ginny writes when she’s older and learns so much from her

Ginny is the first person she tells when she gets on the school paper and later with Witch Weekly

She just feels close to Ginny when she writes and that never changes

Camren:

He loves Quidditch

He spends a lot of time going to games with Ginny because he’ll just sit and watch with her

He’s always talking about flying and Harry was the one to buy him his first toy broom and real broom

They would take him out flying as a newborn and he loved it

He’s the absolute baby of all their grandchildren and they just adore him

[1dffexchange]

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

To: E @unofficialxstyles​

From: Leigh @thatoddpanda​

Summary: There will come a day when Alena will know his name, but for the meantime, he'll be that Cute Guy Who Lives In 4D, and she'll be the girl from 4B.

An AU about neighbours, meddlesome roommates, dogs as the best wingmen, and things sent to the wrong person.

Author’s Note: My deepest apologies for taking so long. E, I hope you enjoy this!

Janelle and Tilly are totally gonna pay for this.

The girls will regret leaving her alone this early in the morning – on a weekend, no less – and Alena will make sure of it. Tilly’s going to be sorry for not coming home last night and Janelle’s going to wish she didn’t wake Alena up at the crack of dawn with a rushed “Brett surprised me with a romantic getaway in Cornwall please take Chowder out on a walk thank you love you bye!” as a seemingly appropriate explanation.

Hell will be unleashed on Earth.

At least, that’s how Alena puts it as she chases after the ball of fluff at the other end of the leash. It’s unfair, really, that she’s the one running along the cobblestoned streets of Oxford before the sun is fully out when she should still be in bed right now. This is Janelle’s job. It’s her puppy, for crying out loud. What was the purpose of drafting up a contract – courtesy of none other than Janelle Prescott herself – outlining their responsibilities over Chowder when they’re all just going to leave her high and dry?

She’s being dramatic, of course, but that’s just Alena before nine in the morning. Snarky and grouchy with a penchant for conjuring up empty threats directed at her flatmates.

Alena wants to cry by the third time Chowder manages to escape her hold. She loves the dog with all her heart – really, she does. Arguably legions more than Janelle does. But God it’s six in the morning and she’s running on two hours of sleep and Chowder’s way too energetic for this time of day. It’s impossible for her to keep up at this state. Alena just isn’t made for mornings. She knew it then when she was a naïve first-year signing up for 7 AM classes, and she knows it now when she pretends she doesn’t hear nice old Mr Lindbergh’s cheerful greeting as she passes by his bakeshop.

She feels a bit guilty about that right away, so she promises to herself that she’ll buy an extra bag of pastries from him the next time she pops in for a cuppa.

When they finally make it back to their building, Alena lets go of the leash for good. She has one hand on her waist while the other grips the neckline of her shirt in a shoddy attempt to fan herself. Chowder is now sitting on his hind legs. He stares at her, bearlike features shining with innocence as if he didn’t just make her go after him for five bloody kilometres. At this point, it’s hard to discern whether it’s sweat or tears that are running down Alena’s skin. Either way, she can’t bring herself to hate Chowder when he looks that bloody endearing. A possible demon clothed in thick brown fur, yet still endearing all the same.

There’s a ding at the other end of the lobby just as Alena wipes the dirt off her face rather ungracefully. Very quickly does she pull her thin grey shirt back down. A bloke steps out of the lift, yawning as he rubs his eyes from beneath his glasses. She recognizes him quickly – the short, seemingly soft brown hair and the scruff that perpetually lines his jaw something that Alena has grown accustomed to seeing nearly every other day.

It’s because of the run, is what she can say on the off chance that someone wonders why her cheeks are tinted pink. It’s really due to the cute guy that lives across the corridor making his way to the letterboxes lining the wall, but he doesn’t need to know that. He doesn’t even know her name, to begin with.

Nor does she know his, but it’s a work in progress.

Saturdays have always been mail days for Alena. The same goes for him, she thinks, considering that the two of them have seemingly developed an unspoken routine of running into each other in the lobby at the end of the week to check for any post or package. It has never happened this early, but it’s a surprise that she certainly doesn’t mind

Nameless Neighbour from 4D presses his forehead against the cool metal doors. He stays like that for a few minutes – unmoving, not bothering to check their mailbox like he’s supposed to. She’s half-certain that he has fallen asleep standing upright.

Rooted in her spot, Alena doesn’t realise that she’s been staring at her neighbour until she feels Chowder’s fur tickling the exposed skin of her leg. Her eyes widen, and just when she thinks the redness of her cheeks has subsided, it comes back in a rush with the recognition that the sun’s just rising and she’s already acting like a total creep.

She certainly isn’t admiring the way his white henley is stretching across his back. That she swears on Chowder’s life.

After a deep breath and a quick check of her reflection through her phone’s screen, Alena fishes her keys out of the pocket of her running shorts. Chowder is roaming around the lobby as she walks up next to the boy and she lets the dog be — because, really, what sort of trouble can a four-month-old pup cause that’s worse than the hellish morning she’s just been through?

It takes another lungful of air for Alena to compose herself, to play it cool as she slips her key inside the hole of their own mailbox, to make sure her tone will not waver when she speaks, “You’re here early.”

The close proximity of the sound disorients him if the way his shoulders jump is anything to go by. He says “Huh?” to the wall when he lifts his head, a faint indent lining his skin where the steel hinge of one of the doors pressed against it. His eyes blink in rapid succession before it dawns on him that the person who just spoke is standing to his left.

“Oh, hey,” he smiles softly. Alena supposes he was only half asleep since he is able to answer, “Yeah, uh… my flatmate’s been looking forward to this package all week.” He proceeds to open the metal flap of their own box. “You?”

“Well—”

Chowder answers that one for her by nuzzling against his leg. There’s a brief second of surprise before 4D is bending down with a grin to scratch between the dog’s ears. It seems to excite Chowder so much that he takes to licking the guy’s face. Though he doesn’t seem to mind the pup’s antics — what with the corner of his eyes crinkling in pure delight despite having half his face smothered with saliva — Alena still takes caution.

“Chowder, behave.”

The smile doesn’t leave his face when he puts enough distance between him and Chowder. After he wipes his cheek with the sleeve of his shirt, he tilts his head up, chuckling, “Chowder? Chowder the chowchow?” And before she can defend her choice of name, he continues, “That’s genius. Personally, I would go for Chow mein but that’s only because I love myself some Chinese food.” He gets up after one last rub, pulling the hem of his shirt down in the process. “He’s adorable. How long have you had him?”

“He’s actually my roommate’s. Been with us for like, three months.”

He nods, acknowledging, and their conversation hits a lull as they both tend to their mail. 4B’s box is unusually full today. Beneath the stack of envelopes is a brown parcel, slim enough to be pulled out with ease yet big enough that it takes up half the space. It’s the first thing she grabs, a gasp promptly tumbling out of her lips at the sight of the student radio’s logo marking the middle of the wrapping paper. ‘Congratulations!’ emblazon the bottom right corner in block letters.

“Anything interesting?” he prompts, locking up with their own mail on hand.

She holds up the package, beaming. “I won a contest!”

He draws in a sharp breath that makes her smile falter and hang awkwardly. “Err, sorry to break it to you but… unless you’re named Harry Styles then I’m afraid that’s not possible.”

When he’s met with furrowed brows, he points at the back of the rectangular box. She flips it over, frowning when she sees a name on it that is indeed not hers. Her shoulders slump. A signed copy of WKW: The Cinema of Wong Kar Wai is in her fingertips, hiding underneath the wrap amongst other freebies, and it will not find a home in her bookcase. It will be in the possession of some Harry Styles, who — now that she thinks about it — has a name so ridiculous he probably doesn’t even exist in the first place.

Alena takes the rest of their mail then shuts the flap close. There’s a trace of disappointment in her tone when she voices her thoughts out loud, “Don’t think I can swing by their office to give it back right away though.”

“You don’t have to do that. I live with Harry.” Oh, she thinks, He’s real? How unfortunate. “Reckon that’s the package he’s been waiting for too.”

“Well…” her eyes flicker down to the parcel. “Okay then.”

Alena hands the prize to him so quickly as if it burns to the touch. She knows that if she holds onto it for a little while longer, it’ll be harder for her to part with it. She takes Chowder in her arms, which the puppy takes as an opening to lick the phantom frown off her face. They both head to the lift, and with her hands full, she thanks him when he presses the button to their floor.

It isn’t until the doors have closed and they have reached the upper level when he speaks again, “What’s in this anyway?”

“A book about Wong Kar Wai’s films.” She cuddles Chowder closer to her chest. “It’s signed by him too.”

“Never heard of him,” he admits, a pensive look crossing his features. “Don’t think Harry has, either. Dunno what he’d want with this.”

“There’s some other stuff in it too, but I’m not sure what. Didn’t pay attention, really. I was just after the book.”

He hums in response. A brief bout of silence falls over them as they continue the rest of their ascent. It’s a quick ride up, the doors parting on the fourth floor with no other pitstop. They make their way out and come to a halt at the corridor where their flats meet halfway.

Still-Unnamed-Bloke from 4D (she really should ask him what it is) turns and dips his head down to get to Chowder. “Be a good boy, yeah?” he says, running his fingers through his fur one last time before looking back up at Alena.

All too quickly, she’s hyper-aware of the current state of her appearance. Stray strands have escaped the tight ponytail holding her long black locks together. Baby hairs stick out in every which way possible. Her shirt has ridden up slightly, exposing a strip of her skin where stretch marks line her hip. Her lips are pale, poised in a tight, awkward smile. In her arms is a high-spirited dog still trying to paw at her neighbour.

She’s seen better days.

“So, uh…” he sticks his thumb out to point at the cherry wood behind him.

“Yeah,” she chuckles lightly and nods.

Alena pivots on the heels of her red trainers and takes the two steps to get home. Chowder runs free once the flat is unlocked. Her hand is on the bronze knob when she tilts her head up and sees that he still hasn’t moved an inch in the hallway. He’s got one arm crossing over his chest as he scratches the back of his neck.

The smile on his face is immediate when he notices her looking back at him.

“Uh… yeah,” he breathes, finally dropping his arm back to his side. “See you around, 4B.”

His back is on her before she can respond — if she can even do so in the first place — and then he’s disappearing into the comfort of his own flat. All she faces now is the bronze 4D engraved on a metal plate contrasting the dark wood. It isn’t until barking sounds echo in her living room that Alena finally shuts their door close.

She crouches down, taking Chowder’s fluffy face into her hands, before stealing a scratch between his ears. “We are not telling Tilly and Jan about this, alright?”

She takes the fat stripe of saliva across her cheek as a yes.

///

It’s futile to even attempt going back to bed — Alena realises that after tossing and turning for a considerable amount of time, only to find out that sleep doesn’t have its arms wide open for her anymore. It takes about a good hour or so ‘til she finally gives up, jumping in the shower before getting a headstart on her still-life portfolio.

Not that it’s due anytime soon, but preparedness is key for a professor like the great Sinead O’Malley.

She has done about fifteen shots of an empty drinking glass on the countertop, trying to get the composition just right, when Tilly does up the final steps to her walk of shame. Or perhaps it’s a stride of pride, depending on how good the bloke did her last night.

“Aren’t I such a wonderful roommate?” Tilly lilts, waltzing into the kitchen with a paper bag in hand. It’s as if she’s floating on air, and yep, it definitely is a stride of pride.

Alena doesn’t miss a beat. “Nope.” She clicks the shutter and it turns out like all the previous ones — lacklustre, mediocre. “I had to take Chowder out today.”

Said puppy is currently dozing off peacefully on the couch. That could’ve been me, Alena muses.

“Where’s Janelle?” The ringlets of Tilly’s fiery red hair come loose as she takes a container out of the bag.

“In Pornwall.”

Tilly snickers. “I like that. I’m stealing that one.” She picks up another box and holds it out to Alena like a present of some sort.

It’s a slow reveal as Tilly sings— rather, tries to carry out a high note (it’s more of a shrill, really) while opening the lid. Not that it actually would’ve held up under normal circumstances, but Alena’s carefully crafted plan of vengeance is but a mere afterthought at the sight of her favourite mouthwatering stack of coconut pancakes from the cafe along St Michael’s Street.

“Now, am I a good roommate or not?”

“The absolute best!” squeals Alena. She places her camera down on the table and replaces it with Tilly’s peace offering.

They both take their places on the stools and begin digging into their own breakfasts. In the midst of the silence, Alena takes note of the unusual glow of Tilly’s pale skin. It does a wonderful job making the lovebites on her neck stand out. She doesn’t miss the way Tilly is swaying her head along to some beat that only she knows of.

It’s when Tilly’s phone chimes and a shy smile worms its way onto her lips that curiosity gets the better of Alena. “You’re in an awfully good mood.”

Tilly tries to keep her glee at bay by keeping her spoon in her mouth, but it is to no avail. “Well… let’s just say Louis Tomlinson’s definitely going to get a phone call one of these days.”

“Tallulah,” she says loftily, cocking an eyebrow paired with a smirk. “Is this commitment I hear?”

“Oh relax. It’s just shagging, not bloody marriage.” Tilly sets her spoon down on the box. “Besides, he’s a fun guy. I wouldn’t mind if this becomes a thing.”

A gasp is the most Tilly can handle hearing from Alena right now, so she reaches for the stack of mail sitting on the corner of the island to save herself from any further inquisition.

“What do we have here?” Tilly thumbs through each envelope, all the while mumbling, “Liam Payne… Liam Payne… Liam James Payne… Are you sure you didn’t get the neighbour’s mail? Liam Payne… Oh!” She takes a red one out of the pile. “This one’s for Jan.”

“Liam Payne is like,” Alena wipes the sugar off her lips with a napkin, “the captain of the footie team now, right?”

Tilly hums her assent as she continues to segregate the mail.

“And he lives across the hall, yeah?”

Once again, Tilly hums. There’s a whopping total of two envelopes addressed to their flat when she’s done sorting. Though there’s still a third of the pancakes left on the plate, Alena reaches for the taller stack as she gets off her chair.

“I should probably get these to him then. Might be important.”

“They’re just fan mail.”

“Still,” she insists.

Tilly doesn’t really care enough to protest, so Alena gets to exit their flat and head on over to 4D without another word. The door opens to a bloke with buzzcut hair, black sweatpants hanging off his hips and a grey shirt brandishing the uni’s logo across his torso. Alena doesn’t live under a rock. She knows who Liam Payne is; everyone does. Smart, gorgeous, athletic Liam Payne who never stops raving about saving the environment. Alena in her first year would’ve been thrilled to be standing on his doorstep. Third-year Alena? Not nearly as much, apparently.

“Hey!” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, trying not to take a peek inside the flat over Liam’s shoulder. Not that she could, either way, as he’s got a good few inches on her. “Liam, right?”

“Yes!” he smiles warmly. “What can I do for you, love?”

She hands over the envelopes to him. “These got sent to ours.”

“Oh, sorry ‘bout that.” His lips curl to a slight frown for a moment before they spring back up. “Thanks for bringing them around though.”

“Sure thing!” she beams, a bit too enthusiastic even by her standards.

There’s a beat of silence that passes between them before Liam decides to break it first. “Well, do you want to pop in? I’ve made some Greek chickpeas on toast for breakfast. Good for the health and is delicious too.”

Alena contemplates on the offer for a bit. While it makes for a wonderfully sound excuse for her to finally know Glasses Guy from 4D’s name, there lies the possibility of her coming off a bit stalker-ish. The chance encounter just hours ago has already filled in her quota. Besides, there’s still a bit of pancake across the hall that has her name written all over it. No toast can beat that, no matter how tasty Liam claims it to be.

So, she says, “Ah, I’ve already eaten,” a half lie, “but thanks for the offer though.”

“Alright. Well, thank you…” he trails off, and it takes a second and a half for her to realize that he’s waiting for her to introduce herself.

“Alena.”

“Right. Thanks, Alena.”

“You’re welcome, Liam.” She gives him a brief nod and a smile before flitting back to her flat.

Liam closes the door behind him and heads back to the kitchen where he and his flatmates — or rather, one current and one former flatmate — are having breakfast. He drops the mail onto the rest of the pile Niall had gotten earlier and takes his place on the seat next to Zayn.

Niall pushes his glasses up his nose. His mouth is full of chickpeas when he asks, “Who was that?”

“The neighbour,” Liam responds nonchalantly.

To downplay his curiosity, Niall takes a moment to gulp down the last of his food before continuing, “From 4B?”

“Mhmm.”

And, before Niall could further ask which one of the girls from across the hall brought it in, Zayn speaks, “Did you seriously have your fan mail sent to a different address?”

“They don’t want it sent to Merton anymore!” defends Liam.

“That doesn’t mean you should address it to your bloody neighbour,” chides Niall, “Great. First, there’s Harry’s prize from Oxide, now it’s your fan mail.” He circles the breakfast bar and stops next to Zayn. “By the way, you might want to leave early. Harry’s gonna be—”

“Too late!” They hear him before they see him, but in a matter of seconds, Harry is striding into the kitchen with his nose upturned. “Good morning Liam. Good morning Niall.”

The absence of Zayn’s greeting rings clear, so Niall tunes out the inevitable bickering between the two by going through the mail. There’s an odd one out, a square envelope that isn’t Liam’s fanmail nor a monthly bill. A careful, golden flourish of a name that’s foreign to him sits on the cream paper.

“Does anyone know an A-lee-na Diane Mercado?” He holds it up for the rest of the lads to see.

“Oh, no no no,” Zayn says quickly, turning to Niall to weasel himself out of Harry’s cold glare. “It’s A-leh-na. Not A-lee-na. She hates it when people pronounce her name wrong.”

“Who’s Alena?” asks Harry, pronouncing it correctly at the first try. He’s looking at Niall instead of Zayn even though the latter has a higher probability of answering that question.

It’s Liam who responds instead. “The girl from 4B.” When Harry just blinks at him, he continues, “You know, black hair, a wee bit short—”

“The cute one with the pretty brown eyes, yep. Got it,” mutters Niall when the recognition hits him right in the face.

The rest of the boys hear him loud and clear though, which is why Zayn attempts to retrace Niall’s words.

“I’m sorry, cute one?”

“With the pretty brown eyes?” adds Harry, a mischievous glint sparkling in his own eyes.

“Is our little Nialler crushing on someone?” Zayn probes further.

“Not just someone, our neighbour!” Harry eggs on, eyebrows wiggling. His shoulders are shimmying too, but Harry has never been known for his coordination so his timing looks a little bit — no, extremely — off.

“I’ve got it.” Zayn snaps his fingers. “We can call you Niallena!”

“Or,” Harry sing-songs, “Aleniall!”

“Yes, yes, Aleniall does sound better.” Zayn shifts on his seat and looks up at Niall. “Say, mate, how pretty are her brown eyes?”

“Are they prettier than me?” Harry leans on the counter, propping his chin on his intertwined hands as he bats his eyelashes meticulously. Niall grabs the dirtiest dish towel within his reach and chucks it at his roommate. To his dismay, Harry catches it in the nick of time and slings it over his shoulder.

God, Niall wants to buy a one-way ticket back to Ireland and bury himself in the soils of his homeland. Maybe he could go somewhere farther, somewhere warmer — like Ecuador, maybe — so that his corpse will decompose faster. If this is what Zayn and Harry are like in the midst of a cold war, he doesn’t even want to imagine what it’d be like once one of them waves the white flag and decide to team up.

“Sod off, will ya?” Niall turns to Zayn with his brows furrowed. “How do you even know her in the first place?”

“She’s in Fine Arts too. Absolutely wicked with a brush, that lass.”

“Ohhh.” That makes sense, he supposes, especially when he thinks back to the day she moved in and he caught a glimpse of an easel being hauled inside their flat. “You friends with her then?”

“Yeah, I guess. I was the one who told her that the redhead in 4B was looking for roommates. Worked out well then, eh?” Zayn smiles wickedly.

“Hold on,” Liam chimes in with a contemplative look on his face, “Is she the reason why you’ve been getting the mail? ‘Cos I’ve lived with you for three years now mate and you’ve never done that once before.”

“I’m just being a good roommate!”

His friends know him all too well, so clearly, no one buys his thinly-veiled excuse. He can feel the heat rising up his cheeks, and such is the curse of the Irish because now they’re snickering at how red his face has become. It’s an admission in plain sight, there’s no need for him to spell it out loud.

“God, you lot are the worst,” huffs Niall.

Harry drapes an arm around his shoulder, looking down on the envelope in between his fingers. “Well, go on then Postman Pat. You’ve got one last mail to deliver.”

With both hands now resting on Niall’s shoulders, Harry starts pushing him out of the kitchen and lets go only when Niall is standing in the corridor. Harry leans against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. Defeated, Niall heaves out a sigh. He looks between 4B’s door and the letter, and then he turns his head back to Harry who’s got an expectant look on his face.

The internal battle wagers on until Niall eventually decides to head back inside. He grabs a sticky note and a pen from Liam’s room, as it is the one closest to the front door. Big chunky letters saying ‘It got mixed in our mail :)’ are scrawled on the Post-It and attached on the envelope. Niall comes back out and sticks it on the door with a strip of masking tape. He knocks twice before dragging Harry back with him inside and shuts the door close behind them.

Harry takes the towel off his shoulder and hits the back of Niall’s head with it. “What the hell was that?”

Niall grumbles and shoves Harry off him. “Enjoy your vegan breakfast.”

It might not be much, but Niall will take the look of disgust on Harry’s face as a bout of victory.

///

It could be a splash of ice-cold water or someone farting right in your face. Maybe the sound of a jackhammer working on the street or the news of a loved one taking their last breath. There are worse ways to be woken up, but that doesn’t mean Alena appreciates having the fire alarm be the first thing she hears in the morning.

Strike one was last Sunday, and— well, okay, maybe she needed that or else she would’ve been late to brunch with her sister. The second: two days ago, with only one hour of sleep after a late-night shoot. Janelle had choice words with Liam to make sure it won’t happen again; a barking Chowder and a grumpy, sleepless Alena are just too much to deal with in the morning.

It’s Thursday, the sun is barely out, and it’s happening again.

Alena jumps out of bed with an agenda. She tears off a page from a random notebook, scribbling on it furiously with thick strokes underlining particular phrases. Her flatmates practically cheer when she marches across the hallway. Three knocks and a note taped to the door after and Alena buries herself back underneath her covers.

Inside 4D, Niall exits his bedroom when the alarm goes off, jaw clenched and nostrils flaring. “Harold! What the bloody hell are you on again?”

“How is the water burning? How?!” Harry screams. Chestnut curls sit wildly atop his head, eyes blown wide in sheer panic. Niall would laugh at how ridiculous his flatmate is looking right now had the bloke not been a constant pain in his ass for the entire week.

“Jesus,” he mutters. He grabs a towel, dampening it before pushing Harry out of the way to stop the fire. He doesn’t even want to think about it. Doesn’t want to know how one of Oxford Law’s most brilliant minds can be such an absolute buffoon in the kitchen.

Harry just stands there, helpless, as Niall cleans up after him. “This wouldn’t happen if Zayn still lived here.”

“This wouldn’t happen if you stayed out of the damn kitchen,” snaps Niall.

“I can’t live like this anymore, Ni! Liam’s diet is going to kill me!”

“Not if you burn the flat down first!”

Harry loses the opportunity to defend himself as the sound of loud knocks fills the room and Niall is already marching to the front door. Niall’s befuddled by the sight of an empty hallway, but before he could chalk it up to one of the little kids in the building pulling a prank, he catches a glimpse of a sheet of paper contrasting the tan floors of the flat.

Niall doesn’t know what to expect from it, but he supposes a complaint from one of their neighbours is well-deserved (and honestly long overdue) at this point.

Dear 4D,

Please stop tripping the fire alarm at six in the bloody morning. Some of us need sleep. This is the third time you’ve woken me up. Show some mercy.

Also please tell Liam Payne that we have his fanmail. Again!!! If he doesn’t win the game next week we’re telling his fangirls his REAL address.

Sincerely, 4B

PS: DO NOT INTERACT UNTIL AFTER 9AM!!!

PPS: have you guys been feeding our dog?

Niall’s trying his hardest not to castrate Harry when he looks up from the note with an early morning fury that only he can possess. “Now look what you’ve done!”

“How was I supposed to know that water burns?” Harry yells back, and shit, why isn’t Liam here to keep Niall from strangling Harry to his untimely death?

“It doesn’t, you bloody idiot! How did you even get into Oxford?”

Harry gasps, loud and ostentatious that make Niall question if he truly did hit a nerve. He decides he doesn’t care. What he does care about is getting back to sleep, stat, and to amend the bridges that Harry’s (inadvertently) burning down. So he tears off a page from the legal pad on the coffee table, scribbles a heartfelt apology, waits patiently until the clock strikes nine to slip the note under 4B’s door, then bans Harry from even breathing in his direction until he’s resurfaced back from his hard-earned slumber.

///

The Saturday that follows the fire alarm incident isn’t her designated mail day, so it takes a little bit longer for Alena to bump into Liam’s — and Harry’s — Still Nameless Roommate.

Funny how she practically knows everyone who lives in 4D except for the one guy she actually has eyes for. Social media should do the trick. Tilly could drop his name without an afterthought. Heck, she can utilise her acquaintance with one of his former roommates who’s in the same course as her. But a small part of Alena — the one with a voice too loud for anyone’s good — wants it to happen through the old-fashioned way.

She’s also got slippery fingers prone to double taps on Instagram. And Tilly’s the biggest blabbermouth of all of Europe. And Zayn owes her one too many favours that she doesn’t want to cash in yet.

So she doesn’t take the risk.

It finally happens on a Wednesday. Alena wants to take advantage of the fair weather so she exits her flat with a sketchpad and her watercolour kit stashed in her canvas tote. She’s just pressed the down button for the lifts when she hears a voice from behind her.

“Hey!” It’s 4D, waving his hand as he walks swiftly towards her. He’s got a blue polka dot shirt with a pair of black skinny jeans to match. A strap of his backpack rests on his shoulder.

“Hi!” She smiles when he stops next to her.

“No Chowder today?”

“No,” she laughs, hoisting her bag up higher, “He’s with my roommate.”

“Ah, I see.”

The doors finally part and they enter the lift. Already inside is a man in his late thirties who smiles at them in acknowledgement when they nod at him politely.

“Listen,” Friendly Neighbourhood Guy From 4D begins again after they’ve made it two levels down, hand reaching back to scratch his neck, “I really wanna apologize ‘bout the fire alarms last week.”

“Well it hasn’t happened again, so it’s all good,” Alena reassures him with sincerity because apparently, her grudges expire at the 9 o’clock mark.

He sighs, relieved. “Great! That’s— good! Great!” He clears his throat just as they reach the ground floor. They’ve only taken a few steps into the lobby when he sticks his hand out to her. “I’m Niall, by the way.”

Niall.

Niall Niall Niall.

Not 4D, not Glasses Guy, not That Nerd Who Lives With Liam as Janelle once said. Just Niall.

Alena tries to contain her glee, so the rest of the world will have to pretend not to notice that she’s lighting up at the mere discovery of the guy’s name. “Alena!” She accepts his hand and shakes it briefly before pulling back.

“So, erm… d’you go to Oxford too?” he asks as they exit their building together.

“Yep,” she nods in the midst of pulling down the sleeve of her tawny button-up. “Fine Arts. You?”

“History and Econ,” he answers, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Are you off to class then?”

“Not yet. I’m gonna hang around at the Grove to work on a project.”

Niall stuffs a hand in his pocket. “Oh, well… is it alright if I walk with you? I’m meeting a few mates at Magdalen so I’m going the same way.”

“I don’t mind.”

It takes fifteen minutes to get to The Grove on foot, during which Niall and Alena fill the silence with mindless chatter. He tries to apologise two more times for Harry’s Kitchen Disasters and she brushes him off both instances with light chuckles to show that she really has gotten over it. Apparently, Harry is going bonkers over Liam’s vegan diet, and since Zayn has moved out of their flat and Niall is practically dead to the world in the mornings, Harry has decided to take matters into his own hands.

Those fifteen minutes fly by way too quickly for Alena’s liking. It’s just a little after her grand retelling of how Chowder nearly ruined her latest artwork when they eventually bid their farewells. She’s on her phone in a heartbeat, though the autumn leaves sparking her inspiration keeps her from fully paying attention to the message she’s typing.

omgggg ate i finally know his name

It’s supposed to be sent to Casey. The response should be coming from her older sister, but sticky fingers do not pair well with distraction, so of course, Alena finds herself texting a different thread instead.

Tilly Who?

Alena wants the ground to swallow her whole. Uproot her entire life and create a new identity for herself. Maybe move back in with her parents, even though they live 6,000 miles away and are basking in all the sun Pampanga can offer. All ideas seem more appealing than her flatmate knowing she’s been harbouring a crush on their neighbour for a while now.

Janelle OOOOOOOOOOH! Is this the nerd boy?

Tilly Nerd boy??

Janelle Brett says hi, btw.

HI BRETT 👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼

Tilly Bye brett Dont change the subject Whos nerd boy

jan is chowder wit u? give him kisses for me! xxxx

Tilly hellooooooooo

Janelle Will do 😘🤗 Brett wants to know too.

Tilly WHO IS NERD BOY I want to know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Janelle She’s gonna know eventually Lens.

Tilly WHOOOOOOOO whoooo

oh my gosh FINE its the bloke in 4d

Tilly Oh shit NIALL? YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON NIALL

thats how u spell it? and what makes u think its him 🤨

Tilly

Because everyone knows who liam is And zayn doesnt live there anymore And harry doesnt look like a nerd DEDUCTION, BITCH!! omyGOD

Janelle

See? I told you he looks like a nerd!

stopppp dont be mean ☹ tilly please dont tell anyone about this PLEASE

Tilly I WONT! 🤐🤐 Im just gonna lock you out tonight

um where do u expect me to sleep then

Tilly

sleep with him 😉😏😉😏 🍆✊🏼💦💦💦

TALLULAH

///

As it turns out, Harry Styles is an actual name of an actual, living and breathing human being who really does live across the corridor. Alena confirms this at a party that Janelle’s coursemates are throwing, and Brett walks over to a bloke and screams “Styles!” as he claps said guy’s back. Harry turns around and Alena gets a good view of him — the same set of rowdy curls and the slightly slouching stature that she’s seen more frequently ever since she started hanging out with Niall.

The party is a bit too posh than what Alena is used to, but nothing short of what she expects from Law students. Oddly enough, she ends up chatting the night away with Harry, who admits feels a slightly out of place even though these are the same people whom he goes to classes with. His number makes its way to her phone when the night draws to a close, paired with a promise to ring him should she need his assistance.

She doesn’t think she’ll ever have to.

She’s certain she won’t find a use for it.

Except she’s now lost track of time and it’s nearing midnight and it just so happens to be pouring buckets on the very same day she’s without an umbrella. She’s the only one left in the studio, Ruskin is still a long way away from home, her flatmates aren’t picking up, and she only realises just then that she doesn’t have Niall’s number.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and today, desperation is synonymous to shooting Harry Styles an SOS.

HARRY! Its alena from 4b Sooooo sorry i know its late but can i ask u for a favor?

Had Alena been in the comforts of her own flat, she would’ve heard the way Niall calls for Harry — fuming, brows set in an alarming dip as he shows the texts to his roommate. She also would’ve assumed that the lads have given a home to a hyena with the way Harry flat-out cackles at the fruits of his hard labour. But she isn’t, so all she’s left with is a text message that comes in a few minutes later.

sorry love its niall . harry mustve given out th wrong number Everything alrite tho ? maybe i can help

Stuck in the rain and none of my roomies are picking up :( Was gonna ask if u could check if theyre still alive

theyre not home . chowders staying with us for 2night where r u ? i can pick youu up

Alena stares at her screen for a moment. Contemplates and weighs the pros and cons. She’s beyond exhausted and all she wants is to cuddle with Chowder. On the other hand, she doesn’t want to be a bother. She looks frantic, hair a wild mess atop her head, cheeks splattered with purple and gold paint, skirt askew her hips that the zip that’s supposed to be lining her leg now runs along her backside.

When she yawns, she decides that sleep trumps everything else. Inconvenience and unsightliness be damned.

Ruskin

Alright . be there in 20 x

Niall shows up in less with a grey Skoda that she knows belongs to Harry. He jumps out, opens an umbrella for her, and she voices out her gratitude as she straps herself in. She gets comfortable as Niall rounds the car and gets inside the driver’s seat.

“Why’re you out so late?” he asks as he starts the car.

“Been working on a project and lost track of time.”

He alternates his gaze between her and the road. “What’s it about?”

“It’s supposed to be about magic but… I don’t know…” she sighs, hugging her overflowing tote closer to her chest, “It’s not coming out like how I envisioned it to be.”

Niall frowns briefly before the corners of his lips tug up to a soft, sincere smile. “You’ll figure it out.”

The lampposts that they pass by illuminate Niall in warm, methodical flickers. He looks calm and soft, like a favourite pillow that brings comfort as the moon shines and makes it hard to get out of bed when the rain falls. And as the wheels graze the asphalt that will take them home, Niall distracting her with mindless chit-chat about this new diet that Liam’s trying (and consequently bringing Harry closer to his grave), Alena has a good feeling that she will do just that.

///

“Just ask her out, mate.” Liam’s chin digs into Niall’s shoulder with every syllable he speaks.

“Yeah,” Harry agrees through a mouthful of dumplings. The Notebook playing on the telly has his full attention, which is how he ends up dropping another xiaolongbao back on his plate. That and his fingers appear to be sworn enemies with the chopsticks he’s gripping.

“You’re holding it wrong,” Niall assesses in the midst of pushing Liam’s face away.

“I’m just saying!” Liam grins, leaning back with his arms propping him up. “She’s nice, she’s pretty—”

“She willingly hangs out with you,” adds Harry. He seems to have given up on the chopsticks. “That’s a very rare trait.”

“Fuck off,” Niall huffs.

He takes to staring at his notes on world economy to fend off his flatmates. Except none of the words makes any semblance of sense to him because now it seems his brain has taken up residence in the room across the hall. A whole month has passed since he finally struck up the courage to introduce himself to the girl from 4B — Alena — and it feels like the stars and the planets have all aligned in his favour.

And Niall doesn’t even believe in all that cosmic mumbo jumbo.

“C’mon,” says Liam, “You haven’t been out on a date in years.”

Niall shoots him a pointed glare. “Years? You were there when Lisa broke up with me. That was six months ago.”

“That’s six months too long.” Harry pops the last dumpling in his mouth and places his plate on the coffee table next to Niall’s books.

Liam seems really keen on this whole idea so he continues, “Just give it a shot, Ni. What have you got to lose?”

Everything? Niall presumes. A friend. A perfectly wonderful neighbour who once split a sandwich with him simply because she’s really proud of how the melted cheese turned out. Someone to pick up at Ruskin because of a shoot that ran until the skies are tinted pitch black. The bi-weekly mail runs that he’s come to enjoy. Maybe even Chowder, and Christ, Niall really has gotten attached to that growing furball.

Even though Harry’s eyes are practically glued to the telly, he still puts in his two cents. “Go for it. Maybe she can draw you like one of her French girls or summat.”

“Jesus,” Niall grumbles. “That’s it, I’m out.”

He gathers up a few things — his laptop and its charger, a legal pad that most definitely belongs to Harry, an Econ book that’s seen better days, and a green highlighter that’s about to put itself out of commission — then heads out of the flat. It’s only when he’s shut the front door that he realises he has nowhere to go to. It’s late. He’s not really in the mood to trek all the way to the library. No coffee shop within a three-minute radius is open. His room isn’t even remotely an option. The bed is far too inviting and he won’t get an ounce of work done.

The hallway is the only way.

It isn’t so bad. No flatmate to bother his peace nor depict him as a modern-day Rose. He can still access their wi-fi from where he’s sitting. The floor’s a bit colder, but he can manage. In the thirty minutes he’s been outside, only the couple who lives in 4F has passed by; drunk off their arses but not enough to disturb Niall (or at least, sober enough to navigate around the makeshift blockade he’s created).

He’s completely in the zone he doesn’t notice the door in front of him open.

“What’re you doing out here?”

Niall lifts his head up, mouth slightly ajar, though it takes a little longer for him to take his eyes off the screen. “Hey,” he smiles at Alena, who’s holding a garbage bag as she looks at him with furrowed brows. “Liam and Harry are being… well, Liam and Harry.”

Alena gives him a sympathetic smile. “Lemme just throw this out and you can study at mine.”

“You sure?”

She now has her back to him as she heads to the chute at the end of the corridor. “Yep. We’re all staying up late anyway. You just have to be really quiet though. We don’t like noise.”

“That I can do.” He picks up his stuff once more, though he only has his laptop and charger in his arms now as Alena is quick to grab the rest.

“Remember, absolutely no noise.”

Niall runs his thumb and forefinger across his lips to mimic a zip then holds his hand up in a silent vow. Chowder is bounding over to them the second the door opens, wide-eyed and tongue out. He only manages to say “Hey bo—” before the girls shush him right away.

Right. Total, absolute, complete silence.

The rich scent of coffee takes over his senses. Tilly has her readings spread out on the coffee table while Janelle has set up shop on the couch. In front of the crackling fire are sheets of paper and some paint brushes, along with a couple of mugs with murky brown water. He situates himself near Alena’s spot, more out of fear of encroaching her flatmates’ space than anything.

He settles in quite nicely. It’s serene. The heat from the fireplace is a welcome change. Every once in a while, one of the girls would ball up a piece of paper and throw it at anyone who’s on the verge of falling asleep. Chowder would pad over to Niall to trick him into giving some belly rubs.

Niall falls for it every single time.

It’s only when he’s going over his notes when a distraction comes in the form of a small scrap of paper that Alena slides over.

Do you want anything? Coffee? Tea? It says, in the same hurried script as the noise complaint they got last month.

Niall tears a portion off his pad and uses his highlighter to jot down his response before handing it to Alena. She smiles at him before getting up, returning a few minutes later to hand him a steaming cup of coffee. His name is on it, scribbled on a bright pink sticky note with a smiley face at the bottom. He chances a look at all the other cups on the floor. They’re all labelled accordingly — ‘DO NOT DRINK’ and ‘coffee paint’ and ‘SAFE to drink’ in different colours of Post-Its.

He wonders how many mishaps there have been in the past, drinking from the wrong cup and ingesting paint water instead, for her to take such precautionary steps.

Alena goes back to work right away. Try as he might, but Niall couldn’t. It’s the occasional glances, watching as she purses her lips to the side. Tendrils escape the ponytail that holds her hair up. Her shirt, white and splattered with paint both old and new, hangs loosely around her frame. The light of the fireplace casts a warm glow on her skin, one side illuminated better than the other. He gets lost in her concentration; mesmerized with the way her tongue darts out just the tiniest bit as she tends to the details of her painting.

He takes it all in — the way her eyes sparkle in the firelight, narrowing as she assesses her work; her back slumping forward to a degree that is probably not good for her spine; the crease between her brows, the left one dipping more than the right; how her gaze shifts back and forth between two sheets as if she’s torn as to which one of her self-portraits showcased her skills better — the one that captures her in the midst of a laugh or the other that has her all stoic and collected.

Niall is so caught up in his daze that he doesn’t see Janelle crumpling up a sheet of paper.

Shit.

He’s nowhere near dozing off and yet here he is, getting hit square in the cheek for being too distracted.

From where he’s sitting on the floor, Niall looks up at Janelle with an unimpressed glare. She returns it with a smirk before diving back into her case studies. It’s the push he needs to finally mind his business and type up the damn conclusion for his paper. He doesn’t check the time once he wraps up the essay, but it’s only him and Janelle that appear to be the last two men standing.

One sticky note on top of a painting, a hushed farewell, and Niall takes his leave.

When Alena wakes up, it’s with a soft, shy smile at the sight of Niall’s chunky handwriting. She ends up choosing the one swirling in different hues of brown that depicts her with a grin as bright as the soft morning light.

///

Take one glance at Alena and you’ll see a woman who has the whole world at her fingertips. Loose tendrils that frame her face are curled to perfection. The rest of her hair, parted at the middle, is pulled back to a sleek bun. Janelle has done a wonderful job on her makeup for the night, cheekbones accentuated and plump lips looking even pinker. She’s in a pristine white dress and nude heels to match.

She’s in her element by the looks of it — surrounded by art that’s brought to life by her own fingertips (well, hers and a few of her other coursemates). Wide smiles tug at her lips as she welcomes the exhibit’s guests. Anyone would think she’s having the time of her life, and for the most part, she is. Though there’s still this tiny squeak inside her that doubts the quality of her work, it’s easily quelled by the positive remarks she’s being showered in all night.

And had she been eagle-eyed, she would’ve noticed the way Niall’s jaw drops at every artwork that has her name attached to it.

When Alena finally catches a breather, she spots Niall in front of one of Zayn’s paintings. She excuses herself from her sister and a few of her professors to go up to him. She reaches Niall at the same time as Harry, though the latter takes one look at the caption before he’s scoffing and moving onto the next work.

“What’s the deal with those two?” she says to Niall, thumb directed to where Harry is slinking off to.

Niall pauses from reading the description to turn to Alena. “Who, Zed and Haz?”

“Yeah. Didn’t you lot used to live together?”

He nods. “Would you believe me if I said they were the best of mates?” Her eyes widen, and he chuckles in turn. “Proper inseparable those two. Had this whole plan to live our final year to the wildest of their abilities. Except Zed moved out to live with his girlfriend and now, well… you know. Harry’s just being stroppy but he’ll get over it. Anyway,” he breathes, lips curling upwards, “I should offer my congratulations, star of the night.”

“Not even remotely true!” Alena defends, although the rosy glow of her cheeks isn’t simply because of the makeup now. She holds back her grin, points her head to the side and says, ”Care for a tour?”

With a nod, Niall takes her up on the offer. It’s quite a task, he realises as they roam around the gallery, deciding which one to focus on — the artworks or Alena’s animated commentary. She’s all smiles talking about her peers’ art yet gets more timid and reserved when discussing her own. There’s no suppressing her vibrant glow, however, and Niall simply gives up on everything else to let himself get caught in her light.

He takes it all in, from how her lips twitch to keep herself from grinning to how she twiddles her fingers when someone compliments her on her works. Freckles dot the expanse of her cheeks, like constellations that could no longer be contained by the universe that lies within her eyes. He just wants to stare and stare and stare, marvel at the art among the art, and he probably would have had Alena not been dragged away by a few of her colleagues at some point in the night.

It takes a while, but Niall eventually finds his way back to Harry, who’s now sipping on a flute of champagne as he stands in front of one of the artworks. He’s got a pensive look on his face; shoulders square, brows drawn together, and nose slightly upturned. Niall’s lived with the bloke long enough to recognise the show he’s putting on from a mile away.

“Say, Haz,” Niall begins, saving him from dragging out his pretence, “D’you still have that book you won from Oxide?”

“The one about the director? Yeah, why?”

“I’ll take it.”

Harry turns to him, curious, but he doesn’t press on any further. “Yeah, okay.”

///

There are things that Alena has grown accustomed to as of the late, such as Chowder waking her up with slobbering kisses whenever she falls asleep on the sofa, and catching Louis Tomlinson tiptoeing out of Tilly’s bedroom every Saturday morning.

Today is no different, and though these weekly rendezvous have never been a well-kept secret within 4B, Alena indulges Louis in his sneaky exits and lets him slink away in peace.

That is until Alena realises that today might be slightly different after all when she hears a familiar voice as Louis opens the front door.

“Tommo?”

Louis stiffens and grips the doorknob tightly. “Nialler?”

From the living room, Alena halts from sorting her hair out to look back and forth between the two blokes. “You know each other?”

“Erm, yeah,” responds Niall. Despite the glasses, his eyes squint, mind going a mile a minute to discern whether or not his vision is playing tricks on him. A flustered Louis and a dishevelled Alena; put two and two together and Niall comes up with: “Are you two…”

“What? No!” Louis defends.

And then, Alena groans, “Oh god, no.”

“Oh, okay then,” says Niall, smiling lightly, squared shoulders slowly easing up. “Where’s Chowder?”

“In the—” Louis turns around in time to see the dog by the fireplace, busying himself with an eerily familiar lump of cloth, “Shit, my jumper!”

Unbothered (and confident that Louis can deal with Chowder all on his own), Alena grabs her keys, joins Niall out in the hallway and into the lift.

“Wait, so just to be clear,” Niall begins as they make their descent, “Louis and Tilly?”

Alena schools her expression to remain neutral. Except she has never been blessed with acting chops to begin with, so the slight curl of her lips gives her away even though she claims, “I can neither confirm nor deny.”

“So that’s a yes then,” he grins. “By the way, I’m sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye last night. Harry, uh…” he rubs at his nose, looking at all the metal confining them before settling with: “He was feeling poorly.”

“Oh?” she frowns, “Is he better now?”

“Hm? Oh— yeah, yeah, I think he’s fine. Just needed to sleep it off I guess.”

“That’s good.”

It’s quiet as they fall into the routine of getting their mail. Head in the clouds, Alena doesn’t notice how fidgety Niall is being. Had it been any other day, she would’ve picked up on the little glances he’s been throwing at her, the way he presses his lips when she takes out a brown parcel from the mailbox, or how he pulls his hood over his head and draws the strings together when they make their way back up.

Except she’s still reeling from last night’s festivities that Niall fades away in the background for the time being.

“Earth to Alena?” Niall snaps his fingers then waves a hand in front of her face, “Helloooo.”

“Oh, sorry.” She bites her lips and looks up at him with wide eyes. “Do you wanna come in for a bit? Chowder misses you.”

His hand comes up and it disappears underneath his hood as he smiles apologetically. “Maybe later? I gotta check up on Harry.”

“Alright.”

They slowly step backwards, eyes not leaving each other even if their backs have hit the doors to their rooms. It feels almost juvenile, the way they trade shy smiles and mumbled goodbyes. Alena wonders as she enters her flat if there’s ever an end to her schoolgirl crush.

There probably isn’t.

“There’s toast for breakfast.”

Alena looks at the couch and sees Louis with Chowder on his lap. She makes her way over to them, rubbing the dog’s fur before sitting next to him.

“You should try harder than that if you want to woo Tilly.”

“I am not trying to woo Tilly.”

She pats his shoulder as she sits back. “Sure you are.”

Alena ignores his defensive “I’m not!” as she goes through the mail. Only the rectangular package is addressed to her, so she sets the rest of the envelopes down on the coffee table. She tears off the wrapping paper, brows furrowing at the sight of the Wong Kar Wai book that she’s been pining over all those weeks ago. Her curiosity only amplifies when she’s met with a folded piece of paper with her name on it instead of the title page.

Dear Alena,

Please consider this book as a gesture of goodwill. I truly believe that you are its rightful owner. The other book with the prize was about Susan Sontag (did I get it right?). Harry only wanted it to woo a girl. Spoiler alert: he failed. Let me know if you want that one too.

Congratulations on the exhibit, by the way. I wasn’t kidding when I said you were the star of the night. You were practically glowing. I didn’t have the chance to tell you this but you really looked beautiful tonight. I think you look pretty all the time, actually. Especially when you smile. And you smiled a lot tonight, so I really liked that.

I hope you’ll let me make you smile all the time.

Sincerely,

That very fit bloke from 4D

(I’m kidding it’s Niall)

PS: We watched In the Mood for Love the other night. I can see why you love his work. Harry probably won’t let me choose for the next movie night but that’s his loss.

PPS: Feel free to set this on fire.

“What are you waiting for?” says a voice that’s distinctly far from Louis’ brash tone. Alena whips her head around and finds Janelle looking over her shoulder, staring at Niall’s letter. Instead of budging when Alena pushes her away, Janelle points to the door and says, “So? You know where to find him, go!”

“Chowder supports you,” adds Louis, holding up the dog next to his cheek as he flaps his paws in the air.

“But I haven’t got an excuse to go over there.”

“You don’t need one. Come on.” Janelle rounds the couch and grabs Alena by the hand.

“But—”

“No but’s!”

In a flash, they’re right outside 4D, Janelle’s knocking on their door, and Harry’s opening it as Janelle goes back to their own flat.

Harry’s lips curl, a sly, knowing smirk, before looking over his shoulder to say, “Niall! Special delivery!” and then he’s pulling Alena inside. He’s practically a blur as he speeds through grabbing Liam’s arm and shoving him inside one of the bedrooms. A blanket of silence befalls as they’re left alone, with her still lingering by the doorway and him in front of the couch with his hands shoved deep inside his pockets.

“You can talk now!” yells Harry, voice slightly muffled from behind closed doors.

It prompts Niall to shake his head, mutter “Jesus” under his breath, and then he’s ushering Alena back out into the hallway.

“So,” she begins as the door clicks shut, tucking a stray strand behind her ear.

Shyly, he echoes it back. “So…”

“I’m guessing Harry’s feeling better?” she jokes, and he goes along with it with a smile.

“Oh, much. Sleep? Very underrated. Easily one of the best forms of medicine. Highly recommend it. You should try it some time.”

“Hey!” she defends, although the edges of her chapped lips are turning up. “Thanks for the, uh… gift, by the way.”

“You’re welcome.” He shoves a hand back in his pocket, rocking back and forth on the heels of his trainers lightly. “So… uh, have you burned it yet?”

“Don’t really want to.”

“Oh?”

Alena nods, and the silence begins to stretch between them once again.

“Just ask her the fuck out already!” It’s Harry, followed by a harsh shushing from Liam. Alena goes pink and Niall’s throwing his head back with a groan.

“For the love of God.” Niall bangs his fist against the door once. “Sorry about that. Fuck.”

“It’s alright.”

He scratches the back of his neck for a bit before running his hand up and down his arm. “Erm, so, uh… there’s this open-air cinema tonight. Do you uh… maybe... wanna go? With me? Like, on a date?”

Alena smiles softly, nodding, and Niall swears he’s forgotten how to breathe. “I would love that.”

“Finally!” It comes from 4B this time, a synchronous yell from Louis, Tilly, and Janelle. Alena wants to die from embarrassment, but at that moment, they couldn’t have been more right.

Finally indeed.

[zayndrivesmeinvain]

The One That Got Away - Part 3

A.N. - Part 3 is finally here! I apologize for the delayed upload but unfortunately work and life got in the way of things but I'm hoping to create a consistent posting schedule soon!

Pairing: Single Dad Harry Styles

Summary: Alena finallys gets a night out on the town with her friends, but will it go as planned or will surprises and feelings arise?

Word Count: 3.1K

*********************************************************************

Alena 

- 

“Fine, I’ll come.” my phone has been buzzing non stop. 

This weekend's one of the first weekends that I am going out in a long time. I typically use my weekends to catch up on chores or run errands since Harry typically has Aria for the weekends, but this weekend my friend’s convinced me to come out with them and have a girls weekend. We’ve all been preoccupied with life and what better way they thought to come together and go out and have some fun. 

I’m not much of a partier if I do say so myself, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t indulge in it ever - back when I was younger, the weekend parties were something I looked forward to - the drinking, the music, the friends, the games, the angst - EVERYTHING. However, that was short lived because by the time I was just at that age to drink and do things legally, I was blessed with my baby girl and responsibilities and motherhood took precedence over the weekend parties. 

“Yay! Alena’s hitting the town.” My friend Molly was on the other end of the Facetime call laying on her bed with a face mask on. 

“Ugh, I don’t even know what to wear though - I’m sure anything I have probably doesn’t fit anyways.” I was rummaging through my closet which is 90% of lounge wear, 10% of business casual clothes in which I recycle once a week to wear to work. “I don’t even own half of my wardrobe before Aria, Mol.” my voice probably sounded defeated but I am trying to stay hopeful for my friend because I know she’s looking forward to this outing of ours. 

“Lena, come on! You have to have something hot and flirty in that closet of yours - I know you do!” Molly’s a long-time friend of mine - she’s been around through the thick & thin of mine, however, our lives are the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Where I am on mommy duty 90% of the time, she is out free and living her life. She is a radiologist at our local hospital and due to her schedule, she has just enough time and energy to have a great balance of work and play. I truly believe that she is the one that keeps me young. 

“Do you think leggings and a baggy sweat-shirt are acceptable for dinner and bar and club hopping?” I flashy a cheek smile across my Facetime screen and Molly gives me the biggest eye-roll. “Lena, if you’re not at least wearing something that’s tight tonight, I am going to beat your ass sensely.” Molly makes her way to her bathroom and takes her phone with her. “Lena, stop acting like a mom for once and be free - shake your ass and show your tits off! Maybe even make-out with a guy - honestly when was even the last time you got fucked?” Molly places her phone down just in time for me to flash her my middle finger. 

“ Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t know getting fucked was supposed to be on the agenda while also picking my daughter up from school, providing for her and basically making sure she doesn’t die.” I shut my closet door and make my way to my kitchen because I’m starting to get a little hungry and a snack doesn’t sound too bad right now. 

“Lena, I love you but step out of the mom role, even for one night - you are still allowed to have your own personality and be your own person, I promise you, you going out for one night will not make Aria love you any less. Plus, who doesn’t love a sexy milf.” Molly has a way with words, that’s for sure. 

“Plus, word around town is that your baby daddy has been seeing someone. Don’t you think it’s time for maybe you to get out there a little bit and meet a few people that could even be remotely interested in you?” Molly’s words sting a little, but I’m not sure if it's because she brings up Harry seeing some or if it’s because it's the “word around town” and I feel somewhat protective of his privacy and his business because he’s the father of my child.

“Yeah, I already knew that.” I take a bite of my toast. “He asked me the other day if it’s okay to introduce Aria to her - from the sounds of it they seem to be getting serious. I’ve been talking to Anne a little bit and she tells me that he seems to be happy and gets this - he hasn’t been seeing anyone else.” 

“I’m sorry - you’re telling me that he asked for your permission to introduce Aria to his girlfriend and you agreed?” Molly seems to be severely taken back, her face  expression if not her tone says it all. 

“Yeahhh… why wouldn’t I be? He is Aria’s father and I am trusting his judgment, so if he thinks it was the right call - then it was the right call - point, blank, period.”  

Truth is, it did and still does bother me that he wants to introduce Aria to someone he is seeing. What if she likes her better than me? What if she grows attached to her? What if she starts calling her mom down the line? The thought of Aria calling someone else mom makes my stomach queasy, however, I can’t worry about the “what ifs” and just hope and pray that she isn’t mean to my baby girl. 

Harry’s and I’s relationship is complex, on the one hand I want him to be happy and find someone but on the other hand I want someone to hurt him the way he hurt me so he can truly understand what it feels like to put your absolute all into someone, just for them to take - stomp on it and give it back to you in bits and pieces and I truly believe if it weren’t for Aria, I would have stopped all communication with Harry Styles years ago.

-

The rest of my day consisted of cleaning up my house, working on organizing and cleaning out my fridge and finally deciding on outfit for later on tonight. I even had some time to get a home-work out in. I guess just subconsciously knowing that I am going to be wearing something tight tonight makes me feel as though an hour work-out is going to give me my pre-baby body back but I know it's just a ploy to make myself feel better. 

While rummaging through my closet I was able to find a tight body-con midi dress that I wore once and apparently still fits - however, when I say this dress is tight - it is tight. The last time I had worn this dress was right when I was just about 3 months pregnant with Aria and I had more than enough room in this dress to hide my little bump, but now, I am fuller in places I wasn’t before. For starters, my breast feel as though they are up to my chin at the moment and my ass has probably doubled in size since I last wore this dress, but this dress seems to be the best and if not only option I have that can be worn tonight because Molly made it very clear that I was not to dress for comfort tonight. 

- 

“Alena, holy fuck you look hot.” I have just arrived at Molly’s apartment where our other two friends are as well. Molly is dressed in a cute spaghetti strap mini dress and has paired it with sparkly pumps, my feet just hurt looking at the height of them. 

“You don’t have to exaggerate Mol, I’m still coming out with you.” a chuckle escapes my lips as I make my way into Molly's apartment. I know her reaction was genuine but I also am not privy to the fact that she’s trying to boost my confidence a bit as well. 

“Oh I know you’re still coming out - I would actually drag you out of your house if you tried pulling a fast one on me!” Mol’s slightly intoxicated but her genuine personality and sassy attitude is still peaking through which I absolutely adore her. 

My other two friends Vanessa and Maria are just right around the corner making some cocktails as I make my way further through Molly’s apartment. It’s a beautiful apartment, two beds, two baths with a spacious open floor plan and a beautiful view of the city skyline. Her apartment is decorated mostly with whites and grays with a hint of pink throughout used as her accent color which matches with her personality graciously, she's one of the girliest of girls there is. 

-

The four of us mingle for about another hour as we get a few cocktails in and catch up on life before the actual night begins. Throughout the last hour, the biggest thing I have realized is that all of our lives are so different but the biggest difference between my friends is that I am a parent and they are not. Where they worry about whether or not they will be able to get up in the morning because they stayed out all night and drank - I have to worry about whether or not my daughter has everything prepared for school the next day on top of getting myself ready for work. By no means is this a complaint, but it does make me wonder what my life would be like if I was just out on my own? What if I too didn’t have another human to be responsible for? 

-

The night was definitely still young - but the night life was out. We’ve been waiting in life to get into the first club and we’re just now getting close to the front. The night was warm but definitely had a beautiful breeze which made the wait outside to get in not so bad. My three friends and I are slightly tipsy from the few shots that we had back at Molly’s place and right as we got dropped off by the Uber we shared a blunt - you could say I was high on life right now and just riding the wave. 

My phone buzzed in my pocket and it was a text from Harry. He sent me a snapshot of Aria sleeping in her bed at his house in Anne’s arms. I replied back with a little red heart and slipped my phone back in my purse. I promised myself that tonight I was not worrying about anyone else but myself - it’s time for me to be a bit selfish for once. 

“ Hey there pretty lady, can I see your ID please?” 

I pull my I.D. to show to the bouncer and he gives me a quick nod informing me that I was able to go in. He was a tall man with a broad build and dark features, he was pretty sexy if I do say so myself. He was filled with tattoos from the neck down it seems like which is such a turn on. I hope I get to see him later on tonight. 

“ Okay ladies, let the night begin!” We interlock hands and make our way into the nightlife - I feel like a teenager all over again, just me and my girls and no worries in the world, no responsibilities, no care! 

The night club is gorgeous, it definitely one of the more popular clubs in our area, and what is even better is that all the people here seem to be around our age or even slightly a bit older, many eligible bachelors seem to be out on the town as well. 

“Let’s grab drinks!” I yell out at my friends as the music is beyond loud and has the club thumping. 

We make our way over to the bar and we spot an opening close toward the end of the bar, where it seems to be empty. We make our way over there and take a seat, waving over to the bartender signaling that we would like to order. 

She’s a petite girl, with gorgeous blue eyes and short blonde hair that hits just at her shoulders. 

“What can I get you to drink, babes?” 

“Can my friends and I get a round of tequila shots please?” she flashes me a quick smile and a nod, a minute or two later she brings the shots over to us but mentions that they were paid for. Before I can even ask who, I spot the bouncer from the door staring in my direction. 

“Ouu, looks like someone is interested in you, Lena.” 

“He probably does that to a lot of girls, I’ll thank him later.” I wanted to play it cool but the simple gesture has me melting inside a bit. 

-

The night was absolute perfection, the music was perfect and our bodies were moving - I truly haven’t had this much fun in such a long time. My feet were starting to hurt but I was not stopping anytime soon - my friends and I were truly enjoying ourselves. Molly has run off to the corner of the club with some guy that came up to her to dance - he’s a nice looking guy, dirty blonde hair and green eyes. From what I could gather, his name’s Alex and he’s in finance. He seems enough from what I can tell but I wasn’t going to become too invested in learning too much about him, because from what I can tell - this will be a quick hook-up and probably won’t proceed for much more after the night. 

Vanessa, Maria and I make our way over to the bar again for another round of drinks when I feel a hand grip my shoulder. 

“ I wanted to formally introduce myself - my name’s Tommy.” the same bouncer who asked for my I.D. as well as the one who paid for our first round of drinks came up to introduce himself. His smile was cheeky but inviting, seeing him up close again definitely has my stomach in a knot. 

“And I wanted to formally thank you for the drinks, I’m Alena.” I put my hand out for him to shake it, and his grip is stronger than I could have ever imagined. 

“ A pretty name for a pretty girl - would you like to take a seat? I have about a 30 minute break before I have to get back to my shift.” 

“I think I could spare 30 minutes of my time.” I look over to my friends and they are both giving me a nod of approval, I can not wait to tell Molly about this later. 

Tommy leads me away from the bar, to a more secluded and a bit quieter section of the club. The seats back here seem to be more for dining, but the atmosphere and aesthetic isn't much different than the main area. It looks like he had some food pre-ordered and delivered to the table back here. The table has a single lit candle on it with two drinks, an cheese burger cut in a half with a side of fries, and a side order of onion rings. 

“Do you bring all of your muses back here?” I take a seat at the booth and Tommy sits across from me. He’s even more handsome under this light. 

“No, just the pretty one that caught my eyes tonight.” His smile makes him even more likable. 

“Oh, is that so? When will she be joining us?” a chuckle escaped his lips as he was taking a sip of his drink. 

“ A girl with a sense of humor, I like it.” 

I was feeling a bit proud of myself - I don’t normally get this social with a guy after just meeting him, but I think the alcohol is still lingering in my body and I am feeling good tonight. I feel confident, sexy and empowered and no one can take that away from me. The conversations are light, mostly just fun-facts about ourselves and how we occupy our time when we aren’t here on a random Saturday night. I find out that he works as a fire-fighter and works here to fill his time and his weekends and he gets a more steady schedule. From what I can gather from our 30-minute conversation, and quick dinner, he seems like a genuine guy that I would be intrigued in getting to know, however, I am still going to be very cautious in getting to know him. We have similar interests in music and movies and we both seem to be more introverted than anything, even though he works at a nightclub. 

“Unfortunately, my break time is now just over and I have to move upstairs to the lounge for the second half of my shift, but I’d like to take you out on a proper date sometime if that's okay?” The thought of going out on a proper date makes my heart skip a beat, but he can’t know that just yet. 

“Yeah, I’d like that, Tommy.” I ask for his phone and place my number in it, and save it as “Alena” as that is my name, but it’s up to him if he would like to change it to something else later on. 

As Tommy walks me back into the main area of the club before he goes off to the second part of his shift, he looks down and leaves a kiss on my lips. It wasn’t the most romantic kiss I've ever had but it definitely left a mark. 

“I’ll see you later, pretty girl.” 

- 

When walking back into the main area of the club, I was not expecting to see who I was currently staring at. There he was, 6 foot tall stature, curly brown hair and emerald green eyes - they looked sad. However, I couldn’t focus on that because if he was here, then where is our daughter? 

“Harry, where the hell is Aria?”

Tagged List: @gurugirl @wittlecritter @kathb59 @betchyharry @styles1999 @indierockgirrl @kittenhere

@neenaanetanya

[mysweetestcreature]

Can we talk about stepbro angst like when Harry's away in college and just really missing y/n maybe it's the first time he hooks up with someone else and he's just so torn up inside cause he feels bad

shuT UPpP okay so it’s a year and a half since they broke up, but the thought of having someone else under him just doesn’t settle well in his stomach. but he’d been horny, so fucking horny––and so incredibly drunk––that he thrown all else in the wind and had jumped into bed with a pretty brunette from his physics class at a house party one of friends had forced him to attend.

So here he is now, sat on the edge of some unfamiliar bed, face buried in his hands, with the wrinkled blanket covering up his manhood. He feels sick, almost as though he may throw up. While he doesn’t remember any of it, he reeks of a cocktail of sweat, sex, and an abundant amount of guilt that coats his skin with a sticky film. “Fucking idiot,” he mutters under his breath. 

It all feels so wrong. He’d only ever had sex with one girl before, and it was the same girl he swore he’d love until the day he died. Her face is all he sees, and her laugh is all but a sweet symphony on repeat through his ears. It’s been eighteen months, but the pain of that day still lingers in his chest. 

The girl he’d hooked up with (he’s only 40% certain her name is Alena) stirs beside him, stretching her arms over her head and moaning in content as she spots Harry beside her. She sits up, allowing the blanket that covers her breast to fall around her waist. 

“Good morning,” she says in seductive tone. She scoots closer to him, and her lips start to trail along the back of his neck and down the curve of his spine. “Last night was amazing.” He can’t see her, but he can feel her smirk against his skin. Her hand snakes around his hip until it reaches the covers. “Could use an encore performance.”

Harry shuts his eyes. You’ve done it now, Styles.

It’s her image once again that filters in his eyes. Y/n. Fuck, saying her name somehow manages to fill him with both despair and longing. And it doesn’t matter that she won’t answer his calls or texts, he’s still completely devoted to her, no matter what friends and parents say otherwise. Because no words can erase her role in his life.

You don’t just forget the love of your life.

He swats Alena’s hand away as he aggressively rises out of bed.

[tabloidtoc]

OK, September 9

Cover: Katie Holmes -- My Side of the Story 

Page 1: Contents 

Page 2: Contents 

Page 4: Brad Pitt thrilled to have his kids back under his roof 

Page 6: Bethenny Frankel leaving RHONYC 

Page 7: Kanye West’s fast-food binges, Eminem is trying to make amends but Rihanna isn’t interested, Jennifer Lawrence is filming and planning her wedding and her multitasking is rubbing her costars the wrong way 

Page 8: 30th anniversary of Pretty Woman coming up and Richard Gere and Julia Roberts are making plans for a world press tour and looking forward to catching up over cozy dinners, Kylie Jenner is making it clear to her mom Kris Jenner that when it comes to her business she’s the boss, Chris Pratt is starstruck by father-in-law Arnold Schwarzenegger which annoys new wife Katherine Schwarzenegger 

Page 9: Jewel’s fitness fete, Sharon Stone is focused on her three sons 

Page 10: Red Hot on the Red Carpet -- polka dots -- Zooey Deschanel, Nikki Reed, Vanessa Hudgens 

Page 11: Brittany Snow, Zoe Kravitz, Selena Gomez 

Page 12: Kaley Cuoco vs. Iggy Azalea, Kelli Berglund vs, Linda Cardellini

Page 14: News in Photos -- Mandy Moore and Isla Fisher 

Page 15: Paula Abdul, Jim Carrey, Nicole Richie and Zooey Deschanel and Busy Philipps 

Page 16: Justin Bieber, Kourtney Kardashian 

Page 17: Autumn Calabrese, Zachary Levi 

Page 18: Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld and kids Shepherd and Julian and Sascha, Javier Bardem for Greenpeace Protect the Oceans, Kevin Jonas’ wife Danielle and daughter Alena 

Page 20: Kate Bosworth, Nick Carter, Rachel Brosnahan and Alex Borstein 

Page 22: Awkwafina and Natasha Lyonne, Tarek El Moussa and girlfriend Heather Rae Young

Page 23: Ashley Tisdale, Whitney Port and son Sonny, Christina Milian 

Page 24: Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen’s massive manor for sale

Page 26: Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s vow renewals 

Page 27: Leonardo DiCaprio and Camila Morrone’s love nest, Heidi Pratt tells Spencer Pratt to stop spending, Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher keeping the spark alive 

Page 28: Chris Hemsworth is taking a break from acting and Elsa Pataky sees it as the perfect opportunity to expand their family, Yolanda Hadid and Joseph Jingoli are serious, Love Bites -- Lily Collins and Emilia Clarke’s ex Charlie McDowell dating, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Lauren Hashian married, Mackenzie McKee and husband Josh split 

Page 29: Liam Hemsworth files for divorce from Miley Cyrus, Brody Jenner and Josie Canseco smitten kittens 

Page 30: Cover Story -- Katie Holmes is setting the record straight about her split from Jamie Foxx and whether Suri’s dad Tom Cruise is still in the picture 

Page 34: Jason Momoa’s untold story of finding love and massive success 

Page 36: Hayden Panettiere’s fresh start 

Page 38: Taylor Swift’s hits decoded -- Taylor Lautner, John Mayer, Kanye West 

Page 39: Jake Gyllenhaal, Conor Kennedy, Harry Styles, Joe Alwyn, Katy Perry 

Page 40: Interview -- Tiffany Haddish on her success, her plans for motherhood and her new show 

Page 42: Bachelorette Body Blitz -- Andi Dorfman, Kaitlyn Bristowe, JoJo Fletcher 

Page 43: Rachel Lindsay, Becca Kufrin, Hannah Brown 

Page 46: Style Week -- Zendaya 

Page 48: Lucy Hale’s bargain beat

Page 49: Eyewear -- Chrissy Teigen, Ashley Benson 

Page 50: Eye Catching -- Lana Condor 

Page 52: Beauty -- Bakuchiol -- Emmy Rossum 

Page 54: Entertainment 

Page 55: Q&A -- Kevin Cahoon of Glow 

Page 56: Who killed Princess Diana? 

Page 60: Tyler Cameron and Gigi Hadid’s hot summer nights 

Page 61: Hollywood Heat Meter -- Whitney Port and Lauren Conrad haven’t chatted in years, Larry King filed for divorce, Keanu Reeves returns for the fourth Matrix film, Sophie Turner wore the same dress Joe Jonas’ ex Taylor Swift wore three years ago, Prince George’s studies include religious studies and ballet and French and computing, Pop of Color -- Hailey Bieber 

Page 62: Horoscope -- Virgo Zendaya 

Page 64: By the Numbers -- Cara Delevingne 

[mogulinteriororlando]

Printer Dress by lady-redrise featuring an acrylic purse ❤ liked on Polyvore

Erdem brown gown, 150,590 INR / Prada multicolored dress, 192,040 INR / Alena Akhmadullina coat, 1,156,700 INR / Harris Wharf London long length coat, 47,570 INR / Alexander McQueen stretch over the knee boots, 46,640 INR / Fendi patent leather booties, 36,285 INR / Bertoni man leather shoulder bag, 39,695 INR / Lulu Guinness acrylic purse, 31,610 INR / Tom Ford ombre purse, 126,595 INR / Alexander McQueen silvertone jewelry, 20,185 INR / Earring jewelry / Eclectica pin jewelry, 8,205 INR / Oscar de la Renta gold tassel earrings, 13,370 INR / Madina Visconti di Modrone bronze ring, 27,070 INR / Surratt shadow brush, 1,300 INR / Christian Louboutin moisturizing lipstick, 6,045 INR / Estée Lauder edp perfume, 7,790 INR / Serge Lutens edp perfume, 9,735 INR / House of Sillage flower fragrance, 78,540 INR

[cindymmfan]

Printer Dress

Printer Dress by lady-redrise featuring short boots ❤ liked on Polyvore

[fcbnews]

Why Barcelona are scouting Werner, Winks, Upamecano and Golovin

Barcelona sporting director Robert Fernandez has been busy in the past few weeks, reportedly watching players in Germany, England and Russia. Rumours come up daily linking players with the Catalan club, but an appearance by Fernandez is a much better indication of who the club is keeping close tabs on. The names that have popped up include several players 21-years-old or younger, including RB Leipzig's German striker Timo Werner and French centre-back Dayot Upamecano, Tottenham's English midfielder Harry Winks and CSKA Moscow's Russian midfielder Aleksandr Golovin.  Players such as these may cost a pretty penny and in the cases of Werner, Golovin and potentially Winks, the World Cup may exacerbate that price tag even higher. Winks in particular is rumoured to be nicknamed 'Little Iniesta' by Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino, and following up a successful Champions League campaign including a 3-1 win over Real Madrid with a role in England's World Cup campaign may push Winks out of Barcelona's reach. In addition, the inflated market from the summer may still plague Barcelona as other clubs are still aware that the club have some funds remaining from the sale of Neymar and potential sales of Rafinha or Arda Turan could bring in additional spending money. The Catalan club is well-known for being very selective in the style of player that they bring into the squad and that gives opposing teams some extra leverage in increasing their valuations of their own players. Nevertheless, there is an argument to be made for bringing young depth to the club in the January transfer window or potentially even setting up preparations for the summer. Yet, with La Masia again producing talents seemingly ready for the first team such as Carles Alena, Jose Arnáiz and Marc Cucurella, it makes the decisions for the board that much more complicated. Francesc and Dan talked about striking the right balance between promoting homegrown La Masia talent or investing heavily to attract the most talented youngsters outside of the club's youth system. Listen now:

You can subscribe to 'The Barcelona Podcast' on iTunes, Libsyn, Stitcher or via your preferred podcast app. The Barcelona Podcast is brought to you by Francesc Tomas (as seen in ESPN, The Guardian) and Dan Hilton (Barcablog). Listen in for the hottest breaking stories from the Camp Nou!

via Blogger http://www.barcablog.com/2017/11/why-barcelona-are-scouting-werner-winks.html

[zayndrivesmeinvain]

The One that Got Away - Part 2

A.N. - Part 2 is here!! Thank you to everyone who is enjoying this story thus far... please don't be scared to drop in comments, anons, questions, etc! Thank you for all of the support. xo!

Pairing: Single Dad Harry Styles

Summary: We get into Harry's head - the day he has been longing for is finally here - his year long-term girlfriend finally gets to meet the two most important girls in his life: his mother & his daughter. However, Harry wonders if it's going to go as perfect as he hopes or will there be bumps along the rode?

Word Count: 4.9K

***********************************************************************

Harry 

-

The Day has come, Elizabeth is not only meeting my parents but also my biggest pride and joy, Aria. It’s almost as though the universe is on my side - it’s at the tail end of summer where the humidity and heat are nearing the end but it’s still too hot outside during the day. I informed Alena that I will be picking Aria up around 11:00 AM so that way I can spend some time with Aria before we go to my parents and then I can go pick up Elizabeth. 

I stretch my arms across my bed and grab my phone off of my nightstand - the bright phone illuminating my very dark bedroom. My phone clearly reads 6:32 AM, which gives me some time to clean my place up, run some errands, go to the gym and then go pick up my Angel. 

Once I unlock my phone I see some notifications and emails that came through last night from some employees that include some scheduling changes, new possible clients, updates on current clients, etc. as well as two texts from my parents expressing their excitement to see Aria tonight as well as finally meet Elizabeth.

-

The day went by quickly, I started my day off by cleaning around the house and putting on fresh clean sheets for my Angel. Aria's room is princess themed, pale pink walls with a plush toddler bed filled with pillows and stuffed animals. She insisted that pictures of her and her stuffed animals be displayed across a picture light line, which illuminates her whole space when the lights are completely off. I am also fortunate enough to be able to give her; her own bathroom which is attached to her bedroom… something I am sure she will appreciate the older she gets. When I think about it, her room is the only space in my whole home that has that much color, the rest of my house is full of neutral colors with masculine accents and as much as I love it, it lacks the femininity most homes have which is why I went out last week and bought a few candles that I have scattered throughout the house. 

After organizing Aria’s room, I made my way to the gym as well as the grocery store: something else I lacked in my house, food. I’m not the best chef and I mostly eat out during the week or on occasion I will stop by my parents or Elizabeth's house for a home cooked meal. However, when Aria is here on the weekends I do my absolute best to have a stocked pantry and fridge for whatever she may be in the mood for. 

I try my hardest but by no means am I the perfect father. To be quite candid, when I found out that her mother was pregnant with her my heart sank to the floor… I was not ready to be a father. I was still early in my college career, my party stage: I was sleeping with multiple girls at a time, practically fucking someone new each day and even twice in the same day, I was drinking and smoking excessively and I felt like she was going to be such a burden on my life but I was completely wrong. The first appointment I went to with her mother, I was able to hear her little heart beat and in that moment I knew that I needed to change and be the best person I could possibly be because that little girl was going to be dependent on me. Shortly after her birth, I was able to cram in as many classes as possible and intern at my fathers law-firm which has led me down my current career path. My dream and goal is to be able to run that place myself and let my father retire,however, until that day comes I will let him shine. 

-

It’s a little before 11 AM and I have just arrived at Alena’s house. She lives in a quiet little neighborhood, filled with other kids and families alike. Her single family home is located at the end of the street which allows for her to have a bit bigger yard than the rest of her neighbors which I’m sure she loves because Aria gets a little more extra yard space to play in. It’s a newer model, which my father and I helped her buy. Alena is able to take care of herself just fine, however, I vowed to myself that I would do my best to give my child the best life which meant moving her mother into a safer neighborhood and a better school district than she was once located in. 

I make my way up her drive-way and to her front door and ring her doorbell. It takes a minute, however, I am greeted by the sweetest sight - Aria is dressed in a jean overall dress with a frilly pink shirt underneath. Her mom has clicked her hair back out of her face but a sparkly clip ahas let her chestnut curls flow down. 

“Daddy! I’m so happy to see you” my little angel is beaming up at me as I pick her up into my arms and make my way into her mothers home. Alena is standing right next to the front door and allows me to step in. 

“She’s been waiting all morning for you to come - she had us pack her bag last night and only made me change her outfit three times this morning.” I can’t help but smile as her mother tells me how excited my baby is to spend time with me. I really do adore this child with my whole heart. 

“ Well Bubs, Daddy can’t wait to spend the whole weekend with you too.” My baby girl is still in my arms as I make my way into the home and sit down on the couch with her and her mother has invited me to stay for a few minutes while Aria finishes cleaning up her room before she leaves for the weekend. 

Alena’s voice takes me out of trance. “Would you like some coffee while you wait? I just finished brewing some.” 

“ Y-Y-Yeah, thank you.” The air feels thick here. 

While Alena makes her way into her kitchen, I can’t help myself from staring at her. She’s always been a gorgeous girl, but now has most definitely transformed into a woman. Growing up she was always on the thinner side, with a little plumpness to her ass and her breasts but after having Aria her body has changed. Alena’s hips have grown to be a little wider and her thighs seem to be a little thicker, her breasts seem to be slightly bigger and might I say even a bit perkier. That once smaller ass has definitely grown with her as well. I would be lying to myself if I said she still isn’t one of the most beautiful women I have ever encountered. 

My heart instantly feels guilty though, the girl that I used to make laugh and smile ia filled with hatred and disdain due to my unfaithfulness. As I have explained previously, I by no means was a saint to Alena… I didn’t even know what the word faithful meant. Instead of keeping her pure and happy, I felt the need to go find satisfaction somewhere else and would often bury my cock in another girl while Alena and I tried the long distance thing while we were both away at different colleges. I was selfish because I couldn’t wait a weekend or two for her to come home and satisfy my needs, so I went and found other girls to satisfy me during the week and weekends she was busy. I am not proud to admit this and it’s honestly one of my biggest regrets in life to do this day but I broke her, lost her trust, and she probably still hates me. 

Her voice pulls me out of a trance once again, “ How would you like your coffee?” 

“I drink it black - good for the soul.” I try to keep conversation light to keep the mood and room feeling happy but I don’t think she wants to engage in anything further, all she gives is a small smile and hands me a mug with black coffee. 

“She’s off from school on Monday, if you’d like to keep her an extra day… I’m sure she’d love to spend the time with you…” but before I can even get in a word she cuts me off, “But if you have plans with your girlfriend or something, it’s okay. I know it’s last minute.”

“My daughter comes before anyone else - you already know this. I’ll have her back Monday after dinner if that’s okay.” I try my best to fill the awkwardness by taking a sip of coffee and letting room for her to speak but I don’t get nothing but a head nod and a quiet, “That’s fine.” 

Before it could get even more awkward, Aria makes her way into the living room and announces that she is ready for the weekend with me. She and her mother exchange a few hugs and kisses before we make our way out the door. 

Before her mother shuts the door behind us, she yells out to Aria, “ You better behave for daddy while you’re with him or no more late movie nights when you get back for a whole week!” 

I would be lying to myself if I don't admit that hearing Alena reference me as daddy didn’t make my cock twitch a little. 

- 

Aria and I have been at my parents for the last 3 hours and it’s almost time for me to go pick up Elizabeth. My heart is pounding out of my chest. Besides Alena, my parents have never met another girlfriend of mine, but that’s mostly due to us not staying together or constantly breaking up. I had this one girlfriend about a year ago. Her name was Camila. Camila was a beautiful bombshell, gorgeous body with long blonde hair but she was so irritating and sharp as a bowling ball… we had nothing in common but she was great in bed and satisfied my needs. But that wasn’t her biggest downfall - her biggest downfall was that she was extremely insecure and even if another woman walked in my direction she thought I had eyes for them, which was not the case. Ultimately, we were on and off for about 2 years but I figured I wouldn’t tell anyone because I knew she wasn’t going to be in it for the long haul and was only a temporary fix to my desire and need to have someone around. 

However, when I met Elizabeth shortly after Camila, I knew she was different. Elizabeth is poised, elegant but most definitely has an erotic side that fits in perfectly with my desires. She’s about 5’8 with jet black hair that hits the middle of her back, and more on the athletic build. She has these gorgeous bright blue eyes that remind me of the ocean and the most sexy smile. She’s knowledgeable, smart and sophisticated and I can actually hold a conversation with her - and to top it off she has a good heart. As much as I deeply care for her, tonight will be the true testament on what the next steps are in our relationship because if tonight doesn’t go best I am hoping, then I have a lot to reconsider. 

“Aria, baby… daddy is going to be right back. I’m going to go pick-up one of my friends and bring her over. Okay?” Aria, my parents and I have been sitting in the backyard for the last hour, Aria has sprawled out on me and she’s been trying to fight a nap. Her mother informed me that, around this time she puts her down for a nap because she will get cranky and boy was she right. 

“N-No, please d-d-dont go.” her eyes started to spark up tears, she digs her head further into my chest and closes her grip onto my shirt. I truly have never seen this side of her, it seems as though her mother sees it all the time though. Her mother warned me about her restlessness and how quickly she can go from a sweet angel to a saucy devil. 

“Baby, Daddy won’t be gone for long..” I moved her off of my chest softly, so I can look into her eyes as I speak to her. I want her to know that she is safe with me - she is loved and I would never break my promises to her. Her tears have already started to mark her clothes and I do the best I can wiping her tears away with my thumbs. “ I promise when I get back, we can play as much as you want.” I place tender kisses on her forehead all the way down to her little toes until I spark that laugh that sounds like music to my ears. 

- 

The whole drive to Elizabeth’s my stomach was in knots. I really don’t have anything to be nervous about, but here I am, sweating like a prostitute in church. The drive to Elizabeths from my parents house was close to a 35-minute drive, enough time to be alone with her, but not too much time away from Aria. 

When I arrive at Elizabeth's apartment complex, I send her a text that I am waiting for her outside. I originally had insisted that I’d come inside to pick her up, which I have done plenty of times before, however, she let me know that she had her sister staying with her temporarily due to a her sisters awful break-up and she thinks that seeing another male species will only infuriate her sister even more. 

Elizabeth looks absolutely divine making her way to my car. She has a beautiful sundress that is a shade of cream, with spaghetti straps that tie on the ends. Her sundress hits just to the mid of her calf and she has on these tan sandals. Her jet black hair has been curled on the ends, and her make-up seems to be done-up more than usual. She’s effortlessly gorgeous. 

“Well hello there m’darling.” her perfume encapsulates my car, it’s vanilla. “I missed you,Harry.” Her plump pink lips meet with mine and all I can think about is wanting to devour her later. Her lips taste like cherry, and I notice that some of her lipstick has rubbed off on me. 

“Har, I’m nervous…” her voice was much more timid than I was used to hearing. 

“M’darling, there’s absolutely nothing to be nervous about. It’s all going to go well.” I don’t know if it was saying all of this to convince her or me because to be honest I was nervous as well. I use my free hand to rub small circles around her thigh. 

“Have you ever introduced her to any other girlfriends of yours?” I know she’s just trying to make small talk because we had this same conversation just earlier this week. 

“Nope, you’re the first one.” I passed a small smirk over to her in hopes that it would comfort her and from the looks of it, her nerves must have calmed down a bit because her cheeks aren’t as flush. 

“Har, what if she doesn’t like me? I mean, she doesn't have to but I would like her too.” she's starting to ramble, something I noticed she does when she wants to get her feelings out but doesn’t want to come off as too pushy or demanding or even opinionated. The first time I picked up on this trait was when she stayed over my house for the first time. We had just gotten out of the shower together, and I stepped out of the shower without wrapping myself in a towel first, and she was mortified because my tile flooring was soaked, and she deemed it as a slipping hazard. She says she wasn’t trying to be a nag, but all she did that night was express to me all the different ways she and I could have gotten hurt. 

“M’darling, I have a feeling she’s going to love you. However, just try and stay open minded and not too handsy infront of her - I must warn you… she can get a little overprotective at times, Alena and I are working on teaching her the importance of sharing.” The mention of my daughter's mother seems to have struck a chord in Elizabeth's mood but I’m going to blame it on her nerves, rather than anything else. 

The rest of the 20 minute ride to my parents was spent in silence, with the radio being used more so as background noise than actually for listening. By no means did I make that comment to upset Elizabeth, however, she is fully aware of the relationship I have with Alena. I have explained to her once before that Alena and I are just two people who are co parenting - I wouldn’t even call us friends at this point in time. Alena and I rarely communicate, unless it is solely about Aria but we do text each other Happy Birthday every year but even that seems forced. When I think about it, the best way to describe it is that I have love for her but I am not in love with her. My love for her comes from the fact that she is primarily raising our daughter, cares for our daughter, and is the absolute best mother to our daughter and I have massive respect for her, but that is it. 

“Well we’re here, Babe. Let’s go show them how beautiful you are inside and out.” I pulled Elizabeth in for a tender kiss on her lips, my hands cupping her face gently.I don’t want a silly comment to ruin her mood for the rest of the night, nor do I ever want her to worry about how much I care about her and how much she means. 

“I’m ready, Har.” a large smile was plastered on her face - there’s the Elizabeth that I know. 

-

So far, so good. My mom Anne, was already so smitten with Elizabeth - they apparently already have so much in common from what books they enjoy reading, reality TV shows they enjoy to even their favorite stores, it’s almost like they are the same person the only difference is their looks. My mom is a petite woman with dark chocolate brown hair, and her eyes are the color of the sea, her smile is the best part of her - it could light up any room. Throughout my whole life, my mother has been my biggest supporter, even when I was being a piece of shit son and a horrible partner to Aria’s mom. The one quality I admire the most about my mother is her ability to forgive - when I was around the age of sixteen, my father had an affair with his then receptionist. I remember her, she was this beautiful bombshell with the biggest tits and always wore very tight pencil skirts. My father hadn’t come home for dinner yet and it was getting late, my mother had called him at least twice and she had asked me to go with her to his office in case something was wrong and when we got there, there was definitely something not right. All the lights in his firm had been dimmed besides his office and we could hear quiet muffles coming from down the hall. When I tell you, I’ve never been so heart broken for my mother. I am not joking. There my father was, plowing into his reception while her skirt was hiked up to her hips, her tits bouncing up and down while she rode him. Her mouth was gaped open while she moaned obnoxiously, by the time she and my father noticed that my mother and I were watching, they were both coming down from their high. 

That night was one of the worst nights of my life - my perfect family that I once knew was broken and I was positive that it would never be fixed. It took my mother 2 years to discuss with my father what had happened that night and how it made her feel. For two years, my father temporarily lived in an apartment because my mom did not allow him to come home - even though it was his house that he had bought. My father, even though a tough man, knew he had fucked up and he was not man enough to face my mother until she was ready, a man who rarely wined and dined my mother was now sending her flowers and gifts almost every day, but my mother never accepted them - all she wanted was a faithful husband who loved her and no one else. I believe that my fathers infidelity dimmed my mothers light for a while, however, when she learned of my infidelity and crazy antics when I was younger, that really broke her. My mother believed that she failed as a parent because I grew up to just be like my father, a cheater. 

Fast forward to now, my mother and father still live in the same house but I can tell that everything is much much different now. My mother doesn’t smile or laugh as much as she used. She has lost a bit of weight and now started to wear clothes that accentuate her body ever so slightly. My father doesn’t go into the office as much and prefers to work from home, he likes to say it’s because he’s trying to let me get my feet wet into the business and he wants to be behind the scenes but I know it’s because my mother doesn’t trust him anymore and he wants nothing more to regain her trust. 

- 

“Honey, Harry here tells us that you work at an account firm. How do you like it?” We’re sitting outside on the patio deck, and my mom has just brought out the last of the dinner for everyone. 

“Oh yes, it’s honestly really great. I really love the people I work for and really enjoy my profession. I’ve always been so interested in numbers and accounting.” Elizabeth is beaming a smile over to my mother, and my mother just seems like she is in complete awe of her. 

“Oh that's just wonderful! And how long have you been with this company?” I appreciate the effort my mothers makes to make Elizabeth comfortable, but all she’s been doing is asking this poor girl questions, she hasn’t even had the chance to really let her eat. 

“ Oh, just over two years now. I originally started off as an intern but have started to make my way up. I’m currently working as a front desk operator, but they say a position should be opening up very shortly which will allow me to move up in my career.” Finally, Elizabeths able to take a bite of her dinner. 

“It’s allowed me to learn a lot of the administrative aspects of the business, so I’ve learned to really appreciate how much detailing goes into their day to day to make everyone else's job easy as possible, to be honest, before my initial internship I didn’t really understand what exactly it meant to be an accountant… I just knew that's what I was supposed to do in life.” Before my mother could follow-up in the conversation, a small frame was standing at the sliding doors as they had just woken up. 

Right as I had arrived with Elizabeth to my parents house, my mother had texted me to inform me that Aria had fallen asleep for her nap. As much as I would have loved to have a grand reveal meeting between Elizabeth and Aria, my baby’s nap was most important. 

“ Oh look who woke up from their nap.” my baby girl slid the doors open and made her way into my arms. It was obvious that she was still groggy because she didn’t even acknowledge the people around us, all she managed to do was place her head in the crook of my neck. 

“Bubs, I have a special friend I want’ya to meet.” I could tell that Elizabeth was hoping for the best, her eyes were full of eagerness. Aria turned her body away from me and looked in Elizabeth’s direction. I was treading with caution and allowing Aria to lead the way into this new interaction, I didn’t want to push her if she wasn’t ready. Aria didn’t say much but she did manage to smile shyly and give her a wave, which I think is a good start. 

“ Hi my name’s Elizabeth, what’s yours?” Elizabeth hesitantly placed her hand out for a hand shake and surprisingly Aria took the bait and shook Elizabeth's hand back. 

“ My name’s Aria.” she was a shy one tonight. 

For the rest of the night, Aria didn’t interact much with Elizabeth, she primarily just sat on my lap while she played with her toys. I can tell that Elizabeth wants to try and interact with Aria more but doesn’t want to push the issue anymore, I can sense her hope for a relationship but I had warned her about this. I had warned her that this was all still very new for Aria, myself and even her mother. 

-

The night was coming to an end, it was roughly a bit after 9:30 PM, and Aria has fallen asleep on my parents' living room sofa. My mom suggested I take Elizabeth home first and then come back for Aria, she said it would give us some “alone time”. 

The drive back to Elizabeth’s started off quiet but I finally broke the silence. 

“I’m sorry it didn’t go the way you had expected. I’m positive she’ll warm up soon enough, my love.” I placed my hand gently on her thigh and traced small circles on her knee. 

“Har, there’s nothing to apologize about. She doesn’t know me…” I could sense the disappointment in her voice but there was only so much I could do or say, things like this take time especially when another parent is involved. “ Har, I think we need to focus on our relationship and build it before we try to do things all together again - I can sense the love you and your daughter share, however, I don’t think she’s ready for you to share her with me.” 

“ Elizabeth, I’m sorry you feel this way but I believe I made it very clear to you that above all I am a father. I don’t think it’s fair to make a judgment call based on one interaction.” Her confession irritates me because I did not lead her on to believe that anyone or anything would come above Aria. 

“ You have made it clear to me, multiple times actually. I love spending time with you, being with you, loving you. But I don’t think you’re actually as ready as you think you are to allow me in, in regard to that part of your life.” 

We have approached her building complex, she hasn’t gotten out of the car yet but I also haven’t asked her to. 

“ Har, you’re a great guy but I think you have a lot to think about. I’ll be here whenever you’re ready… I would never in a million years try to take you away from your daughter, but I also want to make sure that you’re actually ready for something serious.” she turns her body so she's now facing me.

“ I want you to be with me effortlessly, I don’t want to feel like I am competing for your attention, and right now… and even times before, it feels like no matter what I say, you’re always bringing up your daughter in some way as an excuse as to why something can’t happen or something can’t be done or it doesn’t meet expectations, or whatever. Harry, I want you but I need you to want me too and be ready for me and all that comes with being in an actual mutually loving relationship. Does that make sense?” 

Her words were harsh, but they were true. She was coming from a place of love, her voice stayed calm and gentle, yet they were full of emotion. I feel horrible that I have made her feel this way, yet she seems so understanding… As much as I care for this woman, I am not ready for her. 

“I’m sorry for dragging you along this whole time, when you did not feel as though I was fully there for you.” I gently grab her hands into mine. “ I want to continue seeing you and growing with you… but I think you’re right.” It actually really hurts to admit this out loud, but it needed to be said. “ Where do we go from here?” I don’t want this to end, I care for her alot and before she even gets the chance to respond I blurt out the only thing that comes to mind. 

“Liz, I love you.” 

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