The next day, Harry and I were headed to Simon’s office in the centre of the city. There was no particular reason for me to go, other than that I was going to meet my brother for lunch after and if I came along with Harry, I could avoid taking the sweaty confines of the underground train.

Simon’s offices were ridiculous. I couldn’t fathom how rich he was. We had only met briefly, once or twice. First when I became stylist for the band, and second at the album release party the previous year. I looked down at my phone, feeling guilty when I saw three messages from Eleanor.

how are you today lovely? if you want to come over and watch a movie i’m here all day!
thinking of you today annie.. hope everything is okay. let me know as soon as you’ve told him. xx
love you no matter what!! :)

I plunged the phone back into my pocket and looked up, plastering a forced smile onto my lips.

“Good to see you,” Simon said, shaking Harry’s hand. “Hi, Annie.” He nodded in my direction and I smiled politely back.

We followed Simon into his personal office and both took a seat at a large table. Harry sat closest to him, surrounded my documents and other important-looking information. I just stared at it all, feeling pretty useless seeing as it had nothing to do with me.

They both started talking away and I sat in the background, overseeing it all. Harry and Simon got engaged in what I called “serious boring talk.”

“Now, of course that kicks off in June. We’ve got two months. So we’ll have you fly straight to South America, maybe one or two days before, and then you’re going to need to be in rehearsals all day-“

“What kicks off in South America?” I blurted, and quickly realised how unprofessional it was. Simon looked at Harry, almost an apology on his face. They both looked at me.

“The new tour, babe..” Harry started, unsurely, “I told you about it, when we were at your parents?"

I stared at him, unable to speak momentarily.

“And,” I started. “How.. How long is it?”
Harry looked at Simon, as if he didn’t even know the answer himself.
“It’s seven months.”

I didn’t speak for the rest of the meeting, trying to fight back the tears as I realised that if I kept this baby.. and I couldn’t see myself not, it would be born with it’s Dad hours across the world.

---

The car journey to the restaurant where I met Frankie was dead silent. I knew Harry felt bad, but if he knew why I was so upset, he probably would have felt even worse.

“I’m sorry, babe.” He sighed, looking out through his dark sunglasses. “This is just, how it has to be at the moment. It won’t be forever. You can fly out for nearly all the dates anyway, can’t you?"

I looked at him, barely able to do so for more than two seconds. I nodded quietly, exiting the car. This was only getting worse. Harry reluctantly drove away.

“Alright sis?” Frankie smiled, pulling off his own sunglasses and touching fists with me. I nodded, putting my brave face back on.
“Yeah, let’s go eat."

I had no intention to tell Frankie anything, merely meeting up with him just as an escape from either sitting at home waiting for Harry, or sitting at home with Harry.

“You know how Harry used to date that Cara Delevigne girl,” Frankie said, bringing a piece of chicken to his mouth. “Do you think he’ll pass on her digits to me?”
“Shut up, Frankie.” I rolled my eyes.
“Alright! Just thought I’d ask. I’ve had a crush on her for months."

Frankie of course, let me pay the bill. "You’re rich now” being his excuse. I rolled my eyes, but embraced him tightly before I left, feeling needy and sensitive to anybody’s touch.

“Love you.” I said.
“Love you too.” He looked at me unsurely. “Is everything alright?”
I nodded quickly. “Everything’s fine. I’ll call you in the week."

Frankie nodded, and we parted ways. I walked quickly into the underground station, realising that this was serious. I needed to tell Harry, there was just no way to keep it from him anymore. I took a deep breath, deciding that this evening would be the right time. He would be leaving for Paris in the early hours of the morning, and I couldn’t let it go on for any longer.

---

I placed my travel bag by the door, ready for the early hours and my trip to Paris. I heard my phone start to ring in the distance, and made my way to the kitchen where it laid on charge. I glanced at the caller I.D. Lou.

“Hi!” She said, happily down the phone. “Sorry to bother ya, but do you know if Lux left her little mini-handbag there last week? She’s driving me insane looking for it.”
I frowned. “Erm, what’s it like?”
“It’s black and tiny. Just a miniature one. Maybe it’s lying around somewhere in your house?”
“Yeah, alright. I’ll have a look and give you a call back.” I said, putting down the phone.

I made my way upstairs, thinking about dinner already. Maybe I could make something for Annie, seeing as I had to leave her again tomorrow. I sighed as I reached the top of the stairs, feeling guilty.

Our bedroom door was open, and I stood with my hands on my hips, wondering where to look. I pulled open my drawers, nothing. Annie’s, nothing. I got on my knees and peered under the bed. I saw something under there and pulled it out. Finally. The little black, quilted purse with a chain handle. I peered inside, checking it wasn’t somehow Annie’s.

The bag was empty, all but for one thing. I reached in and pulled out a long, white stick. At first not knowing what it was, I thought about tossing it on the bed. But I had seen enough movies to know exactly what it was.

I thought long and hard. In the future, I would look back on this moment and feel incredibly naïve for not knowing who’s it was. Was Lou pregnant again? Was this some twisted way of telling me?

Then I thought of Annie. My face paled. I crouched down and sat on the edge of the bed, resting my chin on my hand and thinking, hard. I must have sat there for at least thirty minutes.

The migraines, the sickness, the weird eating habits, and the not wanting to have sex. I had never prided myself on being intelligent, but I wasn’t totally deficient of common sense.

No, surely she wouldn’t be. Ever since I had known Annie she’d used birth control and she’d always taken it properly. I felt my hands start to shake. I pulled out my phone, standing up and shoving the test in my back pocket.

The three rings it took Annie to answer almost felt like a life time. When I heard her usual, soft voice reach my end of the phone, I closed my eyes.

“Hi, doll,” She said, and I could hear the hustle and bustle of the street she was walking down.
“Where are you?” I managed.
“I’m just walking back to the house from the station. Shall I stop and get some dinner? I think we have some stuff there for salad, but I might stop and get some fresh bits and pieces-“
“Annie, just come home.” I said, sternly.

There was a moment of silence after I interrupted her, and I could tell her anxieties were growing.

“O..kay, is everything okay?” She said, and I heard the shake in her voice.
“I’ll speak to you when you’re here.” I clenched my jaw, shutting off the phone.

---

Annie’s POV

I stopped outside the front door to our house, feeling my stomach turn. I wanted to drag out this moment for as long as possible. I didn’t ever want to go into that house.

I was sure he knew. I was sure he’d found out.

I placed my key in the lock, turning it at snail pace. I pushed open the door, and walked into the lounge.

Harry sat, his dark, collared pea-coat surrounding his face in a way that made him look so stern and sophisticated, he intimidated me. His elbows were resting on his thighs, his head resting on clenched fists. He stared through my eyes and I shakily sat on the edge of the sofa, avoiding his eyes. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a long, white stick. I recognised it straight away.

“What is this?” He asked, simply, but I could tell he was angry. I couldn’t say anything. “Annie, you had better look at me."

I was petrified, as I looked up at him. His plump lips were pursed into a stern frown. His eyes were darkened, no time for bullshit. I bit my lip and with every second I didn’t reply his face grew more and more knowing.

“You’re pregnant.” He stated. I dropped my eyes. I felt my hands starting to shake. How in God’s name did he find that test? I had hidden it under the mattress. “I found it in this."

Harry held up a little bag and I recognised it instantly, as Lux’s. I cursed inwardly. Lux must have somehow gotten hold of it and placed it in her bag, unintentionally and probably whilst playing with it. My heart was beating so fast.

“I was going to tell you..” I whispered. Harry’s expression stayed like stone and he shoved the test back in his pocket. He stood up, pacing the floor in front of me.

“Oh yeah? When was a good time to tell me? Three months when you can’t hide your stomach anymore? Seven months when you give birth?” Harry was losing his temper, and fast. “You’re so selfish, Annie. That’s my baby in there.” He threw a hand up over at me. I felt tears begin to sting my eyes.
“I’m sorry, okay! I’m not exactly qualified to know what to do in this situation. I’ve been petrified. It’s been pretty hard to tell you anything because you’re always out at your trendy fashion parties.”
“You think because I act like a twenty-one year old that I don’t deserve to know my girlfriend is having a fucking baby?” I hadn’t seen this side of Harry return in almost a year. He was furious. “It’s a baby, Annie! It’s not a new car, or a new house you’ve bought without letting me know. It’s my child!”
“I knew you’d be angry.” I whispered, starting to give up the fight.

There was a moment of silence in which Harry appeared to be calming himself down.

“I’m angry because you didn’t tell me and you shut me out and you kept this from me and we could have shared it, together.” He said, simply. “I’m not angry that it’s.. happening.”
I stared at the floor, willing myself to meet his gaze. “You’re not angry that I’m pregnant? But what about the band, about everything?” I asked.

He ran a thick hand through his hair, and sighed. “It’s all things that we can work around. I mean.. you do want to have the baby, I’m taking it?”

I stopped and thought because it was never really a question I had asked myself.

“I do, I mean.. I do, but what about you?” I felt so weak and small compared to his stature, long thin legs towering over me, broad shoulders with thick hands placed in his coat pockets.
“Well I’m not walking away from it, nobody should ever do that.” He said, crouching down and meeting my tender frame. “We might be good parents, if we ever stop arguing.” He gave a small wink, and my heart started to pace itself seeing his humour return.
“Have I ruined everything?” I asked him, sincerely.
“No, Annie, you haven’t ruined anything.” He smiled, bringing his thumb to graze my cheek. “You might have made them better. It’s a baby, you’ll be a mum and I’ll be a dad. That’s pretty amazing."

I couldn’t contain my happiness, and I wondered how my moods had changed drastically in this ten minute conversation.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” I whispered, placing my hands on his shoulders. Harry wrapped his arms around my waist.
“I’m sorry you felt like you couldn’t tell me.” He kissed me on the forehead, soothing me for minutes.

Notes

ooooomg.. well!
sorry for the late update! hope you enjoyed! please keep letting me know what ya think..