"Do you want some more coffee?"

I nod my head and Harry kisses the side of my head before getting up from the couch to refill both our cups. I watch as he goes and only tear my eyes away when I feel the couch dip beside me. Gemma smiles at me and looks at Harry quickly, then back at me.

"You guys are so cute," she says quietly. My face flushes. "I can see how much he loves you. He's never looked this happy before."

"Really?" I ask, a smile forming on my lips.

"He's always had this darkness, you know? Our lives growing up were really hard and Harry always struggled with it. He was good at hiding it, but I always knew he was miserable. Now there's this...light in his eyes. Instead of being dull and dark they're light and happy. It's amazing to see how much he's changed. That's all because of you."

Her words mean more to me than she realizes, but they're so amazing that I have no idea how to respond to them. She squeezes my leg and I smile widely at her, Harry walking around the couch.

"You're in my seat," he says, smirking at his sister.

She rolls her eyes and goes back to her spot on the other couch. Harry hands me my mug and sits right beside me, his arm wrapping around my shoulders. I mouth a 'thank you' to Gemma and she nods before turning her attention to her magazine.

"What did you two talk about?" he asks lowly. I shrug and sip my coffee. "Fine don't tell me. But if I find out it was about me I'll..."

"What?" I prompt, laughing.

"I don't know what I'll do yet, but trust me it won't be good."

I just laugh and pull my legs onto the couch, angling my body to the side and resting my legs over his. He kisses the top of my head and wraps his arm tighter around me so he can see his watch on the other side of me.

"We should probably get going. You're all packed, right?"

"Yeah," I answer sadly. I'm not ready to go back to California quite yet. Being here with Harry's family in this small town away from everything has been so perfect. I'm not ready to go back to the secrets and hiding.

"We can come back," he says, sensing my mood. "If you want to."

I nod and he kisses my forehead once more before I stand and head up the stairs to make sure I have everything together. While I'm in the bedroom Anne comes in and hands me a sweater.

"I washed this for you," she says. I take it with a quiet thank-you and set it in my suitcase. She sits on the edge of the bed and I can see she wants to tell me something.

"Is everything okay?" I ask, zipping my luggage up. I set it on the floor and sit beside her, my legs crossed in front of me so I'm facing her.

"Harry told me everything."

My heart almost stops in that moment. Everything. Harry finally had a long conversation with his mum last night, just the two of them. I figured they were talking about his father, but apparently that's not all they talked about. Some warning would have been nice.

"I'm not upset," she says softly. I continue to stare at her, eyes wide with my palms sweaty and closed in my lap. "I was surprised. I am surprised. I can't say this is what I was expecting."

"I know," I whisper, my throat seeming to close up.

"Don't be nervous," she says, placing her hand over mine. "Savannah, I'm not going to say this all sits right with me. That would be a lie. But my son has gone through more in his life than anyone deserves to go through in ten lifetimes, and I'm not going to rob him of the only thing that's been able to make him happy. The only person. You are the reason my son even came back to us and for that I am so grateful. I just hope you both know what you're doing, and I hope you're as serious about him as he is about you. I don't want his heart broken. That's the last thing he deserves."

"I would never do that. I could never hurt him. The only way I'd ever leave him is if he made me."

"Trust me, that won't happen. I like you, Savannah. This whole thing makes me nervous, but Harry deserves to be happy. You can give him that."

She smiles at me and pats my hands as she stands from the bed. I flop back onto it when she's gone and let out the breath I had been holding in. My hands are trembling and I feel like I might throw up.

"Read to head out?" Harry asks, stepping inside. I don't respond, just hold my arms over my eyes. "What?"

"Your mother just had a little talk with me," I say quietly. I feel the bed dip with his wait and when I finally uncover my eyes I find him smirking at me. "Why the hell are you smiling?"

"Sorry," he says, laughing.

"Why didn't you tell me you told her I'm your student? A little warning would have been nice."

"I didn't think she'd say anything. I asked her not to."

"Gee, that worked out well."

"What'd she say?"

"That she doesn't really like it but she's happy that you're happy."

He smiles. "That's not so bad, love."

"I expected worse," I tell him honestly. "But it was still awkward."

"Well I love you, so she's not going to try to take that away from me. But we really should get going, I don't want to get to the hotel too late and it's almost eight already."

He pecks my lips and moves away again, but I put my arms around his neck to keep him against me. He smiles as he continues to kiss me, a soft, simple kiss that doesn't go much further than that. I just want him to know that I love him.

---

Saying goodbye to Harry's family was a lot harder for him than he'd admit, I can see by the look on his face as we sit in our chairs on the plane that he's sad to be leaving again. I thought I saw a tear in his eye when he said his goodbyes to the baby, but he would never let us see that. The armrest between us shifted up so there's no barrier, I slide my hand into his and squeeze it in comfort. He smiles weakly at me.

"We'll come back," I tell him softly. He nods. "Soon, okay? I want to come back."

"It's so amazing that you get along so well with them. I couldn't have asked for a better week."

I don't respond, just lean my head against his shoulder. When he kisses my head I feel him breathe out deeply against my hair, and in that moment I feel complete serenity.

After about three hours of being in the air and almost two complete movies I'm completely restless. Flying back in the morning was probably better, but it also means I'm full of energy. My knee bounces up and downs, fingers tapping against the armrest beside me.

"Babe." Harry reaches across me and puts his hand over mine, his face close.

"Sorry," I breathe, my eyes flickering down to his lips. He catches the movement and the corner of his mouth twitches up into a crooked smile.

"Something on your mind?" he asks lowly. I shake my head and he slides his hand up my arm and across my collarbone.

He chuckles against my lips when they press to his, the kiss much to passionate for such a public area. He stops it after a moment and I lean my forehead into his, breathing his air.

"Shit," he mutters. He pulls back from me and looks up and down the aisle, my bottom lip taking between my teeth. He turns back and puts his lips against my ear.

"I'm going to the bathroom," he whispers. My stomach clenches, my body heating as he speaks. "Maybe I'll see you there."

He gets up and walks towards the front of the plane. The bathroom up there is larger, but it's much quieter up here and it'll be completely obvious to the other people in first class that we're both in there. Oh well.

After about seven minutes I'm squirming in my seat and I can't wait any longer and I unbuckle myself quickly so I can head to the front of the plane. When I knock on the bathroom door I turn towards an old lady, eyeing me with a small but knowing smile. When the door opens I'm yanked inside, immediately pushed up against the wall. Harry lips attack my neck and I tangle my fingers into his hair, his hands tugging at the material of my shirt.

"I love you," he murmurs against my lips

"Show me."

---

"It was amazing," I gush, Kylie's arm linked with mine as we walk towards our classroom. "His family is so great and the whole week was just incredible. It couldn't have gone better."

"Sav, that's so great! I want to hear about all of it after school. We're going for frozen yogurt after school so you can tell me every dirty little detail."

"Okay," I agree. When we get to English class we're stopped by the secretary.

"Savannah, Principle Stenson would like to see you for a moment in his office."

"I have class. Is it important?" I ask, annoyed that she'll be cutting into my class with Harry. I look inside the room and see him at his desk, watching curiously the interaction between us.

"It's important," she insists. "I'm sure it won't be long."

"Alright," I agree. Kylie shrugs as I turn and I follow the slight woman down the hall towards the administrative offices.

When I get to the principle's office I don't have to wait for him, which is normal to do for about fifteen minutes. I'm not sure why he calls people to his office when he's already busy. It's just annoying. When I sit across from him he shuts his computer and folds his hands on his desk.

"Miss Williams," he begins, "I trust you had a pleasant break?"

"It was fine."

"Mhmm. I won't delay the reason I've asked to speak with you. There have been some disturbing rumours travelling around the student body that have been brought to my attention. Evidence that a teacher here is seeing a student."

My heart drops into my stomach, but I try not to show any reaction but surprise on my face. If I'm in here, that can only mean one thing. And I could not be more terrified.

"That's insane," I say, my hand against my chest. "Who would do that?"

"You're a smart girl, Savannah. You're here because the rumours have begun to target you."

We just stare at each other for a moment. People know. He knows. Harry...what is this going to do?

"That's ridiculous," I say finally. "They're rumours, sir. I'm not dating a teacher, that's insane."

"It is insane," he agrees. "That doesn't mean it's untrue. We have proof."

"Proof?" I ask, scoffing. There's no way...we've been so careful.

There's an eerie silence as he opens a drawer and takes out an envelope. He's oddly calm, not rushed or angry as he pulls out a few large photographs. When he places them in front of me I can feel the colour drain from my face. I can't deny these. They're clear, obvious. Harry and me.

"Mr. Styles and yourself have been seeing each other," he concludes, setting the photos in front of me. There's some of us outside his building, even one of us a little too close in his office. Who could have taken these? How could someone know?

"Where did you get these?" I ask hoarsely.

"It doesn't matter. I'm going to give you the opportunity to come clean about all of this. You'll receive a simply suspension if you tell me the truth."

"That's it? What about Ha-Mr. Styles?" Shit.

"He'll be unable to continue teaching at this school," he says firmly. "This is wildly inappropriate and I cannot let it effect the reputation of our school. So, what would you like to tell me?"

After about twenty minutes of him interrogating me and me refusing to tell him anything he finally let me go.I can't go back to class, though. I'm too shaken up. Screw the no phones thing, they already no. I text Harry's phone and tell him we need to talk as soon as he's done class, heading out the front doors with my bags so I can leave. When I get to my car Troy is leaning against the back of it.

"Troy?"

He looks up at me and everything clicks into place. His sudden ease around me, the lack of expressing his feelings, the determined look in his eyes that I decided not to notice. He was waiting. He never moved on.

"Don't hate me," he says, standing when I stop in my tracks. My vision blurs with tears, anger boiling up inside me.

"It was you."

Notes

theres only going to be a few more chapters left!!!!!!! so please keep voting :) if we could get up to 100 votes before this story is over that would be amaazing.

DIDNT SEE THAT COMING did ya. didn't think so. oh shit.

this story is close to over. and i think i might be changing my mind about the sequel....im pretty sure im going to be writing it. haven't decided 100% but pretty sure :P

please please comment guys! i would love some feedback please :)

keep voting!!!!!!