Pretend (Harry Styles) - Book 3

Chapter 44: Breaking Point

23 Weeks Along

-Ava's POV-

"Ignore them."

"Trying to obviously."

"You're doing a piss poor job of it. Stop pouting."

"I'm not." Harry scowls at Gemma across the table.

"You are." Gem presses.

"Gemma.." Anne warns, giving her daughter a pointed look.

"What?" She questions, finally looking away from Harry. "He looks like he's about ready to murder a village."

A loud tapping on the window across the room pulls our attention once again. Several flashes go off as we all turn to look at the reporters who followed us to the restaurant.

"This is fucking ridiculous." Harry snaps.

"Language please." Anne tries to force a smile on her face.

"We shouldn't of come." Harry looks over at me worriedly.

"What were we supposed to eat? Dinner was burned cause Mum was trying to get those wankers off the lawn. We're here because of you. Now ignore them and let's try to have a nice dinner." Gemma orders, pressing on Harry's last nerve. "You're only making this worse."

"Enough Gemma please." Robin speaks up.

Gemma frowns, glancing over at me. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine." I shake my head as I twirl my pasta around my fork.

"It's not bloody fine." Harry states loudly.

"It is. Please, just ignore them like Gemma said."

"Can't."

"Bloody hell Haz, you've people following you all the time." Gemma rolls her eyes at Harry's clipped tone. "You always manage to smile and be polite, but tonight you've went and yelled at them twice already. Giving them just what they want is what you're doing."

"Sodd of Gem. I'm sick of this shite. She shouldn't have to deal with this." Harry motions towards me as he sits back in his chair.

"Harry love, I think Ava is just fine." Anne rests a hand on Harry's forearm, trying to calm him.

Harry looks over at me with a frown as he anxiously runs his fingers through his long hair. I give him a soft smile and start to open my mouth to assure him I am just that, but another tapping on the window makes me involuntarily flinch.

His whole body tenses as he takes in my reaction. His napkin is promptly dropped onto his plate as he stands up, the loud noise of his chair dragging across the floor causing everyone to look at us.

"Harry." I grab his hand, getting his attention so he doesn't storm out of the restaurant for the third time tonight. "Please let's just finish. They aren't bothering me."

He sighs as he sits back down in his chair. This is so unlike him. He can barely sit still he's so angry. We were followed from the house to the restaurant, accusations and questions being hurled at us as we made our way inside. Only more have showed up since we've sat down and ordered our food. It isn't normally like this in Holmes Chapel, which means some of them came all the way from London to get their needed pictures and story.

Harry thought bringing me here would get me away from it all, but it didn't. It seemed to follow us, making his taking me out of the city somewhat pointless. He feels like he's failed, I know he does. I saw it in his eyes the second we stepped into the restaurant. He looks exhausted, like he has no idea what to do. I hate seeing him this way.