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Chapter Nine

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I groan as light peeks through the curtains and blinds my eyes. I don't want to wake up yet. Our first night in the house was amazing. Harry and me sat on the balcony, just watching the city turn from day to night. After that, we both took a shower and went to bed. It was also really good to finally be alone. And of course, we've taken advantage of that. I'd been teasing Harry all night until he just couldn't take it anymore. He'd practically pushed me on the bed and pinned my arms down. I knew he was going to make me regret teasing him.

So after great sex, it was time for us to sleep. -In an actual bed this time.- I never thought I could miss a soft bed so much. Our bed in the house is extremely soft, warm and cosy. So I was not surprised Harry had drifted off to sleep so fast. I couldn't sleep, though. I've wasted half the night worrying about the money we've spent. I feel guilty because Harry wanted to save it, whilst I spend it on the hotel, dinner and ice cream. We barely have money left now...

I turn to lie on my side. I'm facing Harry, but my angel is still asleep. His long eyelashes rest on his cheeks. His lips are slightly parted and soft breaths leave them. His messy curls are sprawled all over the pillow. The sheets cover only half of his breathtaking body, leaving his bare torso exposed. I trace the lines of his bird tattoo with my fingers for a while.

I place a kiss on Harry's cheek and then roll myself out of bed. I put on some clothes and wash my face. I brush my teeth and quickly fix my hair. I grab my shoes from the floor and look at my sleeping angel one more time before I walk out.

Not very much later, I make my way down the unfamiliar street. Every person seems to greet me with a heart warming smile. Just like the days before.

It's nice to have people actually noticing you.

After a little while of walking, I finally spot the bakery I saw in a flash yesterday. I feel a smile creep onto my face as I step inside. The scent of freshly baked bread fills my nostrils and I smile even wider at the cute atmosphere the shop has. I see an old lady open up a big oven and take something out of it. She places it on the counter and looks up at me. A big smile appears on her face.

"Olá senhor" she speaks as she walks closer.

"Hello," I smile. "Can you speak English?" I hold out my hand for her to shake.

She takes it before she answers. "A little bit, I'll try" The old lady is incredibly cute. Her grey hair is tugged in a bun and her slightly chubby body wears a purple dress. It fits her rather nice, though. The socks she wears are tugged up to knee height. Her dress covers up anything that is higher. The old, black shoes she's wearing make noise on the wooden floor as she walks. Her wrinkled face still holds the smile and her big brown eyes stare deep into my blue ones. "Where can I help you with, bebê?"

"Can I have some bread, please?" I continue to scan the counter. "Oh, and these look delicious! Can I have two of them as well, please?"

The lady nods as she puts some of the bread in a bag. She then takes the two pieces of what looks like cream pie and transfers them into a little paper box. "We call these 'Tarte de Natas'. I'm pretty sure you'll like them" she explains once she sees my curious look. I flash her a bright smile and she hands me the bags.

"Thank you, love," I say as I hand her the money. "I will definitely let you know if I liked them"

The lady smiles in return. "Well, I'll see you later then"

"Yes, you will" I raise my free hand to wave goodbye.

"Tchau" I hear her say behind me.

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I'm quietly singing as I make my way back to the house. It's weird to call the house 'mine', so I don't really do that yet. Though, I can't describe how good it feels to call the house 'ours'.

Whilst I'm walking down the cozy streets, I can't help but to peek inside every single window. Every house or shop has got another atmosphere. That 's definitely something I love about Portugal already. Back in England, everything is regular and even a little boring if you live there long enough.

Suddenly I see a poster on the wall. I stop walking to read it. Somehow, it draws my attention. It's an advertisement for a job in some bar. Maybe I can work there and make some money!

I walk further around the corner and find the bar which the poster belongs to. I can't help my curiosity and walk inside. To my surprise, it's pretty crowded in here. Even for just the morning. Multiple tables are placed around the inside of the building. People are chatting and eating breakfast. But I can also see some people at a bar in the back of the room.

I'm determined to get this job.

I walk towards the bar and tap a man on his shoulder once I get there.

The man turns to look at me but doesn't say a word.

"H-hi" I start. "My name is Louis"

The man still doesn't say a thing.

"I-I was wondering..." I continue. "Are you still looking for someone to work here?"

The man looks as if he's thinking. He then places his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it. He makes an approving sound and starts to slowly spin me around. I can feel he's looking at my bum. He lays his hands down on my hips, squeezing. He turns me around once more until I'm facing him again. I start to doubt if this man can even speak English when he still doesn't say a thing.

"Yes," he suddenly says, scaring me slightly. "We do need people! Are you willing to do everything it takes?" The man raises his eyebrows. His eyes are a dark shade of brown and his black, long hair hangs straight down his head.

I frown. Willing to do everything it takes? What does that mean? This man is definitely creeping me out, but I want to do this for Harry. I want to give him back the money we'd spent. "Uhh," I scratch the back of my neck. "Yes?"

"Grande!" The man raises both his hands in the air. "When do you want to start?"

"As soon as possible" I answer immediately.

"Good, see you tomorrow then. Two o'clock, yes? What's your name again?"

"My name is Louis. I'll be here tomorrow, thanks"

The man writes down my name before I wave goodbye and turn around to go home. This place is so strange. I'm not even sure if I really want to work here. For now this is my best option, though. I look around one more time. The people here are peacefully eating their foods. They seem quite nice and normal. Maybe this place isn't as bad as I think. I shrug and I'm about to make it out the door.

All of a sudden I bump into something hard and warm. I look up, about to apologise, but the sight of a shirtless, tanned lad keeps me from speaking.

The guy seems a bit annoyed with me, but his frown fades slowly. He's holding a tray with empty plates on it and he's wearing something like a skirt that cover his jeans.

"E-Excuse me," I say confused.

"Sinto muito" The guy speaks. He seems to be scanning me from head to toe and back.

"Uhh... Where is your shirt?" I ask a little skeptical.

"O que?" The lad raises his eyebrows. I think he doesn't have a clue of what I'm saying.

"Your shirt" I repeat myself. "Shirt" I pull the fabric of my T and then point to the boy's bare chest. "Where is it?"

"Esse é o meu trabalho" I have no idea what this guy is telling me. I shake my head in confusion. "Eu sou um piccolo sem camisa" The boy continues.

"I'm sorry" I laugh. "I don't have any clue of what you're saying" I smile politely and walk past him. I open the door and step outside, leaving the guy in confusion.

Why's that guy serving drinks to people without a shirt on? I shrug it off, though. Tomorrow will be an adventure, I'm sure about that. But for now, all I can think about is Harry. I hope he's not awake yet. I want to surprise him with a nice breakfast.

It's around ten in the morning when I open our front door and step inside. It's quiet. He might still be sleeping.

I rush into the kitchen and grab two plates out of the cabinet. I place them on the table. I carefully place the pie on the plates and do the same with the bread. Once I finish that, I hurry outside and pick a flower from the bushes.I lay it down on the plate where Harry is meant to sit. Right after, I hear footsteps on the stairs. I turn around and I'm met with sleepy green eyes. Harry rubs his eyes and walks over to me. He's wearing nothing but his boxers and his hair is a mess. He looks incredibly hot.

"Morning" Harry speaks sleepily and places a kiss on my cheek. I smile and step aside, giving Harry a proper look at the table. I watch the big smile creep on his face. He jumps into my arms. "Wow," he says as he tightens his grip on me. "It looks amazing. Thank you so much, Lou. You're so sweet"

I chuckle. "Of course, love. I wanted to surprise you" I kiss Harry's stunned face. "C'mon, let's eat"

We both sit at the table. The sun is shining through the window, brightening Harry's face. I watch how Harry takes the flower from his plate and inhales the smell.

"This is the best morning like ever! Thanks again, babe" Harry lays his hand over mine. I smile at the feeling of Harry's warm skin on mine. My mouth is full of pie, so I guess my smile doesn't look as cute as I hoped.

Harry bursts out in laughter. His dimples appear and his green orbs light up with happiness.

Harry takes a big bite of his pie as well. "This is delicious!" He says with a full mouth. "What is it?"

"Tarte de Natas or something" I shrug. "It 's delicious indeed"

"Just as delicious as you, babe," Harry says in a cheeky voice followed by a wink.

I feel my cheeks fill with heat and turn a dark shade of pink. I should snort at his cheesy words, but I just look down and take a bite of my bread instead.

Harry smirks. He loves it when I'm shy. He says it makes me look small and cute. How great..

"Oh! I have to tell you something, love" I speak up, changing the subject.

"What is it?" Harry asks curiously. His eyes are big and I'm not sure what he's expecting I'm about to say.

"I've got a job!"

I have a big smile on my face as I'm waiting for Harry to congratulate me, but he drops his knife, creating an awful. My smile fades with the echoing sound in the room. Harry's lips are parted in surprise.

"What?" Harry's eyes focus on mine. "Why? Where?"

"I-I've got a job. At a bar" I swallow hard. He doesn't look happy. "I want to make some money. I made us spent so much these last days" I stay silent for a little while. I'm waiting for Harry to react but he doesn't. "I-I start tomorrow. You don't like it?"

"N-no, I don't!" Harry sits up straight. "Louis, what makes you think you have to give the money back? You don't have to do this"

"But I want to do it!" I cut in.

Harry keeps quiet again. I think he doesn't know what to say. "What will I do in the meantime when you're gone?"

"Harry" I sigh. "It's only for a couple of hours. Just twice a week or so"

Harry takes a deep breath. "I still don't like the idea. I just don't want you to think you have to do this because of me. I don't care about the money"

"I know, love. I don't. I want to do this for myself" I assure him. But honestly, I am doing this because of him. I mean, I don't feel like I owe it to Harry, but I do want to give it back to him and make him happy. "C'mon, finish your pie" I demand with a smile. "It's way too good to throw away"

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"It's almost half past!" Harry shouts from downstairs. I'm so stressed. But I'm also ready, though. And I'm excited as hell. I run downstairs and put on my shoes. I can't be late. That will make a bad impression and I'd probably get fired right away. "Be careful and have fun!" Harry tells me as I hurry around the house to grab my things. It's only a block away from our place, so I will walk.

"Thanks, love. I will" I kiss his cheek as I walk past him to grab our key. "Enjoy your time alone!" I say, but Harry rolls his eyes. "C'mon Hazz, do something nice for yourself today" I look into his eyes. He needs to stop thinking that it's bad for him to spent some time alone. I kiss him deeply and he smiles after. He lets go of my hand with difficulty and I walk to the door. "I love you"

"Love you too!" Harry shouts after me before he closes the door.

I have no trouble imagining him sitting on the floor, his back against the closed door and his knees pulled up to his chest. He'll probably take a deep sigh and think about what he'll do with his time alone.

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I open the door to the bar. The same atmosphere as yesterday takes over. It does make me feel a little weird. I spot the man I talked to yesterday at the bar. I wave and walk towards him.

"You came!" He says surprised.

"Yeah, I did?" I answer, more like a question.

"Good, come with me" I can't even react because the man pulls me along with him. "My name is Eduardo by the way" I only nod. We arrive in a small room in the back of the bar. Eduardo opens the door and I follow him inside. I guess it's something like a private room in the building for all the employees. I spot some lockers with names on them. One of the lockers says; 'Lewis'.

That must be me.

Just great..

I look around a bit, pretending to be interested in the room. Eduardo hands me an apron. "Put it on," He says. I take it and secure it around my lower half. It's good I saw that guy yesterday so I know how he wore it nicely around his hips. "Good" Eduardo nods. "Now take off your shirt"

"W-what?!"

"Take of your shirt" Eduardo repeats.

"W-why?" I'm shocked. Why the hell does this man want me to take off my shirt?

"Don't you know? This is a nude bar. I want my waiters to serve my customers shirtless"

"No, I didn't know..." I say quietly, but the man doesn't hear.

"I'd rather have my waiters serve them naked, but I understand that it may be a bit too much to ask on your first day. You can serve them naked, though, if you'd like" the man keeps rambling. I don't know what to say. "Do you still want the job?" Eduardo asks once he sees my concern. "I will pay you double"

I hesitate. I can do so much with the money and Harry will be so happy once I have it all earned back. I want to make Harry proud. Plus, Eduardo sounds kind of desperate. What's the worst thing that can happen when you serve people shirtless?

"Y-yeah... Sure"

"Maravilhoso!" Eduardo cheers. "That means wonderful"

I smile weakly at his explanation and take off my shirt. The chill air in the room creates goosebumps on my exposed skin. I take a really deep breath and take the tray from Eduardo's hands. I shake my head quickly before I make my way into the crowded bar.

There's no way in hell I'm telling Harry about this job or what it involves. Harry will make me quit the very second he finds out. It will only cause trouble if he knows.

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I'm not even inside our house yet or Harry runs towards me and embraces me in a tight hug.

"Hi babe!" he cheers before he kisses my cheek. "How was your first day?" He lets go of my and I close the front door. He sounds so excited. I start to feel a little bit guilty.

"It was good!" I smile and kiss Harry on the lips. I don't want to tell him about it. "What have you been doing while I was gone?"

"Nothing. Don't ask about me. C'mon, tell me everything about your day!" Harry pulls me with him towards our living room. He sits down on our couch and guides me to sit on his lap.

"It was nothing special, really. I just served people drinks and their foods and I had a nice time"

"Did you meet new people?" Harry asks curiously. I know he's truly interested and that he's just trying to be nice, but I hate he's asking me so much.

"Not really" I shrug. "All the other waiters talk Portuguese. I didn't understand a word they were saying. It was quite funny, though" I give him an honest smile this time. I hope he stops asking now.

"I'm glad you had a great day!" Harry caresses my cheek. "I bored myself to death. Maybe I should stop by tomorrow to see what your work is like!" Harry's eyes light up at his idea, but my stomach turns. "Yes, I will do tha-"

"No!" I abruptly cut in, causing Harry to frown. "I mean.. You don't have to. It's nothing special"

"But I want to" Harry pouts his lip and I feel so bad. I really don't want to tell him no, but I also don't want him to find out that I work in a nude bar.

"Harry, trust me. You really don't want to"

Harry's sad face tears my heart apart. I pull him into a hug. I want to get the disappointed look from his face. "I missed you today, though"

Harry mumbles something in response and hugs me back weakly. I think Harry's suspicious and knows that I'm trying to hide something from him.

"Shall we go to bed? It's quite late and I'm exhausted" I stand up and hold out my hand for him to take. But Harry doesn't take it. "C'mon Hazz, don't do this to me. It's just a job. Don't let it ruin our night"

It's quiet for a little while. I think Harry's reconsidering, because a few minutes later, he takes my hand after all.

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*Back in London*

"Anne, I'm back" He calls as he slams the front door shut.

I immediately get up from my chair and walk over to him. I grab his hand and my eyes fill with tears already. He must be getting very tired of me, but I don't care.

"Did you find him? Anything? Please, Jack!" He doesn't say a word and pushes me aside. He sits down on the couch. "We've tried so many things! Please tell me you found at least something" I continue.

"I did" he says coldly.

I hold my breath as I wait for him to continue. He doesn't say a thing, though, causing me to cry again. I can't help it. "Tell me, Jack. What did you find? I want my son back!"

"You should've thought about that before you started to treat him like shit"

Ouch.

That statement makes my stomach twist and I feel sick. I don't understand how I could've ever done that to him.

"You told him you hated him and that he wasn't a son to you anymore. What did you expect him to do? Stay and let you beat him up?" Jack grabs a glass of vodka and sits down again. He turns on the television and ignores me.

"You made me do that to him! You said that was the right thing to do! You did exactly the same" I shout back at him.

Jack stands to his feet and brings his hand up, ready to hit me. I wince and cover my head with my arms. Only, he doesn't slap me and just sits down again.

He sighs.

My breath hitches in my throat. The pain I feel is unbearable. I know I should have raised Harry better, though. I let him be gay. It's my own fault. Or that's what Jack tells me. Deep down I can't find the words to describe how sorry I am and how much I miss Harry now.

I don't comprehend why I'd ever said those things to Harry. He's my son for God's sake. He's never done anything wrong, except for being himself. Jack was, and still is, changing me. I know that now, but I just can't make it stop. Jack is a big homophobic ass and he's no good for me. I just realised it too late...

"I was not the one beating him up every day after school!" I defend myself.

"But you also never did anything to stop it, now did you?" He shouts and looks at me with fire in his eyes.

"God dammit, Jack! Just tell me what you found" I cry as I stumble over to the couch. I let myself fall down and weakly rest my head on Jack's intimidating, muscled shoulder. I feel so powerless.

"A friend of mine has got this sort of device. It can track people via their phones. We tried to search Harry's and we found him"

I sit up straight at Jack's words and look at him. My eyes fill with tears.

"He's in Portugal"

I feel like I can't breathe. All I thought was that Harry would be staying with a friend I don't know of or that he's with distant family. I never expected him to actually leave London, let alone England. But he's in Portugal. He's so far away. And why all the way there?

"I'm going to get him back" Jack growls, making me jump a little. "I leave for Portugal tomorrow morning. I'll show him how bad his idea of leaving was." Jack swallows the last sip of vodka and puts the glass on the table. "Now Anne, show me some of your love. I think that's the last you can do to thank me"

Nothing matters to me anymore. My son has left to go to Portugal. He's hours away from me. And that's all I can think about as Jack pulls me on top of him and opens his jeans before his cold, hard hands slide into my own trousers.

A/N: Oehhh I smell trouble!

You know how weird it was to write the last bit? Because my name is Anne, but it's also Harry's moms name! Idk it just felt funny aha

Thank you so much for the votes and comments! They make me so incredibly happy!