How I managed to avoid my parents is a mystery.

I woke up early to go for an extra long run this morning just to clear my head and when I came home I was prepared to say goodbye to my social life. I knew my dad wasn't going to go easy on me so I was expecting the worst.

But however, it seemed like no one was home.

I wasn't sure if they were even awake but I wasn't prepared to find out. If I can avoid the lectures and the grounding for as long as possible then that's better for me.

Can 18 year olds even get grounded anymore?

I took the quickest shower possible, got myself dressed for school, grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl and ran out of the door before they could catch me.

Once I got outside I mentally slap myself because I left my fucking car outside Mitch's apartment last night.

I look over to Riley's house but her car is gone so I'm guessing she has left for school already.

Fuck sake.

Now I'll have to walk because there's no way in hell I'm going to step foot on a fucking school bus.

Actually I'll see if Niall can come pick me up. I'd rather have a million questions from him than my parents that's for sure.

I dial his number and wait for him to answer, but after a minute I have luck.

Great.

So walking it is. It's going to take at least 20 minutes longer for me to walk there so I'll probably be late.

5 minutes into my journey and a loud car horn from behind me makes me jump.

Give a young boy a fucking heart attack why don't you.

"Morning Harry, sorry I startled you. Would you like a lift to school? I'm going that way anyway so I don't mind." A familiar voice says as the car pulls up beside me.

It's Riley's mom.

If I pass on the lift then I'm going to sound rude but then again if I say yes she might ask me awkward questions that I would feel obligated to answer. The school is a 20 minute drive away.

Fucking dilemmas.

In all honesty I really don't want to fucking walk to school.

What's the worst that could happen?

"Sure." I tell her with a smile pretending to be really happy about the offer, I mean don't get me wrong I really appreciate it but I'm actually shitting myself at the conversation she is going to make with me.

Who knows, maybe she won't ask me anything and sense that I'm a moody teenager who doesn't wish to talk about his private life.

As I buckle my seatbelt I politely thank Audrey for the lift and she reassures me telling me that it's absolutely fine.

So far so good, it's been a good 10 minutes or so and she hasn't asked me one question that i was uncomfortable with. Only the minimal stuff like how I am and how's my parents. She informed me that she hasn't seen my mom in a few days so she was just checking in and making sure she was doing ok.

Why wouldn't she be doing ok though?

Does she know something that I don't?

"So how are you and my beautiful daughter doing?" Audrey asks throwing me off.

Ah fuck, I thought I might have gotten through the whole journey without even mentioning Riley.

"Erm.." I stammer, coughing awkwardly.

Play it fucking cool Harry.

"What do you mean?" I ask, trying to act dumb, but she sees straight through my bullshit.

"You have been hanging around together a lot lately."

"We are just friends." I tell her. "She's still adapting to being new-" I begin to tell her a completely untrue story before she cuts me off.

"I don't believe that for one second. I can see right through that crap Harry, plus I know my daughter well enough to know when she likes someone."

Fuck.

Here we go.

"I just hope your feelings for her are mutual. She's quite shy and she doesn't have crushes often."

Shy?

She is not shy.

At all.

Not even a little bit. She is full of fucking confidence and I've definitely seen it.

She clearly doesn't know her daughter that well.

"I can tell your a popular boy Harry. And from experience I know how popular boys are, especially to girls like Riley." She carries on.

I wished I walked now.

Hell, I wish I took the fucking bus.

I'm looking out of the window wondering if it will hurt if I just opened the door and jumped out into the middle of the road.

It would be a lot fucking better then feeling this uncomfortable surely?

Now is the time when I should stick up for myself right?

I clear my throat.

"It's not like that." I manage to say.

"Well I really hope not." She tells me sternly.

I feel like I'm in trouble. It feels weird being told off by someone else's parent.

"You don't have to worry Audrey. I really like Riley." I try to say that as sincere as I possibly could because I actually mean it.

"Good." She nods.

For a few minutes the car goes quiet.

There's only 5 minutes of this journey left I'm pretty sure I can make it without any further questions.

"Are you going to ask her to be your girlfriend?" She asks breaking the silence.

Ah shit.

I thought I was in the clear.

Someone help me!

I don't even know how to answer that.

I roll down the window for some fresh air.

This is too much pressure.

Fuck. I have to say something.

What do I say?

"Im not sure." I tell her.

I don't think I should have said that.

Use your brain next time.

"Why not?" She asks as she parks up near the school.

"Erm..I..er..because-" I mumble like a fucking idiot before I'm cut off.

"Yo, Styles!" Louis shouts a few feet away from the car.

Thank fuck for that.

The one and only time I'm thankful for Louis being here.

"Sorry, I've got to go. Thanks for the lift." I smile as I get out of the car as fast I can. Not looking back.

"Whose the chick? She's a lot older then your usual type. Are you into cougars now?" He asks wrapping his arm around my shoulder, laughing through the smug grin on his face that I want to slap off.

"It's Riley's mom. She gave me a lift no big deal." I state, rolling my eyes.

"Are you fucking her?" He raises an eyebrow at me.

"No. Let's drop this now." I groan as we make our way into school.

"You still haven't won the bet yet. But I think Niall is going to win. Look how cute they look together." He tells me nodding towards Niall and Riley standing by the bench with a few other people I don't recognise.

My god she looks stunning today.

Now normally that fucking stupid jealously feeling would be racing through my body. But since that talk with Riley last night I feel okay about it, surprisingly.

Hang on a minute.

"What do you mean Niall is going to win? Win what? The bet was between me and you."

A smirk appears on Louis face. "Oh you don't know."

Know what?

Why is everyone keeping secrets?

"I made the same bet with Niall that night at my party. When you two disappeared upstairs, after their date. Me and Horan made a bet that he could fuck her before you could. He said it was easy money." Louis shrugs.

What the fuck?

He can't be fucking serious.

Is that why he has been making so much effort with her after their first date?

I fucking knew lunch on a boat didn't sound like Niall.

I am fuming.

Can I even be angry when I did the exact same thing though?

Should I tell her?

Should I talk to him?

What the fuck should I do now?

A/N

Yay another chapter?

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What should harry do?

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