– Jake & Monica –

   Do you know that moment when you think everything is great and then in the next second, your whole happy demeanor is crushed? Just one simple thing ruined the day you thought that would've been good – a day that'd you'd want to write in your diary and read it ten years from now and remember how great that day was but that one thing just took that away. That's how Monica felt when Harry left her on the floor of her dance studio.

   She didn't know what happened, and she wishes he could've told her, because it happened so quickly. One moment they were teasing each other, the next he's rushing out the door with no glance back. It confused her so much, not only that but it did kind of hurt her in the slightest – she just wouldn't admit that to her questioning five-year-old.

   It's been two days since then. Meaning it was now Monday, which called for a quick drop off so she could head back to the studio to teach this couple to dance – an overly eager, 'do-everything-together' type couple that she wasn't too fond of because their PDA literally has no boundaries. She had no contact with Harry at all this weekend, apart from the cute apology he had texted her about not saying goodbye but that still didn't make her feel less hurt.

   "Are you going in and say hi to Harry?" Jake questioned as Monica hastily walked him into the school, her hand griping his in a tender, Motherly way. He looked up at her with his big brown eyes, knowing that she was craving to talk to him again.

   Because, Monica, in fact loved talking to Harry not because he used to be part of her favourite boyband but because he was just those types of people that you could spill your whole life to and they'll just sit there, listening to everything you say. Not to mention that when he'd reminisce of his past career there was this nostalgic smile on his lips and a soft twinkle in his eyes – Monica believes he looks the most beautiful when that happens.

  "He might not be here yet, fire ball, for once we're actually early," Monica said not knowing whether or not she wanted her sentence to be true or not. Even if he apologized, she knew it'd be awkward to start a conversation because she'll be walking around egg shells, not wanting to set him off again (not that she knew how to do that). But then again, she wanted to see him again and talk because two days with someone whom she doesn't have to Mother is quite great.

   Jake frowned at that but didn't say anything else. He just turned his gaze to the floor beneath his feet and sighed. He wanted to see Harry.

   "Hi, Jake!" A familiar blonde skipped to where the Highlands stood, a smile forming on her face when meeting Monica's eyes. Monica smiled too, looking at her hair which wasn't pulled up but was cascading slightly past her shoulders in soft waves. She figured that the girl was tired of pigtails. "Monica, I told my Daddy not to do my hair because I wanted you to do it! Can you?" Oh.

   At that moment, Harry walked into Monica's line of vision. When meeting his eyes, he raised his hand in a slight wave but didn't return the small smile she sent him. Monica quickly looked away and down to Athena, bending down to be eye-level with her.

   "Of course, girly." Monica followed Athena to the group of small, kid sized chairs and sat down, accepting the hair tie the blonde handed her.

   "Are you gonna work?" Athena asked after looking at Monica's attire which consisted of yoga pants and a loose shirt that hung off her left shoulder. Monica nodded and raked her fingers through her hair before looking up to see Harry squatting in front of Jake with a giant grin, dimples prominent. "Can you do the bun thing?"

   "Of course, Princess."

   Monica noticed a small smile tugging at Athena's lips. "That's what my Daddy calls me."

   And Monica didn't know what to say, so she just took another glance at Harry and Jake before pulling Athena's hair into a bun, patting the girl's cheeks when she was done. (It was something she did with Jake after combing his hair.)

   "Well, I can't stay till you go into class. I have to go to work now," Monica stated after walking Athena back to where the two boys were. Harry looked up at her when she said that, only to look down a second later. Monica frowned at that. She then bent down to Jake's height and placed a kiss to his forehead, who in turn kissed her cheek. "Okay, fire ball, I'll try not to be late to pick you up this time." She stood up and looked to Athena, "Bye, Beautiful." She then looked to Harry who was still bent at Jake's height with his gaze still on the floor, "Bye, Harry."

   She turned around and walked out of the school, letting out a shaky breath once she sunk into the driver's seat.  She doesn't know what she did to make Harry refuse to acknowledge her, but she doesn't like to be ignored or pushed away.

   It's happened so many times in her life, especially when it comes to terms with her parents; they had never supported her and acted as if she wasn't even there. And maybe she misread her and Harry's growing friendship, because they barely knew each other (though Monica felt that they've known each other for years) and of course Harry won't spill everything to her – she wouldn't either but she knew if she did, he'd listen – quite yet but she was hoping for it soon.

   She wanted to know so many things about him. And sure, when she was a crazed fangirl she thought she knew every little aspect of the One Direction members' lives but when meeting the two, she realized that they weren't anything she thought they would be. So she wanted to know more, and that's a feeling Monica hasn't had since secondary school – that yearn to know more about someone. When she had first met Jake's father.

   Shaking her head from those thoughts, she put her keys into the ignition and drove toward the studio. She was only four minutes late.

   After Monica disappeared from the school, Harry looked up and sighed. Jake had watched the whole interaction between the two, it wasn't like it was two days ago or the time they came over to the flat or when they first met, it was awkward and that wasn't a good sign. How could two people who get along well end up being awkward and ignoring each other the next? Jake doesn't know what happened either; he was clueless as to why Harry had left so abruptly too.  He wondered if Athena knew, but maybe she didn't. He couldn't ask her right in front of Harry.

   "You didn't say bye again," Athena pointed out after letting her arm drop from the wave she gave to Monica. She turned to her father and frowned. Again, it was a rule to say goodbye.

   "I'm sorry, Princess, I... I was up in space," Harry lied, grimacing afterward for lying to his little girl. He then fell backwards, to sit on the cool floor since his legs started to cramp up from squatting.

   "But you're not an astronaut," Jake added with a frown, his slightly tan arms folding across his The Hulk t-shirt.

   Harry chuckled lightly at Jake's remark before poking his stomach. "You don't know that, bud. I could be The Hulk for all you know."

   At that, Jake's eyes widened before looking down at his shirt, tugging at the hem before gaping at Harry. What if he was The Hulk? Jake wondered, excitement building up as he thought about how cool it would be to have The Hulk (Harry) as his future father.

   "But you don't get mad, Daddy, you can't be him," Athena chimed back into the conversation before scrunching her nose. "You aren't green either."

   And this was how the conversation went for another ten minutes before class was called in. Harry gave a goodbye kiss to Athena and gave Jake a fist bump, telling both that he'll see them after school. Jake felt amazing, he felt in that moment that he had a father. A father that gave him a 'cool' goodbye rather than those kisses Monica always gave him, and a father that said to have a great day and that he'll see him after school.

   He didn't think about anything else rather than this: I want Harry to be my Father. The only thing was, how can Harry be his Father if he was bluntly ignoring his Mother? Had she done something that had made Harry upset?  He didn't know but he wanted them to start talking again because that means less time waiting for Harry to be his Father. He couldn't wait. He wanted that Father-Son relationship so much, he even wanted Athena to have that Mother-Daughter relationship too, but whatever happened just put that on pause.

   Jake didn't like that.

.

   It was only twenty five minutes into the dance lesson and Monica was so ready to go home. The lovey-dovey couple happened to consist of Mara Welsh and Tim Drake – a couple who has been together since the age of twenty-two, both now being twenty-seven – a girl that no doubt was high spirited and Tim, no doubt was a jock. It wouldn't surprise Monica if she was a cheerleader and he was a footie player.

   This was Mara and Tim's second lesson meaning there was so much more to cover. The two had wanted to go for this part in a musical being held at a theater on the outskirts of London and for the part, the couple needs to know how to dance various styles. The audition was in four months.

   Monica had been zoning out from time to time, just thinking about what could be on Harry's mind. She wondered also about Katelyn, she wanted to know the story between her and Harry how in love they were and what happened and how she passed – she was simply too curious for her own good. This was something her Mother used to tell her all the time. Monica didn't deny that she was too curious either.

   "Did I do that right?" Mara questioned after doing a step sequence. She glanced up to Monica with wide, brown eyes and pursed lips. Tim took that time to place a kiss to her lips – these were the types of couples Monica loathed.

   "Um, yeah," Monica muttered coming out of her thoughts. She clasped her hands and took a glance at the clock, an hour and ten minutes remaining. "Why don't we take a five minutes break?"

   The couple didn't complain, instead Tim roped his arm around Mara's waist and walked her toward their things that were set in the corner of the studio. His hand was rubbing up and down her back, occasionally doing the cheeky move of letting his hand slip a bit south from the curve of her back.

   "They don't have any boundaries, do they?" A voice questioned from the doorway of the studio. Monica let a small snort of agreement before turning and seeing Harry leaning against the door frame, his gaze set on the couple cuddled in the corner with water bottles in hand. He then met Monica's gaze. "Hey, I came by to apologize for not saying goodbye... again... goodbye."

   She couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips. "It's alright."

   "Oh, and sorry that I kind of ignored you this morning? Yeah, I just had a couple things on mind and I was just a bit out of it," Harry admitted, his gaze falling onto his brown boots – something Monica realized he still wore just about every day. "I was going to tell you this once I saw you at pick up but Liam came by and dragged me over here saying that I procrastinate too much. So, sorry for disturbing your lesson."

   "We took a five minutes break anyways." She shrugged, going to get her water bottle that she placed in front of the wall length mirror. She wanted to lighten up the mood. After taking a couple gulps, she looked at Harry through the mirror. "So, you have yet to introduce me to the other three members of One Direction."

   "When did I promise that?" Harry questioned, stepping further into the studio, a smirk fighting on his lips.

   "You didn't but as your friend and a Directioner you're kind of obligated to introduce me to them," she stated trying to keep a serious, straight face.

   "So you're just using me, uh?"

   "Basically." Harry chuckled after her response, only to cut it off five seconds later. Monica watched his demeanor change again, his gaze fell to the floor and his lips were pressed into a straight line. Monica hoped that he wouldn't walk out again.

   "Maybe some time soon, you'll meet the other lads."

- - -

(A/N): hello, TPP readers! It's been quite the wait, right? sorry about that. I hope you liked the belated update because look, Harry and Monica had another moment! and this time, he didn't leave her abruptly. Are you catching the signs I'm throwing to you??? Hopefully.

Importance of Chapter: In the beginning, you read how Monica felt about the whole abrupt leaving thing and such. Then you saw a bit into Athena and Monica's growing relationship and the way both Monica and Harry were acting towards each other. Then you read the cute interaction between Athena, Jake and Harry which had made Jake desire Harry much more as his father figure. And yes, it's cute but it's not good that he's getting attached so quickly because what if things don't work out? As well as two new characters that will be involved from time to time (like Miss. Kayla) and will have an effect on Monica's character. Plus, this shows that Harry worked on his reaction, he didn't leave Monica abruptly again after their teasing and such, so good signs are out there for Harry and Monica but bad signs for Jake. So, yeah.

SONG OF CHAPTER:  CHANCES – FIVE FOR FIGHTING

Importance of Song:  this song is about taking chances, which is what each of our characters are doing in this chapter and in the rest (mostly this one... so far). Athena: she is taking the chance at getting close to Monica and creating that Mother-Daughter type relationship. Jake: he is already taking Harry into terms of being his future father. Harry: he's taking that chance of not letting everything get to him (as it shows at the end). Monica: she is taking the chance of getting close to Harry quite quickly (and you'll understand later).

P.S. this was supposed to be posted yesterday so... HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY NIALL!!!

P.P.S. I'm going to start making goals for next updates.  60 VOTES & 40 COMMENTS FOR NEXT UPDATE

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