059.

059.
XAVIER

It's so messed up how I'm now thinking about framing my mother for calling the CPS. The guys think that it would stop the adoption process as Harper will not trust her enough. But then, do I really want that? 

Things could escalate. Harper may get all protective and run away from our place. I do not want that to happen. I groan, running my hand through my hair and leaning on my window as I stare outside, at the car that has just stopped.

They're back. I watch as Damien gets down and goes to open the other door. He helps Harper come down and she's grinning at him? Wait! He's also grinning at her. What the fuck is happening? I can't hear what he tells her from here but I can see the flush in her skin. 

My grip around the blind tightens. Of course. He's making a move on Harper. I should have known. That my brother would go for the one girl he knows I'm into. If this is a way of revenge, Damien sucks at it.

I walk out of my room, then down the flight of stairs, skipping some. When I'm downstairs, the front door opens and Harper enters, with Nyla sleeping in her arms. She looks at me, her smiling face turning into a frown. 

"Hey," I say to her. I know it's a dick move. I've been ignoring her, only to say a simple 'hey' to her, just because I'm jealous she'd go for my brother! I walk forward, stopping in front of her. "Let me get her," I say, taking the baby from her. She lets me, and she doesn't say a word. 

"I'll just take her upstairs," I say.

"Right. Because you can't bear to breathe the same air as me. Go on." She gestures at the space. 

I don't move. I open my mouth to say something when Damien walks in, holding the baby carrier. He looks at me, then at Harper. 

"Everything okay?" He asks.

"Yes." Harper gives him a small smile. 

"Okay. I'll just go upstairs."

"Okay." Harper nods.

I wait until he's gone before I tilt my head at Harper. "So... you both are like friends now?"

"Yes. We had breakfast at this really cute shop, and it was a lot of fun. We could do that sometime. If you don't keep up with this grumpy attitude of yours."

"I don't want you to go ahead with the adoption," I say before I can chicken out. That's right. Telling her is the best option. Instead of framing my mother for something that huge. I just have to be a man and talk it out with her.

She stares at me blankly. "You don't want to have me as a sister? Is that why you've been distant? Because you think that if we become related..."

"I have feelings for you," I tell her.

She blinks. "I'm sorry, what?"

Great. This is going very well. "I said that..."

She holds up a hand. "No, no! Don't say it again. I heard you the first time. You have feelings for me?" 

"Yes, Harper."

Her eyes widen slightly. "Is that why you are so nice to my daughter? Because you like me?"

I shake my head. "Nyla is a baby. She's a good girl. Who wouldn't care about her? I take care of her because I love kids. But I also know that I have feelings for you."

Harper stares behind me for a while, a faraway look on her face. When she eventually looks at me, her expression is too blank to read. She should tell me what she's thinking. I need to know if she feels the same or not.

"Since when?" Is the first question that leaves her mouth.

I frown. "Since when? I don't know. I just realised it."

"Why do you have feelings for me?" She asks another question.

"Because... you're smart, pretty, intelligent and you're strong." I blurt out senselessly.

"You don't care that I'm a single mother without her family and friends? You don't care that one day, Nyla's dad could appear and sue for custody..."

She doesn't know does she? It's the way I've seen her handle little situations that makes me attracted to her. She hasn't told any of us about her past, but I don't need to be told to know she must have endured a lot.

"I don't care," I mutter, staring deep into her eyes.

She shrugs. "I'll think about it but... But that doesn't mean we can't be friends. No matter my answer, we'll still be buddies right?" She smiles at her question and I nod.

"I'll take her upstairs," I tell her.

Great. No matter her answer we'll be buddies? Hell no. I don't even think we can be buddies again if she tells me she doesn't want to become something more. Like how can you be friends with a girl who tells you no to dating?

I reach her room and I drop Nyla before going to mine. And just because I have nothing to do, I take out my phone and do what I've wanted to do since I set my eyes on Harper. I know that some girls make an effort to be present socially while some do not. 

I don't know which girl Harper is but what I do know is that there's no harm in trying. If she used to have an online presence, I want to know what her life was like. Just a tiny glimpse.

I input her name in the search bar and hold my breath as it turns and turns. Then a whole long ass list of Harper Collins pops up. I tap on the third that catches my eye. 

A pretty redhead girl holding a cup of iced coffee. She's smiling like she doesn't have a care in the world. Her hair is windblown and her eyes are... Wait... Her eyes are just like... Hold on... 

Harper Collins? With redhair? I scroll down to see more of her younger self. Oh my goodness. It's her. It's really her. But with a different hairdo. There are lots of pictures and then there's one she took with a girl and some guys loitering in the background. 

Fuck! She looks so happy in all of these photos. I know they were before she had Nyla. She doesn't have the same spark in her eyes as she had in these photos. I want nothing more than to be the reason why she'll smile again. 

I scroll down further and stop at a photo of Harper, a dark-haired girl and a guy who has his arms wrapped around the dark-haired girl. They're all smiling. When I'm tired of watching past photos, I drop my phone and go for a bath. 

I have to clear my head. I can't let thoughts about Harper fill my mind this way. I know how it gets when I'm out of control. So I inhale deeply and walk back inside my room. 

My steps slow when I take in the scene in front of me. Alright... Harper lives here so her being in my room is justified. Maybe she's finding something of Nyla's. But then... Sadie? In my room?

"Xavier... you're here." She grins, standing from my bed that I did not remember giving her permission to sit on. 

"What... what's going on?" I ask Harper.

"She says you both have history. I don't care. I'm getting Nyla's stuff and she has to go. You do know that my baby can't sleep in a toxic environment right?" Harper folds her arms.

"What are you, 18. How do you..." Sadie looks Harper up and down.

Fuck! I walk to my closet and pull out a shirt. While Sadie's gaze stays locked on my chest, Harper is frowning. I raise a brow at her. 

"What... what are you doing?" She asks slowly.

"Getting dressed?" I shrug.

"Right here?" She raises both her arms.

I shrug again. "Yeah?" 

"If you can't handle him being naked, there's the door. But girl... You'd be missing a lot."

My eyes land on Sadie. Brunette, blue eyes, and honestly the worst female to be around. Not my type, doesn't ever want to believe that she's not. Cute in a way, but sassy, and that's what makes her not an option. It'll just be fair to know that I've hooked up with Sadie a few times. Maybe she wants more... who knows. 

"So... is she leaving or what?" Sadie turns to Harper.

"Xavier! Tell her that I am not going anywhere."