querencia

settling in

alexis

we arrived at grandma's house in the early morning, around 6 o'clock. i'm completely exhausted. i haven't slept in days. i couldn't stop thinking about mom. i step out of my uncle's rusty old red truck and face my new home. it's quite big. it's been around for years. the white paint chipping off the sides of the house. the red shudders accenting the thin coats of paint. the air smelled of pine trees and cigarette smoke from the cigarette that my dad lit as soon as we got out of the truck. it annoyed me that nicotine and alcohol were his first priorities when we just arrived to the place that is going to be our new home. i rolled my eyes and start carrying my bags up the creaky porch steps.

"alexis! by god you've gotten so big!" my grandma boasts as she brings me in for a hug. i breathe in her sweet scent.

"i've missed you!" i say smiling.

"i've missed you too, hun. now let me show you up to your new room" she says, taking one of my bags and leading me up the old staircase.

she opens the door to what is now my room. the walls had a soft floral pattern wallpaper on them. parts of it was tearing along the off white trim. a freshly made twin bed was pushed into the corner. i sit down and admire my new room. it wasn't too big, it's kind of small actually. there's a great big window looking out over grandma rose's flower garden. a beautiful vanity sat close to my closet. i can work with this. i think to myself.

"i'll leave you alone, let you get settled in." grandma rose smiles and makes her way to the door.

"okay, i'll be down in a bit." i say, smiling a perfectly fake smile.

i unzip my bags and start putting things away, clothes in the closet, make up and such on the vanity. i didn't have much so it didn't take long to fully unpack. i stand up to walk downstairs and i remember something i tucked away in one of the pockets of my suitcase. i kneel down, carefully unzip the small pouch on the inside of my suitcase and pull out a picture of me and my mom. i was a baby in the picture. i rubbed my thumb across my mother's face. i miss her so much. i quickly snap out of my thoughts and slip the photo underneath my pillow.

"alexis!" i hear my dad call from downstairs.

i quickly make my way down.

"yeah?" i say playing with the end of my blonde braid.

"walk to the store and pick your grandmother up some groceries, her list is on the fridge." he demands, gesturing over to the blue and pink stationary hanging on the refrigerator door.

"but i-" i try to explain that i don't have the slightest clue where anything is in this town.

"no buts. just go." he cracks open a beer and hands me some money to buy the items.

i nod my head, grabbed the list and money, stuffed it into my pocket, and start wandering my way to the store.

i'm clueless. i have no idea whatsoever where this store is. but my dad's drunk ass wasn't going to take no for an answer.

i look up from staring at my feet and realize i have finally gotten to the part of town where the shops and stores are. i pull the list out of my pocket, at the top of it, my grandma had written the name of the store. Anne's.

i find the store fairly quickly. i walk in the store and the bells ring, you know the ones that let the employees know there's a customer. i've always loved those. not sure why though, to be honest. i grab a basket and start looking for everything on the list. there was only 5 things but i had no idea where anything was so it took a while. i finally found everything  and walked up to the cash register. nobody was up there so i waited a bit. my eyes wandered around the store. it was a really cute set up. almost barn theme, but almost elegant. i jump when i hear a deep voice.

"um i can get you over here." a man says.

i look up and see what had to of been the most perfect human being i've ever seen. his brown curls fell in his face. his beautiful green eyes meet mine. i want to look at him forever but i can't. 

a

: this is harry if you couldn't tell lmao

"oh uh yea" i say, shaking my thoughts out of my head. i walk walk over to the counter and place the groceries on there.

"did you find everything okay?"  he asks politely.

"yep" i smile.

"is that so?"

"umm yep?" i say confused.

"oh because i could have sworn i saw you go down the same aisle 3 times looking for the sugar before you found it." he laughs. his big dimple on his right cheek appears.

"oh...you saw that.." i say blushing of embarrassment.

"yeah...i did" he smiles kindly. "are you new here? i don't remember seeing you around anywhere. it's a pretty small town."

"oh yeah i'm new. just moved here today actually." i fidget with my fingers.

"oh really? where'd you move from?"

"america." i say letting out a small laugh.

"wow." he bags up the last of the groceries and hands them to me. "well i don't know why i'm surprised, i could tell by your accent." he hands me the two bags.

"yeah" i laugh and grab the bags. i glance at his chest and see a name tag that read harry. "um well have a nice rest of your day." i say with a warm smile and i start towards the exit.

"hey wait do you um have a ride? i don't see a car or anything" harry calls after me.

"nah, i walked here" i turn to look at him.

"well uh my shift is basically over so um would you like a ride?

i hesitate for a minute before i say anything. this is my first summer here. might as well make in memorable. "uh yeah actually that would be great"

"cool i'll be right back" he says and disappears into the back of the store.

~a/n- sorry this chapter was so long and boring :( i just wanted to give y'all a lil background info :))
*you can imagine harry as any harry you want, whether that be fetus, frat, prince, lhh, dunkirk, whatever you'd like :)*

*im going to imagine him as frat boy harry bc i think it works best with the story :) *