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Chapter 31

I am nothing without you.

- Lana Del Rey, Without You

. . . .

Stepping outside the dress boutique, I take a quick glance around the street and spot a small café across the street. I look back to see Harry nowhere in sight, and at that moment, I make a beeline towards the café.

The interior has a golden glow to it with a bronze hardwood floor that's polished with a fine layer of gloss. The walls are a rich brown pigmentation, and the tables have a warm creme hue to the surfaces. The menu board is neatly handwritten in multicoloured chalk above the bar with the cash registers. The atmosphere instantly reminds you of coffee.

I wait in line at the counter to order something just to waste time. I order a mocha and tell them my name. After receiving my drink I head over to a small two-person booth by the window. The windows start to get splashed by small droplets of rain then thunder follows shortly.

I text Harris and ask him if he could pick me up since his house isn't too far from here. He replies back immediately after saying he'd be over as soon as possible.

I can see Harry's black car across the street turn on and pull out into traffic, nearly getting rear-ended by an oncoming minivan.

If I was waiting around for him, he wouldn't take time out of his precious schedule to look around a little longer for me. Something serious could've happened to me–but no. Of course, he wouldn't attempt to look because it would affect him.

Harris's tall frame jumps inside and out of the rain just as I get to the halfway point of my drink. He looks around for me then when he spots me, a smile bursts out onto his lips and he makes his way over to me.

"Sorry I took so long," he apologizes quickly and sits down in front of me.

"No, it's fine. Thank you again for picking me up on such short notice." I push a strand of hair behind my ear and push my drink out to him.

"It's nothing. I was just watching a movie with the twins." He shrugs his thick shoulders and takes a sip from the white cardboard cup.

"How is everyone?" I ask.

"Good. We're going back to the States for vacation once we all finish up school." He slides the cup back over to me.

"Going to see family?"

"Yeah. My dad's brother is getting married, then my mom has a conference about her book in Texas."

"How's that going?"

He goes into detail about the upcoming trip and everything from thereon. I latch onto every word he says and honestly, I've never felt closer to him until now.

"So, why are you all the way on this side of town?" he asks.

"I was with Harry." I gulp down a sip of my drink and fiddle with my fingers.

"Where's he at?"

"I guess he got a little too protective when my dad called to invite me and "my boyfriend" to dinner tomorrow night. I got pissed off, and I ran out." I confessed.

"You don't have a boyfriend though, right? Or are you and him dating?" Harris asks.

"No, he's not my boyfriend."

"Then why did your dad invite you and your boyfriend to dinner?"

"This woman who was hooking up with Harry found out about us. She's Bonnie's sister. She was there at the last family dinner and kept interrogating me. She practically revealed that I was–whatever I'm doing with him. So, that's why my dad thinks I have a boyfriend. Because of Harry's fucked up whatever she was to him."