PRECIPICE [h.s.]

Chapter Seventeen

☽☽☽

Foolish one

Stop checkin' your mailbox for confessions of love

That ain't never gonna come

You will take the long way, you will take the long way down

☽☽☽

Harry's P.O.V.

September 8th 1997

"Miss me?"

Yeah, like a splinter between my fingers. 

Okay, well, that's not completely true. That was more of a knee jerk reaction. Still, it doesn't explain what she's doing in my studio. Well, technically Augustine's studio, but it's closed and she's not here, so yeah, my studio. 

"Answer me blondie, what are you doing here? Cookie season already?"

I inwardly smile at the memory of Alice being in girl scouts and trying to sell cookies at business dinners. Her parents didn't like her talking to the adults, but they did like showing off what a "young entrepreneur" she was. To her credit -- she was. Were a lot of the sales because people were scared of her father? Maybe. But I knew the hard way that it was impossible to say no to those baby blues. I would buy boxes to help her reach her goal, and then hide them under my bed and hand them out at school since sugar wasn't really allowed in our house.

Her eyes travel around the small studio. She takes in the canvases that are facing out. I wanted to throw every single one out the window. No one I know ever comes in here. As much as I wish they would. I've invited Mother and Father over many times, but something usually comes up. It would mean a lot if someone other than Augustine actually cared about my work, but it is what it is.

I didn't like Alice looking at all the paintings of Jaime. Most of them were hidden, but some still remained. There were a few that did not have her depicted at all, and those were the ones that reminded me the most of her.

Our Last Campfire.

The Cow Field.

Places only we would recognize.

Her fingers traced lightly along the canvases. Delicate enough that she could feel the texture of the paint and the board without allowing the oils of her fingers to ruin the work.

"Harry, did you do all these? You're really talented," she spoke very softly. "You've improved a lot since I left."

Ah yes. Another reminder that the young girl who used to follow me around was gone, and a young woman stood in her place. I can't believe this is little Ally. Definitely not so little anymore, and her chest proved that.