STRIP

6.

Clementine Adams

I haven't contacted Harry in two days. I wanted to give myself some time to think. 

Sunday I needed to do homework and my online classes, Niall told me Harry was waiting to hear from me still and hoping I would give him another chance. I reminded Niall he didn't ruin the first chance, this wasn't about first and second chances, this was about what Harry wanted out of this and be honest with me. If he wants sex, fine, don't take me out on a date and pretend to be interested. If he's interested in something else, don't sleep with other women the same day you go on a date with me. I don't think I'm asking for much, but I also can't be mad at him for what he did. It was rude, but again, we weren't together. 

Monday I had a class, my only in-person class is on Mondays and Wednesdays, I prefer online classes, which gives me my own schedule. Niall again asked me if I was going to call Harry or not, which I planned to last night but then I decided to do a facemask and drink wine. 

Today it's Tuesday, it's almost three in the afternoon, Niall told me Harry picks his sister up from school every day and she gets out around three-thirty, so I guess I should call him soon before he's busy. 

I've been holding it off all day, unsure of what I want to say, I don't want another apology for something he doesn't need to be sorry for, he just needs to be honest with me. I also don't know what I'm supposed to ask for when I call, I don't know where the conversation should start. 

Before I can second guess myself for the hundredth time today I hit the call button on his contact. 

"Clementine?" I hear after the first ring.

"Is that who it says is calling you or did you just never save my contact?" I lightly laugh, hoping to break any tension quickly. 

"Saved as 'hot girl from the club,'" he replies, I can imagine the smirk on his face. 

"Cute." 

"I've been waiting for you to call, I'm glad you did," he admits. 

"I've been doing classwork, I didn't mean to make it seem like I was ignoring you, I'm just a little busy on Sundays and Mondays usually," I tell the half-truth, I wasn't ready to call him, but I wasn't meaning to ignore him either. 

"I just wanted to give you space before calling you myself, if you hadn't called by tonight I probably would have caved," he laughs, "are you free tonight? By tonight, I mean in twenty minutes?" 

"What do you have in mind?" I question. 

"My sister is moving in with me, I'm picking her up from school and taking her shopping to redo her room. It's looked the same for two years now and she's not fourteen anymore. I feel like you'll be better at decoration advice than I will. Would you like to join us?" 

"That actually sounds really fun, you're sister is really friendly," I tell him. 

"Really? She's usually really shy. Maybe because Niall was around she felt a little safer, or maybe she just got a good feeling about you. I'm glad she likes you," he admits making my heart swell, I would never know she was usually shy from the way she acted at the club. 

"I guess this little shopping trip will be the ultimate test, where should I meet you?" I ask. 

"I'll pick you up if that's okay? I can drop you off at home after or you can come back and have dinner with us or Iris might want you to see her room to help her decide where to put things. Or you can meet us if you really want but I don't mind picking you up before I grab Iris but I would leave now to grab you first and then get her," he rambles.