Summary - Harry turning 18
Harry had always thought that turning 18 was supposed to be important.
In fact, he knew. He had watched countless coming of age movies and the glorified version of manhood he was shown was something he believed was coming to him.
He could recall many occasions when him and his friends had imagined about what they would be doing when they were 18. They used to think that it was surely going to be one of the best days of their lives, the day when you became a man, they would laugh. Adulthood used to seem so distant, something that Harry had no time to think about. The idea of 'growing up' was one that almost seemed fake, almost as if it would never actually happen to them.
But now, here he was. One strike of the clock and his childhood was over.
Harry wasn't exactly sure how to feel. He wasn't really sure about a lot of things that he thought he should know by now. It was just that teenage Harry thought he had so much longer to figure things out. Perhaps he did. He shouldn't be putting so much pressure on himself surely. He was still the same as he was yesterday... right? He couldn't quite convince himself of that though. Something HAD shifted, but it was something minute that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Something HAD changed, but at the same time he felt nothing.
He looked out of the window expectantly. What would 14 year old Harry think of this? London at night was still very much alive, but Harry felt oddly detached from it. He was so high up that the noise from the roads below was too quiet; it was almost as if the whole world had been hushed. Usually he found comfort in being so far away from the rest of the city, it was peaceful to Harry, but right now he needed someone to remind him of how much time he had left (he didn't believe it from himself). His flatmates were only next-door, but he didn't want them. He didn't think they would understand.
Harry found himself scrolling through his contacts, all the way down to the letter S. He wondered if Simon would be awake at 2am. Hopefully.
Why was he even calling Simon? It was so tempting to simply turn his phone off and retire to bed. However, a part of Harry was telling him that maybe Simon could help. He didn't really know why he didn't want to talk to his other friends; surely reminiscing with his school mates was the more logical option? Harry had thought years ago that he would be celebrating his 18th with them.
But a lot had changed since then, and now they were many miles away, comfortably existing alongside everything Harry had moved away from. He had known Simon for less than a year, everything about him was new and exciting, especially compared to his old life. Perhaps that was why Harry was leaning towards him out of everyone else in his contacts. He wanted Simon to make him feel something.
The phone rang once, twice, three times before he picked up.
'Happy birthday!'
'Thanks man!' Harry replied, immediately getting annoyed at himself for sounding so awkward.
'How does it feel to finally be an adult?' Simon chuckled.
'I... don't really know yet.'
It's only been two hours I guess.'
'Yeah.'
Pause.
'Are you with Cal and Cal?'
They're next door.'
'I thought you would be partying with them tonight.'
'Really?'
Harry couldn't help smiling to himself, even though he knew Simon couldn't see him.
'Yeah, I mean they'll get drunk at any opportunity and its obviously a big day-'
'A big day?'
'Harry this is supposed to be one of the biggest days of your life?'
'I know.... I think it hasn't sunk in yet.'
'What are you doing right now?'
'Well I was editing and then I called you and I'm gonna go to bed soon.'
Simon didn't respond immediately.
'Harry... I can't let you spend your 18th like this.'
'Why not?'
'Why not? It's so sad!'
'Well I don't really mind-'
'Can I come round?' Simon said suddenly.
'What... now?' Harry responded surprised.
'I'm not gonna be able to sleep knowing that you're wasting the night like this.'
'Wasting?'
'We can do something to celebrate, the two of us.'
Harry hesitated.
'Ok. Why not? I can do what I want now I'm an adult.'
'Hell yeah.' Simon grinned. 'Alright I'll be there as fast as I can.'
'Ok.'
'Just let me get changed and-'
'Simon?'
"Yeah?'
'Thank you.'
Simon looked different. Not ugly, just different. Perhaps it was because Harry was perceiving him differently now they were both adults, the power imbalance that previously separated them wasn't there anymore. Simon didn't seem quite so unattainable anymore, and it had somehow made him seem less grown up that he used to, at least to Harry.
His apparent change in appearance could also be down to the fact that Harry wasn't completely sober and everything was starting to blur. He had treated himself to a few shots of the fancy vodka Josh had got him, partly because he wanted to try it but partly to calm his nerves. Why was he even nervous? It's not like Simon had ever been mean to him or anything. In fact, he looked particularly gentle whilst carefully inspecting Harry's shelf of miscellaneous items and smiling to himself.
Harry sat on his bed and watched him pick up various items and examine them. It felt strangely personal to let Simon go through his belongings, but realised he didn't mind letting him learn more about himself.
'Where's this?' Simon turned around to ask. He lifted up a small framed picture of one of the many beaches in Guernsey and handed it to Harry.
'Guernsey.'
Simon took it back and stared at it for a few seconds.
'It looks really nice.'
Harry just smiled.
'You like London so far though right?'
'Yeah. I mean it's definitely very different to Guernsey but I like it.'
'Well don't worry you fit in well here.'
'I hope so' Harry sighed and turned to look out the window. 'It's hard to tell.'
a/n might continue this in a part 2.... didn't know how to end it so I just stopped writing lol
