Unexpected

37. Helen

I feel a tickle on my neck. I slowly open my eyes and find myself with my head on Harry's arm, him looking out the large window and playing with my hair. He hasn't noticed that I'm awake, so I close my eyes.

I would like to stay like this forever. In moments like this it is as if that hatred we feel for each other turns into something else. It's strange, but it makes me feel good, just think that maybe there is a pinch of hope for us. I never imagined that—

"Ellie, are you back?"

Oh shit, dad.

"Fuck, Helen. Is your father back?" Harry asks, worried.

I nod as I answer dad. "Yes I'm here!" I get up immediately and drag Harry out of bed. "Hide, now!"

He looks around in terror. "Where?"

I point to the wardrobe, it's roomy enough for him. "Here, and don't say a word!"

Once well hidden, I open the door of my room and find myself in front of my father... "Hi, Dad!" I tell him cheerfully.

"Who were you talking to?" he asks with a smile, but I know he's suspicious.

I put both hands on the edge of the door, so as to block his passage. "Um... I was talking to Jade."

There is a noise that is probably Harry. I pretend not to hear it.

Dad frowns. "Have you heard? What was it?"

"Mhm? What? I haven't hear anything!" I shrug.

He moves my arms and walks into my room, scanning every inch of the room. Harry's shoes are under the bed, out of sight, his clothes in the middle of mine and out of sight too. There shouldn't be anything out of the ordinary.

He pauses to look at the bed. He touches it on the side Harry was lying on. "Honey... who was here?" he asks me.

"Nobody! Who should have been there?" I reply immediately.

"You only ever sleep on one side of the bed... there's a silhouette of someone here, Helen." He rests his gaze on every corner of the room, and then on the wardrobe. Fuck.

I reach dad and take him by the arms trying to pull him towards me with poor results. "Dad, do you really think I hid someone in the wardrobe?" My nervous chuckle gives me away.

He opens the doors... and boom!

"What the hell... Helen!" he yells at me when he sees Harry hiding among my clothes.

Harry comes out of the wardrobe, with his sweatpants on and nothing else... "Hello, Mr. Scott." He holds out his hand. "Well, maybe it's not the best way to introduce myself but—"

My father interrupts him. "I know who you are, Henry Davis. You too know who I am..." he says gesturing towards himself.

After a few seconds an expression of realization appears on Harry's face... he has just realized he's fucked-up.

"Oh yes. Attorney Scott..." he says slowly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Dad gives him a very fake smile. "I haven't seen you for a long time" he begins quietly, then his tone of voice rises "and as it happens I find you hiding in my daughter's closet!" He gives me a brief glance.

Harry looks between my father and me, not knowing what to say or do — I've never seen him like this.

I place myself between the two by addressing my father. "Dad, listen, it's not his fault. He picked me up at Bryan's... this morning, and he stayed here, that's it," more or less is the truth.

He frowns. "What was he doing here? I know he lives in Seattle, Ellie!"

"Well... he..." I can't find an excuse before he interrupts me.

He takes my jaw with one hand and makes me turn my head. "What are these bruises on the neck?!" he raises his voice.

Harry steps forward and takes his arm, making him drop it. "Don't touch her."

My father laughs wryly. "Don't touch her? Who, me? And you? Don't you touch her?"

Oh my God...

"Dad! Please..."

"What do you mean?" Harry asks him.

"Don't you touch her with your hands? Or with a knife for example?" I know where he wants to go.

"Dad, you're going too far! Please stop!" I tell him raising my voice in turn. Everything he's going to say is going to hurt Harry... he has to stop.

"Why is he half naked in your room? Did he try to get into your pants?" I can not believe it. "People like him don't deserve you. He is like his father, you have to stay away from him... Look at his mother... and look at him!"

"I wouldn't put a hand on her! Never!" Harry replies. "You know that, Helen..."

"Just what your father said during the trial, while your mom was slowly breaking into a thousand pieces..."

"Dad... I can't believe what you just said..." I feel tears come to my eyes and when I blink they fall heavily on my cheeks.

My dad comes out of my room proudly and Harry has started to retrieve his things with impatience and anger.

I go to meet him trying to look into his eyes. "Harry, we both know you're not like him... right?" my voice breaks.

He ignores me, like I'm not even here with him.

"Harry, he just wanted to hurt you—"

"Please, leave me alone!" he yells at me, taking a step towards me.

I stumble on my own feet in fright.

Now he looks disappointed. He runs a hand through his hair and then on his face. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to..."

I didn't think he would've touched me, I know he wouldn't, but he scared me. "Don't worry, it's nothing."

Once he takes his things he walks to the door and opens it.

"Harry..." He walks fast, I try to keep up with him. He is almost in front of the front door now. "Harry, wait!"

"Leave me alone, Helen! I ask you please!" and he storms out of my house.

"I'm sorry..." I say whispering, even though I know he can't hear me.

It was all going well... but I knew it was too good to be true.