Golden || H.S. ||

Chapter 12

Tuesday, August 3rd

     I stare at the ceiling with my head on my pillow and listen to the rain dancing on the roof. It's after 10:00am, but it's still relatively dark because of the storm. It matches my mood. Sleep was something I really had to work for last night; my thoughts were my worst enemy. I know I need to get up now, though, because I'm not sure when Trevor will be here to install the security system. I close my eyes, inhale through my nose to catch Harry's scent from his shirt that I'm still wearing, and throw the blanket off of me.

     After I use the restroom, I walk to my closet with my toothbrush shoved in my cheek. I frown at what I see.

Gia's right, I need to go shopping. I've already worn all of this these last few days, some of it twice.

     I grab some new underwear, my gray sweatshirt, and my jeans that are all freshly laundered from my new washer and dryer and put them on, leaving Harry's shirt in my hamper. After I'm dressed, I finish brushing my teeth and rinse my mouth under the sink. Brushing my hair out, I wish I had a ponytail again. Then an idea pops in my mind.

I head to the kitchen and find the bottle of wine that Gia brought yesterday and untie the red ribbon that's wrapped around it. Taking it into the bathroom, I watch myself in the mirror as I carefully tie my hair up with the ribbon.

Much better.

I reheat a leftover breakfast taco from yesterday and sit crisscrossed on the couch with the TV remote in my free hand. Taking a bite of the bean and cheese taco, I scroll through Netflix for something funny to watch.

Maybe it'll get me out of this funk.

I watch the trailer for a show called "New Girl" and decide to give it a try. I instantly love it. I'm halfway through the second episode of the first season when there's a loud knock on the front door. Assuming it's Trevor, I get up and answer. When I open the door, a short and scrawny man with messy, dirty blonde hair and thick glasses covering his brown eyes is standing with a duffel bag on his shoulder.

He scrunches his nose and pushes his glasses up with his index finger. "Is this the residence of- um, Lauren? I don't have a last name on file."

"Yes, you're at the right place. Trevor, I'm guessing?" He grabs my hand and shakes it a little too roughly. "Nice to make your acquaintance. I should only be an hour or so." He walks passed me and into the house. I laugh under my breath.

I like him.

Setting his duffel bag down on the coffee table, he turns to me with a small black envelope in his hand. "Oh, this is for you. Mr. Styles asked I see to it that you get this." I take it from him with my eyebrows creased in confusion.

From Jeff or Harry?

I open the envelope and see a square of white card stock with a heavy black credit card inside. I hold the credit card in my hand and read the note written on the paper.