After Hours

6 - now I'm drowning in the green of your eyes

When I arrived at Harbor's house it was midday, but they already had their Christmas lights on.

"Hey!" Harbor smiled at me, before wrapping me in a hug and inviting me in.

"Excited for Christmas I see?" I said.

"We just finished decorating, so we couldn't help ourselves." They chuckled. "Tis the season."

"You're not wrong." I admitted.

When we reached their living room, I saw that Bailey was seated on the carpeted floor with a mug of tea. She smiled when she saw me.

"Hi Carmel! It's been a while since we've been able to hang out, huh?"

"It's been way too long." I agreed, and Harbor and I sat next to her.

We began conversation, when eventually it was drawn to my brace.

"That's been on for a while now, huh?" Bailey said, her chin resting on her knees. "You gonna get it off soon?"

"That's the plan, anyway." I sighed. "I've been feeling so restless not being able to go to practice."

"I can imagine." Bailey nodded. "Or, well I guess not actually since I've never played a sport, but I feel you."

"Yeah I knew what you meant." I chuckled. "Although, I have to say...I guess I can't be too displeased with the brace life."

Harbor rolled their eyes and laid back on the floor. "I was waiting for you to bring her up." They sighed.

"Don't make fun of me!" I swatted their leg playfully. Then I bit my tongue, stopping myself just in time before I brought up their current feelings for the girl right next to me. But when Harbor and I made eye contact, I could tell that they knew what I was about to say.

Bailey looked between the two of us, confused. "Sorry, am I missing something?" She asked.

I watched as a slightly panicked look grew on Harbor's face. "Oh, no, uh-"

"It's Ruby." I interrupted. There was no way I would let them spill the beans yet. "Ruby's tutoring my brother, so I get to see her like every day now." Bailey's face lit up as Harbor discreetly smiled at me in relief.

"Is she really?" Bailey beamed. "That's actually so perfect, you have to ask her out now."

I blushed at the thought. "I dunno...I feel like for the first time, I actually have a crush that I want to do something about."

Bailey scoffed at that. "Haven't you already had a million crushes though, Mel? How is this the first person you've ever wanted to ask out?"

"I dunno!" I shrugged. "Isn't that how normal crushes work? You think someone's cute but you don't really wanna ask them out?"

I looked at Harbor, who shrugged. "Don't ask me, we don't do that here."

I chuckled at their joke.

"Well, I guess that makes a little sense?" Bailey pondered. "But typically when you like someone, you wanna ask them out. Sometimes when you like someone you might not wanna actually go out with them, but I feel like that's a little abnormal for the amount of crushes you've had."

"Oh." I said quietly. Well what was that supposed to mean?

I looked at Harbor, who's eyes were already on me. They were giving me a thoughtful look, something I'd have to ask about later.

"Well either way," I said, "I like Ruby and I'm thinking of asking her out. I'm not positive, but I think she could like me back."

As I said that, Bailey squealed and wrapped her arms around me. "I can't believe it's finally happening. After all these years...My baby is growing up." Bailey wiped a fake tear from her eye, and I pushed her away playfully.