The Shadow of Stars

Ten

^1D bc its the mood im in and lets be fr-this is wattpad. there is ZERO judgement for the boy band here. #harryisdaddy 

A heavy weight sits in my chest as I approach Henry and take a seat next to him. Mr Friigs notices and I see annoyance start to seep into his expression but before he can come over and split us up his eyes cloud over and once they return, he doesn't storm our way.

"Are you okay?" I give Henry my full attention, loosing the goofiness that his presence usually pulls from me. We are sat close, so close that our knees touch and its something I would never have taken notice of before but now I do. Now I question every bit of my relationship with my best friend and how it might look to others.

"Is it too late to get on a boat and fuck off out of here?" He doesn't smile at all, not like he usually does to blow off an uncomfortable situation.

This isn't like the multitudes of other times he has been belittled, humiliated and bullied by a wolf. It just isn't.

"If we could, I would."

"I've already got my sights on a boat. An old piece of shit that probably doesn't run well at all but another month working on the docks with dad and I'll have enough for it. It'll be done up and ready to sail as soon as the year is over." He sighs, leaning back into the wood. "And then we can go. For real."

I don't answer him immediately, I try to just think, for a second, about the reality of his words. I should be enthusiastic, excited and ready to jump aboard and just go, screw school and the rest of it and adventure.

But the only thing I feel is anchored.

"Don't tempt me," I mumble back, sighing heavily and leaning back with him.

I can tell he wants to say something more, I know he wants to actually and it makes fear sprout within me. If he talks anymore about the fact that everything sucks then I might just break down right here and now.

"What did he want anyway?" He asks and I push aside how it makes me feel to hear Henry address him with such reproach.

"Lunch," I reply, thinking back to how our conversation left of. "He wanted me to have lunch with him and his friends in the cafeteria and also talk about some things. It seems more like he just wants to spend every second he can with me."

I see a slight glimpse of fear in Henry's eyes, a look that kills me just a bit inside. "And?" He asks, tentative.

"And you aren't getting rid of me that easily," I tease, shoving his shoulder. "This year is about you and me, remember? I'm not tossing up the chance to steal half your sandwiches everyday to sit with a bunch of strangers."

He smiles at that and pushes me back.

"You know there's a screening of that movie we missed Saturday on tonight, feel like getting scared shitless?" He asks and I smile before shaking my head.

"I've actually got work," I reply.

"Again? I thought you closed on Mondays."

"We do, but it's just me and Gabe and I think he needs all the help he can get. I'm going there this afternoon to show him a couple things and I'll need to be working a lot more anyway, but hopefully he will be trained enough soon so that I can have the quieter days off."

"The game on Friday, you're still going to that right?" He asks and I shrug.

"I'm not so sure. I know I'm supposed to be reporting or whatever but I feel bad leaving him all alone on one of the busiest nights. I know we planned on it and the committee will probably hate me but I'll try sort it with them at tomorrows meeting."