The Unlikable (Book One) // h.s. [COMPLETE]

Chapter 21

I listened to his footsteps as they ran down the wooden steps to the first floor. My feet mindlessly carried me out of his room and to the top of the steps. I wouldn't go down them risking Harry finding me eavesdropping. But I was going to hear what was happening down stairs one way or another.

"What the hell?!" I heard Harry growl at a distance.

"I thought you would be at school. So I'm guessing you're not going anymore. Does James know?" the male voice was almost smug as he talked.

"No, I'm still going," he said softly to the point I couldn't hear the rest of his sentence.

"What are you doing home soon?"

"I wasn't feeling well," he lied. Why couldn't he have just said a bunch of boys got in a fight with him? I mean I understand it not being fun to speak about, but if it was a family friend then they would understand, right? "Just leave!" Harry sighed.

Their voices became muffled with the distance. My feet started walking down the steps so I was listening closer to their conversation.

"I wasn't going to miss my son's first performance tonight," the guy spoke. Son? Performance?! What in the world was going on?!

"Harry?" I blurted as I was face to face with him and his 'family friend' in their kitchen across from the staircase.

"Callie," Harry came over to me and grabbed me by the arm pulling me back to the steps. "Wait in my room," he whispered angrily.

"Who is that?" I whispered back worried for him.

"Harry, you don't have to hide people from me," the guy spoke coming around the corner.

The man was tall, slim and built. His chest as big as a boxer's and his face destroyed like one's too. His hair was buzzed and I could see faint tattoo's that trailed across his neck. The one thing I really recognized was his green eyes.

"I'm Steve," he held out his hand for me smugly.

"Callie," I accepted it and gave him a nod. "I'm Harry's friend."

"Oh really? I didn't know Harry had friends," the guy spoke looking Harry over. Harry's face tightened and he looked like he would combust at any moment. No, no, no. This guy could not ruin my time with Harry. We were just getting along. I didn't need this stupid jerk to mess it up.

"He does," I spoke before Harry said something.

"Well I'm-," the guy was cut off short.

"-just leaving," Harry finished for him. Harry's hand caught the guy's shoulder and pushed him towards the front door. "Don't come back until James approves it. Better yet, I don't want you to come back," Harry whispered probably hoping I wouldn't over hear. Huh...

Harry slammed the door and turned around to face me. I stood at the top step awkwardly shifting my weight back in forth to both of my feet. What the hell just happened?

"Family friend, huh?" I frowned looking at the ground between us.

"Callie, my life's complicated," he sighed running his fingers through his thick brown hair.

"So is mine," I turned my head and tried to walk up the steps.

"CALLIE!" Harry yelled as he made quick work of the distance that was between us. "You can't...Ughhhhh! You can't begin to explain all the things I would have to explain to you to make this work."

"Make what work?" I shook my head confused and almost angry.

"Make us work, Callie," he sighed pulling me close to him by my hips.