Evie | H.S |

131. Schedule II

Pick up, pick up, pick up...

"Hey, baby..."

Hearing Harry's honey-like voice was enough to make me want to fall to bits and start crying, but I sniffed it back. Today wasn't the day to fall to pieces. That wasn't fair.

"Hey you" I spoke shakily, not wanting a hint of my latest panic to leak into my voice. "So, change of plans...could you just meet me at the flat?"

I could hear him sigh on the line, I knew it wasn't because I was changing plans but because I was due to pick him up from Jeff's house within the next 10 minutes and he was excited to see me. It had been a whole week apart after all.

"I'm just not comfortable with that big freeway..." I explained, putting on an Oscar-worthy performance. I began to crack the knuckles on my hand down by my side as I awaited an Uber.

"I thought you'd gotten over the fear of right-hand side driving, Eve" he chuckled and his subtle amusement made me feel even worse.

"It's not even the side of the road...it's all the lanes" I lied. "I can get you an Uber..."

"I don't need an Uber love" he chuckled. "I can handle that part. You just get ready, alright? I'll see you in half an hour or so."

The truth was, I'd fucked up. I'd made a big mistake.

I got pulled over originally for a minor misdemeanour, having not given way where I was supposed to. I was still wrapping my head around a new set of road rules and I probably would have been let off but it was within standard practice to conduct field sobriety tests.

I wasn't technically impaired. My last drinks were hours earlier but I was so nervous, immediately thrust into a panic and it must have been noticeable. I was charged with a DUID for driving with a scheduled II drug in my system. It was all a blur. The breathalyser, the arrest, the urine tests, the waiting, the fingerprinting and getting my photo taken. I felt so numb.

My first call was to Ross and he then dialled in my publicist Maggie. They had both remained calm and reassuring. Ross didn't scold me, he was just stern yet gentle and understanding. He was going to get in touch with my lawyers to figure out next steps, if any, but as it was my first offence in America, aside from a fine and a suspended license, there wasn't much more to do. It just couldn't have happened on a worse day. And obviously I didn't get my nap or blow wave in, either...

There was no use for panic. Panic wouldn't change anything. As Ross had assured, I wasn't enough of a big deal in the US for this to be splashed over the tabloids, so I kept thinking on that as a means of not spiralling. What had happened had happened. It was done. All I could control now was how I would move forward and let it affect me and my relationship.

I was taking the last of the hot rollers out of my hair when I heard a knock from the front door. Harry was right on schedule. I looked at myself in the mirror, silently manifesting a good evening. I'd tell him about my day, but not on his birthday, that wouldn't be right. I know he'd be so fucking disappointed and maybe it would open up a whole new rabbit hole, but I was far better placed to deal with that now. At least I hoped so.

With a deep, grounding breath, I pasted on a smile and skipped out of the bathroom, towards the front door, grabbing a bunch of red and pink shiny foil helium balloons that were waiting near the entrance. I was glad I'd sorted the gift and ordered those earlier.

"Well if it isn't my thirty year old boyfriend" I smiled, leaning against the open door with a cloud of heart-shaped balloons beside me.

With a crooked smirk, Harry poked at one of the balloons and stepped toward me, an arm encircling my waist as he dragged me closer to close the little distance that was between us. His free-hand clasped my face, his thumb brushing gently across my bare cheekbone as he dipped down to puzzle his lips against mine.