Out of Bounds [h.s. au]

Chapter 12

I was cleaning off the kitchen table when I heard the garage door go up. For a split second I jumped, but then remembered it was Harry, not James. He walked through the door carrying a bag of Chinese take-out, a bouquet of flowers under his arm, and a large duffle bag in the other hand.

"Here, let me help you," I said, reaching for the food.

"No, take these," Harry awkwardly twisted so I could grab the flowers. "They need water."

Biting my lip, I took the bouquet and found a vase under the sink. As I filled it with water, Harry dropped his bag on the floor and put the Chinese on the table. Then he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Hi," he breathed into my ear.

"Hi yourself," I giggled as he tickled my neck with his lips.

Playfully pushing him away, I placed the vase of flowers in the center of the table.

"Those are so pretty," I said. "Thank you."

"Who said they were for you?" Harry joked. "I just so happen to like lilies and orchids on my table while I eat egg rolls."

I poked him in his side which made him laugh, then grabbed two water bottles from the fridge and two plates from the cupboard.

"So are you going to tell me what was bothering you earlier?" Harry asked after we'd divided the food onto our plates.

"Oh that," I blinked. "I'd actually forgotten about it."

It was the truth. After a very fulfilling discussion in English class, I'd gone home, changed my sheets, washed dishes, and vacuumed without once thinking about Leslie and her pressing questions.

"You seemed fixated on something when I saw you. You didn't even hear me."

I sighed, deciding to tell him. "It seems your little stalker girl has let word out through the grapevine that you and I are an item."

"Stalk—" Harry started before he realized to whom I was referring. "Oh you mean Britney?"

"Yep," I said, popping a piece of General Tso's chicken in my mouth.

"And what is this grapevine? Just about everyone I know was at the party."

"Remember that friend of hers, Liz? The redhead?"

"Oh yeah," Harry nodded. "She comes to the restaurant with her a lot."

"Hmm," I swallowed my water. "Turns out she's friends with Leslie from our Soc. class."

"And?"

"And...Leslie came up to me today with sort of an attitude. Asking me if we were a thing," I said, putting "thing" in air quotes.

"Aren't we a thing?" Harry asked.

"Well, yes. But people at school aren't supposed to know that."

"Why not?"

I glared at him. "You know why not. Because I'm married!"

"And do people at school know that?"

"Well...I...I assume so..." I stumbled.

"This is something I've been meaning to ask you, Tisa," Harry said, placing his fork on his plate. "How much do people really know about you? Since probably the first week of school, I haven't seen you wear your ring. We're together everyday, we walk into class together. We sit beside each other. We study together at the library. I would think from almost anyone's perspective, we are a couple."