Unlikely (H.S.)

fifteen

~Harper~

Buzz.

Buzz.

Buzz.

Buzz.

I woke up to the soft buzzing of my phone on the nightstand. Groggily, I reached for it, squinting at the bright screen as my eyes adjusted to the light. It was a message from Harry. I rubbed my eyes and opened the chat.

HS: Good morning, love.

HS: Just got a coffee at I Deal, pretty good ☕️

HS: I can't wait to see you

HS: WAKE UPPPPPPPPPP ☀️

I blinked, rereading the message as my heart skipped a beat. He was here. Harry was actually in Toronto. I sat up in bed, suddenly wide awake, my mind racing. And then it hit me—he said "I Deal," but then he added, "WAKE UP!" Was there another I Deal? Why was he already out and about?

Panic set in as I quickly checked the time. It was barely 8 AM, and I had expected him to sleep in after his flight, maybe spend the morning at his Airbnb. But no, Harry was here, and he wanted to see me. Now. My heart started pounding as I jumped out of bed, staring around my apartment in horror. The place was a mess—clothes were strewn everywhere, dishes were piled up in the sink, and there was no way I was letting Harry see it like this.

I bolted into action, grabbing armfuls of clothes and tossing them into the laundry basket. I shoved it into the closet, slamming the door shut and hoping nothing would tumble out when I opened it later. Next, I tackled the dishes, scrubbing furiously and setting them on the drying rack. The whole time, my mind was racing. He was in my city, down the street even, and I wasn't ready. Not at all.

Once the apartment was somewhat presentable, I darted into the bathroom, turning on the shower. I needed to be clean, fresh, and presentable for him. As the water heated up, I quickly undressed and stepped in, letting the hot water wash away the remnants of sleep and nerves. I shaved everything, not leaving anything to chance. I knew I was probably overthinking, but I couldn't help it. The thought of being this close to Harry, of seeing him in person for the first time, had me both excited and terrified.

After what felt like the quickest shower of my life, I stepped out, wrapped a towel around myself, and stared at my reflection in the fogged-up mirror. My heart was still racing, the adrenaline of his arrival surging through me. I couldn't let him see how flustered I was. I needed to play it cool, but how was I supposed to do that when my thoughts were all over the place?

Clutching the towel around me, I rushed into my bedroom and flung open my closet, staring at the rows of clothes with a growing sense of dread. What was I supposed to wear? I didn't want to be too dressed up, but I also didn't want to look like I'd just rolled out of bed. My hand hovered over a simple sundress, then a pair of jeans and a cute blouse. Should I go casual or a bit more put-together? Would he think I was trying too hard if I wore the dress? Would jeans be too casual? I groaned in frustration, realizing I was overthinking every little detail.

After a few agonizing minutes, I finally settled on a pair of dark jeans and a soft, white blouse. It was simple, but it felt like me, and that was the most important thing. I quickly dried my hair, letting it fall into loose waves around my shoulders. I applied a bit of makeup, just enough to enhance my features without looking too done-up. I stared at myself in the mirror, taking a deep breath. I could do this. I could meet Harry and not completely lose my cool.

I grabbed my phone and noticed a few more messages from Harry.

HS: I really like this place

HS: It's so you