Cherry Bomb [H.S.]

CHAPTER ELEVEN

A/N & TW: Hi friends, I wanted to give a quick trigger warning and note before you start reading. This chapter is one of the two heaviest chapters that Cherry Bomb will have. This chapter includes excessive drinking (to the point of sickness). It does include mentions of vomit here and there, but I've tried to limit it as much as possible, however, it's hard to get around given the nature of this particular chapter. If this is something you feel would be triggering, or too much to read, and you need a summary, please do not hesitate to comment and we can figure out a way for me to get it to you. Take care of yourself first, always. - L xo

My eyes trail over Harry's frame as I pull my cigarette away from my mouth, holding the smoke in for a bit before exhaling it through my nose. He's sitting across from me on the couch that's identical to the one I'm occupying while we smoke outside on my porch. His eyes are closed, and he has his head tilted back as he keeps his own cigarette perched between his lips. The weather was exceptionally nice today, so when I had invited Harry over earlier, I decided we'd take advantage of it and have a day outside.

The music from the speaker I had set up on the small table in the corner plays quietly in the background - truly making it a proper setting. As the song changes to open that's a bit more upbeat, I grab the remote to turn it up just a bit before I push myself off the couch. My movements capture Harry's attention as he blinks his eyes open, and he starts to follow my movements.

"Come on," I tell him as I begin to sway across the wooden porch. "Dance with me."

Harry scoffs with a shake of his head as he leans forward - resting his elbows on the top of his knees as he flicks the ash off his cigarette into the tray. "No way."

I pout at him as I begin to dance more exaggeratedly. It doesn't get past me that Harry is watching me so intently. It's something I've caught him doing a lot in the past few weeks we've been hanging out. After the movie night we had, I invited him over a couple more times, but then after that, he actually started asking me himself if it was okay for him to swing by.

He hasn't stayed the night anymore, and he made it obvious to me that he wasn't telling Rylan that we had been hanging out. He knows she'd freak if he were to mention it to her. Part of me wanted to fight Harry on that. It would be a lot easier, and feel a lot less like sneaking around if he were to tell her, but I also understand why he isn't.

Harry is clearly still very confused as to what he's feeling for Rylan and I both. The last thing I want to do is pressure him into figuring it out. That could cause me to lose all the progress I've made, and I can't have that.

Over the past few weeks, I've managed to catch glimpses of the old Harry peek out here and there. It took a while at first, but every now and then I notice him using a silly phrase we would say back in the day, or I see the beam of his smile over something as simple as me making one of his favorite desserts.

I know I have just had to keep being there for him, and then hopefully the old him will come out even more.

"We used to dance silly all the time together, remember?" I ask as I let my arms go limp to move them every which way along to the beat of the song. "I bet dancing like this will help you decompress a little bit."