Taste (H.S. / A.U.)

Chapter 45

TRIPLE UPDATE: Chapter 45-47

ELOISE DUPONT

The memory of Harry leaving so early felt more like a dream than reality. It was a soft morning, his laying kisses on my forehead, cheeks, and shoulder while I laid entangled on the floor in a mess of blankets. Only a few hours before I was seated between Char and Harry snuggled together, while everyone else was just as close, sharing about twenty blankets, another twenty under us creating a giant fake bed in the living room on the floor. The sounds of Fall Guy playing in the background.

We had a giant battle of what to watch, everyone writing down a film and tossing it in a bowl and allowing Mitch to pick. He seemed the most neutral and unlikely to cheat somehow. When he picked the name of the film out, Mimi cheered and threw her hands in the air, telling everyone it was a comedy film released a few years ago with Ryan Gosling being a major heart-throb in it. 

It felt like a family while being around Harry and his friends. The connections they all had was so pure and loving, you could tell they all really enjoyed their time together, and it almost felt like I was somehow intruding on it by being present.

I pretended not to notice when I saw Ricky snap a photo of us on his phone, snuggled into Harry while we had pjs on, a thick blanket splayed overtop, popcorn in a bowl in front of us while everyone was giggling and having a good time. I instead pretended not to notice, and instead just live in this moment I had with him. It's not that I was trying to be morbid, but with the idea of him jetting off in a few hours and returning to his life while I went back to mine, it felt saddening. The returning guilt of wondering what I was in Harry's life and just how long I would be in loomed over me.

I fell asleep cuddling him.

When I woke up the second time, he was gone. They all were. The only thing that reminded me they once were here was the extra blankets folded onto the edge of the couch, a note in the kitchen telling Jade, Ricky, and I that they miss us and will see us soon, signed by everyone. A heart next to Harry's name made my own clench for a moment. Otherwise, you would have thought it was all some sort of a dream, perhaps a fantasy.

Jade, Ricky, and I had one more day in Belgium, the weather finally clearing up, as if it knew it wanted Harry and I to be stuck inside for the time we had together. By now he was probably halfway to Switzerland. He matched his calendar to my own, making sure I always knew where he would be and vice-versa, so that meeting up in London and Paris could be easier for us both.

For now, I was alone though. Only the memories of the night before left to linger in the back of my head and play like a never ending loop on a merry-go-round. My mind continued replaying words, moments, touches, and memories with Harry, allowing me to smile as I basked in their reverie. I loved the way I felt in his presence, but that meant the moment it went away a small amount of my me felt ripped away. With the sun coming out finally, the weather returning to a blissful state, my mood was not matching. 

Jade was slowly coming to, unwrapping herself and snatching one of the top blankets to drape along her body, creating a cape for herself while she whisked away into the kitchen. I threw and arm over my face to block the sun that peaked past the shades of the massive windows that spanned through the living room. Moments later the smell of coffee was permeating the space, and it drew both mine and a sleepy Ricky towards the kitchen.

Jade opened the fridge, looking at what was left from the day before massive meal  and run to the store. "Breakfast?" 

I shake my head while scrolling through notifications on my phone. I hadn't been glued to my phone very much because my time with Harry was reserved for him and no other distractions. I tried being discreet enough while making a post, but tagging him to also giving him a little sweat. I know he is going to collect a little heat for someone - a girl - tagging him in a post. But, to me, that was quite the amusement right now. Well, it was until I saw how much much my own photo had blown up with people's opinions of me, how I knew him, or why I seemed to be the focal point of some of his attention that night.