Lovely Madness // h.s. au

1. Caramel

"Riley!" A high pitched voice yelled in my ear.

My eyes shot open and I sat up in bed like I had never been asleep. I blinked a few times before my eyes landed on the little girl in front of me.

"Are you okay? No blood, good amount of oxygen?" I grabbed her face and ran my hands all over it.

She laughed at me, grabbing my fingers with her small hands.

"Somebody is at the door," she said.

I looked up above my bed to see rain falling outside of my window.

"Oh shit," I whispered to myself.

The rain wasn't what was surprising to me. It was that someone was at my door. People don't just randomly show up to my apartment, not even my obsessive mother.

"Stay here." I got out of bed, grabbed a t shirt off the floor and threw it on over my sports bra.

Stumbling to the door, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I realized what could be lying in wait for me. A baby. Maybe a super expensive present. Maybe a Swifer wet jet. Or someone ready to murder me... I crossed my heart and prayed I wouldn't die. I pulled open the door and squinted at the boyish figure.

"Are you here to hurt me?" I yelled.

The rain was so loud I thought it'd bust through the root. I think the guy said something but I couldn't understand him. If he was gonna do anything to me he'd have grabbed me by now. I decided to try and be a nice person for once in my life.

"Come in!" I grabbed his arm and pulled him inside onto the mat in front of the door.

"Do you want some coffee? I had some brewing before I fell back asleep." I wiped the rain off my hand and hurried into the kitchen.

I hadn't seen the man's face, I just turned away and ran. As I grabbed a coffee mug out of the cabinet, I realized something. Living in an apartment is different than a house, it's harder to just pick someone to strike. Knowing my luck I could be the new contestant on A Psychopath's Next Victim. I poured some coffee into the cup and let the steam hit my face. I bit my lip and stared down at the dark liquid for awhile, contemplating.

"I've watched enough Law and Order. I'll be okay," I muttered to myself.

I grabbed some small creamer packets and a spoon.

"I have French vanilla cream and some mocha type stuff. Contrary to popular opinion-,"

"Caramel takes like shit," he interrupted me.

I looked up from balancing everything in my hand to meet his face. How did he know that?

"Harry?"

His face was bright, more defined than I remember. His dark brown hair had grown down to his shoulders, making his jawline stronger. His green eyes stared down deep into mine before he scanned me up and down. I slowly stepped closer and set the coffee down on the table next to the couch he was sitting on.

"Riley I wanna see who it is!" Simone ran out.

Harry immediately looked away from me and at Simone. She stopped in front of him and smiled.

"I'm Harry," he stuck his giant hand out and smiled lightly at her.

She just giggled and grabbed his hand.

"Who's this?" Harry asked me, keeping his eyes on her.

"Um... Simone. Simone, tell him about yourself," I muttered.

"Simone Bold. I'm four years old and I live in Seattle and my favorite color is light yellow," Simone belted out.

I couldn't help but laugh at her little memorized response. Harry's smile grew and he released her tiny hand.