Underwater. ||h.s.||

chapter eight.

It doesn't matter how many times you fall off of your bike because eventually, you get back on to ride it. It doesn't matter how many times you burn the cookies in the oven because eventually, you'll create another batch. It's not that you don't want to try; it's just that the first attempt sometimes sucks more than the next.

The night that Calum left and I led him to believe that I didn't care about him anymore was also the night that I realized that I'd both fell off the bike and burned the cookies a second time.

The question that most people would ask is:

Why are you asking Calum to help you search for Harry?

Easy. For one, I'd never been outside of Michigan and I'd be damned if I did it alone. Calum was normal for me and it was best for me to take normal with me. Plus, with a limp like mine, I was going to need some company or I wasn't going to make it to the airport.

And...I wanted Calum and I to spend time together. Yeah, yeah; I know. I kind of blew it, but that's the good thing about burning cookies and falling off of bikes. You want to try it again.

I woke up to the smell of pineapple and realized that I didn't put the pint of yogurt away. It dripped all over my carpet and all I did was blow a raspberry at it before cleaning the mess.
After cleaning the mess, I grabbed some socks, slipped them on, and went up to the fifth floor to carry out the rest of my plan. I didn't care how messy my hair came out to be, or how smeared my mascara was. I needed Harry's number.

Rory opened her door, smiling and jamming along to the music playing in her living room. I smiled back, uneasily, but I did. "Come in, Ernie. Don't be scared now!"
I stepped inside of her apartment feeling as though I wasn't the only one accompanying her on this jam session of hers. The sweet smell of jasmine incense burning on top of her TV took away from the three boys sitting on her couch and the cat scurrying around her balcony. I looked over at my dancing best friend as she took her hair down from her clip and shook it accordingly to the music. That was Rory for you; upbeat and lively. When I followed her onto the balcony, she caught me by surprise when she grabbed my wrist and made me dance as subtly as I could. Without moving my legs, I joined her in the random sway, and she laughed. "That's my girl."

I laughed and nodded. "I'm back...sort of."

"Aren't you going to say hi?" she questioned before pointing toward the guests I was oblivious to. I stuttered plainly as I saw Aidan, Niall, and the late-night store keeper at Broadway Records Shoppe, Luke. He played with his lip ring as he smirked at the ginger train wreck standing before him.

"Long time, no see, Ernie..." he said, his accent sending memories of carelessness through my mind. I remembered Luke. How could anyone forget him?

Aidan snickered, "I said the same thing."

I rolled my eyes as Niall laughed at his 'bro-friend's' little comment.
"Hey, Luke. How's the record's store?"

"Hanging in there. Riveting," he said, biting onto that ring. His brow furrowed a bit and he pointed at his eye. "You've got a little...uhh..."

I instantly knew he was talking about the mascara that smudged across my right eye.

Luke was the third person I met in Ann Arbor and aquatinted with. While unpacking some of my things, I missed the sound of music; oldies in particular, so I took a little stroll down the street and came across a place called Broadway Records Shoppe. Luke was the only one working there that night, and I just needed a little help looking for the White album.

Well, this dirty-blonde male with striking blue eyes had fun bugging me while I searched. While imitating lame guitar riffs and telling me how his grandfather knew The Grateful Dead, I paid him five bucks to walk away and then found out he was in Aidan's little circle of pets. It's a small world out there. I came to like him later rather than sooner, but he still bugs me.

"...Well, it's always nice to see you again—"

"I heard about what happened between you and Calum. He's just sensitive, but if you're still single, I've got another friend that'll fix ya up," he interrupted. "Name's Ashton—"

Rory finally stepped in by handing Luke her cat and saying, "She's got a boyfriend. His name is Harry and he's currently traveling the world while you're sitting on my couch, freeloading."

He looked disgusted with the animal in his hands. After pushing it off his lap and wiping off its shedding hair, he looked back up at me and winked. I scoffed and followed Rory into her bedroom. Girl-talk time.

When she laid across her bed and patted her left side for me to follow suit, I immediately blurted out, "I need my boyfriend's number."
I figured she would laugh at my forwardness, and she did, before I shoved her shoulder.

"I knew you liked him. I knew you did."

"I do and I told Calum that last night."

She rose up to hear me better. "You've talked to him?"

"He broke into my apartment, we had dinner, and I told him that I want him to go with me to Baltimore."

Rory shoved my leg and grunted in frustration. I asked her what was wrong, but she continued pouting and started fumbling with her fingers. "I-I thought you were going to ask me to go to Baltimore. I'm the one that has a girlfriend out there..."

"Oh, okay, well...you can go, but Calum's going too," I clarified. "I want to set things right with him; at least give him the friendship I've been craving."

She grabbed her phone off of her bed-stand and scrolled to find Harry's number. Before handing me the phone, she asked, "When're we leaving?"

I squinted at her, hoping she'd totally accept my answer. "Is tomorrow too soon?"

______________________

When I got home, I didn't pack right away. Instead, I stared at the number that showed up on my contacts list under the name Poet.

Should I call him? Should I text him?

I couldn't keep clicking my fingernails thinking about it all night. I decided to call him to let him know that I was interested in seeing him. I just hoped the feeling was mutual.

Right on the second ring, a click resounded and I heard the thick accent of sleep ring through the receiver. Harry had answered. "Hello?"

"Hi."

"...Hi. Your voice sounds recognizable. Who might you be?"

I closed my eyes upon revealing my identity. "...Bambi."

"Finally...I get a chance to talk to the girl of my dreams."

"Yeah, you do."

He grunted on the other end and before long, he spoke saying, "That's not what it sounded like; I'm only sitting up in bed." I giggled. "Did Rory tell you about—"

"Baltimore. That's really far," I said. My plan was to lead him on before telling him that I was leaving. I'd already bought the tickets with Rory, but I didn't want him to know that yet. I was testing the waters.

"It's only an hour away by flight, and we'll be here for a week; Quinn and I. I have backstage passes and everything. I really want to see you again."

"You were a lot of fun when you were here, Harry."

He chuckled smoothly, "I try to be."

This was overwhelming. Harry had me practically panting and sweating on the other side of the phone without even doing anything but being himself. English boys.

I set my phone on speaker and removed my shirt. It was getting too hot to wear.

"You don't have to try. Just the sound of your voice has me all hot and bothered."
The moment I said it, I instantly regretted it.

"...I miss your perfect lips, Greylene. You know that?"

I touched my lips. "Now I do."

"If you come to Baltimore, we wouldn't have to feel like this. Rory told me that you and Calum broke it off...it's not my place, but I feel pretty lucky about it."

Rory had a mouth the size of the Grand Canyon. She told everyone that we'd split.

Slowly removing my jeans, I told Harry that it wasn't right for him to leave without saying goodbye. A soft sigh was added just for effect, and I could almost feel him clenching his sheets.
"Why're you doing this to me, Bambi?"

"Doing what?"

"Making me fall in love with you. You keep doing that, and I can't take it. You're going to make me ditch my sister and fly out to be with you, you know that? It's only been a week, but it feels like decades," he breathed.
For the first time in two weeks, I was speechless. I climbed up my bedspread and tucked myself into the covers. I suppose Harry heard the ruffling and asked, "What're you doing over there?"

"Getting into bed."

"Got into your jammies, yeah?"

I looked down at my barren torso and legs. "Kind of."

"...What're you wearing?"

Time to change the subject. "I bought the ticket earlier this afternoon. I'll be arriving in Baltimore tomorrow night. I've already booked a hotel and everything. Rory's tagging along too."

When Harry's laughter rang through the phone, my heart skipped. Cliché or not, it did and my stomach dropped and the same music that played the night we kissed and swayed played again.

I think I found him. I found the one. Maybe.

"I don't think you know how excited that makes me," he said, breathing almost erratically, "Not as excited as I would have been if I'd known what you're wearing—"

"Hey," I warned warmly. My cheeks were hot now. My body was literally lit on fire.

"Right. Right; I can save that type of talk for when you get here."

I gripped my sheets. "...See you tomorrow night?"

"Of course. Night, Greylene."

"Good night."