"But it wasn't there before." I explained.
"Helena, that's just what happens to us guys when we reach a certain age." Harry stated, ending his sentence in a chuckle as he stroked Jelly Bean on the head.
I shot him a look of repulsion. I couldn't believe we were discussing the development of a cat's reproductive organs when everyone else out there thought Harry had gone missing. What if a police report was filed?
The consistent ringing of the door bell startled me. "Shit." Harry's features tensed as he rushed over to the window with Jelly Bean encased in his large hands. "My mum knows I'm here."
"If I were your mum, I'd come looking here too. Isn't really the best place to hide." I pointed out.
I took my bottom lip between my teeth as my mother called my name from downstairs. "What do I do?" I stressed, my hands beginning to quiver.
"Well you need to put some trousers on first." Harry jested, drawing the curtains closed.
"This is serious." I reminded him, slightly irritated by his calmness. My heart jumped when my mother yelled out my name again.
Harry turned to look at me and rubbed along his chin with his long fingers as he thought.
_____________
"He hasn't contacted me in days. He told me he was leaving." I lied, slipping my hands into the back pockets of the jeans I'd freshly put on.
"Oh," Harry's mother stared at me, her hopeful eyes transitioning into a more weary state. "Sorry for the disturbance." She flashed a rather weak smile at my mother and I before turning away from us.
"Hold on!" My mother quickly called. She breathed out heavily for a quick moment and looked at me with brows contorted downwards as Mary paced back to the doorstep.
"What, mum?" I questioned, careful not to let even a little anxiety show in my features.
"I heard a male voice from upstairs but I just assumed you were watching those Internet videos again." She explained and my pulse instantly quickened. "But now that I know Harry's missing, I can't help but think there's something fishy going on." Her hands grasped her waist as both she and Mary stared me down for a confession.
"T-There's nothing going on." The tension was nerve wracking. My fingers began to fidget as I fumbled with them and my mother noticed. She raised a brow, prompting me to give in.
"Helena." She fussed.
"He has a good reason for doing it." I blurted and instantly felt a lump in my throat. I pursed my lips and shut my eyes.
My mother pinched the bridge of her nose in distress and heaved a sigh while Mary relaxed her features and watched me thankfully. "Thank god, I thought he left town." She pushed back her hazel-toned hair which bore a resemblance to Harry's. "Could you please tell him to come downstairs, dear?" She forced a smile.
I briskly nodded and bolted up to my room, leaving the two antsy mothers alone downstairs. I violently shut the door behind me as I entered, resulting in a startling slam.
Harry sat on the green fluff of my carpet with his legs straightened out, resting his back against the foot of my bed as he read one of the comic books he'd brought. Jelly Bean rubbed his small, furry body against Harry's jeans, meowing faintly. He was one attention-seeking feline.
"Did you get rid of her?" Harry glanced up at me.
"They know you're here." I told him, cracking my knuckles in tension. "It slipped. And your mum looked so worried."
"Helena..." He moaned, chucking his comic book to the side.
"But Harry... what were you expecting anyway?" I asked. "You can't stay in here forever." I ambled towards him and extended a hand. "We'll try to persuade her into letting you stay in Gripleville."
A deep sigh escaped his uniquely shaped lips before he stood up, his height towering over mine. "She's not going to have any of it." He slipped his fingers through mine. He pressed his lips to my forehead for a tender kiss before letting my hands loose again.
He wrapped his arms around me and went in for an embrace. His chin was propped on my shoulder, his features partially engulfed in the dark waves of my hair. My arms caped around his neck and a free hand went through the untidy ringlets.
The lingering effect of the kiss reminded me of how much I cared for this boy. The somewhat nostalgic scent of his curls caused tears to brim around my eyes. I took a handful of brown ringlets and lightly clenched my hand.
I didn't want to let go. I wanted things to stay my way for once. To be encased in Harry's warmth was all that I'd longed for since the day he first kissed me.
But I still couldn't figure out what exactly Harry possessed that made me such a sucker for his love. But whatever it was, it made this particular moment I was sharing with him perfection, although the aftermath would be quite the opposite.
I found tears disobediently escaping my eyes as I began to have pronounced breathing spasms. Harry noticed and comfortingly shushed me, promising that he wouldn't leave me in low whispers. I shut my wet eyes and burrowed into his chest.
"Helena!" My mother called from downstairs. "If you two don't come down, I'm coming up." The first few yellings of my name were ignored but this time, Harry pulled away and carefully looked at me, his large hands cupping my face. The green in his eyes were framed by red veins. He had shed his own fair share of tears.
"Let's go." He encouraged, his thumb wiping off a tear descending along my cheek.
I slowly nodded in agreement as I moved away from Harry and rubbed my eyes. When I opened the door and started walking out, my hand was gripped. "Harry..." I murmured as I attempted to tug away.
"It's alright." He assured, squeezing. I took small, nervous steps as Harry led me downstairs.
My mother had invited Mary into the house and they were awkwardly waiting for us in the living room. Their eyes widened simultaneously when they saw Harry and I descending from the stairs hand in hand. No one uttered a single word until we were both standing infront of our puzzled mothers.
"I-I thought you were friends...?" My mother broke the pin drop silence, getting up from the couch.
"I thought... Daniel...?" Mary muttered.
"It's extremely complicated but we've been keeping this a secret for a long time." Harry began. "Mum, just know that Helena gets me. And... I don't know what I'd do without her."
I tightened my grip on Harry's hand as my body cowered behind his. "Is that why you want to stay?" Mary questioned as my mother gaped at us.
He nodded. "But Harry, you know you're..." Mary trailed off with a light shrug.
"What? Crazy?" Harry completed her sentence.
She frowned. "I never said that."
"Helena knows about my bipolar. She knows about my depression." He added.
My mother's eyes dilated as she took in Harry's words. "Helena... I don't understand."
I hugged Harry's arm possessively as I started gaining more confidence in our relationship. "I love him, mum." I acknowledged.
