Thursday Nights | ✓

TWENTY-SIX | 4/7/16

TWENTY-SIX | 4/7/16

THURSDAY NIGHTS ARE the nights my dad and I usually have dinner together at the police station. Except, it's not like that anymore. I'm at college, and he's at work, and the two of us are way too busy to hold up our old routine. However, sometimes, the days I'm in town, I surprise my dad by buying a proper dinner and eating with him.

But it's not usually between the two of us anymore. Harrison joins me most of the time, and Rebecca, my dad's girlfriend, comes along, too. It's not exactly the same, but it's not all too bad either -- just different.

Then again, a lot of things changed in a year. My dad finally moved on, even though I was hurt when I initially found out. My dad and I had a period of pure intensity. I met Harrison and developed my relationship with him to a point where I can't imagine anyone else by my side except for him. Harrison himself went through his own family issues, but in the end, managed to slowly solve them. He left his trouble-maker ways. We both went to college.

"So, Arden," my dad says, "do you still think Harrison is cute?"

I laugh really hard, almost choking on my french fries. Harrison playfully glares at me, but that doesn't stop me at all. By the time I calm myself down, there are tears rolling down my face. It honestly feels good to laugh like that, releasing all the tension I've been feeling for the past few months.

"Holy crap," I finally say, "That wasn't even that funny."

"Yeah," Harrison agrees, lightly whacking my arm.

"But I was laughing because it's not true at all," I tell everyone, dipping my fries into some ketchup, "I don't know what I was thinking last year."

"What--"

"I still love you."

"Okay, okay," my dad pretends to gag, "Enough of this love-fest."

"You're one to talk, Dad," I reply, gesturing to Rebecca, who remained quiet this whole time, watching us with amusement, "You're worse than Harrison and me."

"That's not true!"

"Oh, it is, Sheriff Banks," my boyfriend agrees before taking a sip of his Pepsi.

It's insane to think about how far we've come in life. These conversations would have never happened last year. In fact, I'd probably be wallowing in self-pity, not knowing what to do with my life and feeling neglected by my father. Everything would have been terrible, that's for sure.

"What are you thinking about?" Harrison leans closer to me, whispering in my ear.

"Just how things worked out between all of us," I whisper back, resting my head on his shoulder.

After a while longer, Harrison and I finally have to leave to go to his house. While the both of us are rekindling with my family, we're also working on his family as well. Step by step, every Thursday at a time, we're trying to patch everything up.

"My mom started to garden again," Harrison comments, looking at the arrangement of flowers in front of his mansion-of-a-house, "It looks like shit right now, but it's getting there."

When we finally enter his house, I immediately remember the first time I had dinner here. Mrs. Gage had looked absolutely terrifying, and she had never appreciated my presence being in her house. Harrison had grabbed my hand and ran his thumb over my knuckles, protecting me in his own way from his mother.

Now, however, Mrs. Gage is considerably more friendly than that time. Although both Harrison's parents are still cold in nature, they're slowly but surely thawing. They're more approachable, and that's enough for me.

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Gage," I casually greet, sitting at the massive dining table, "How is everything?"

"It's been a long day," Mr. Gage smoothly answers like it wasn't a long day at all.

"I'm sorry to hear that," I answer, squeezing Harrison's hand under the table.

"What about you, son? How has everything been?"

"It's been, uh," my boyfriend slightly stutters, and I know he feels uncomfortable with having an actual discussion with his father, "It's been going well.

The conversation continues on awkwardly. Even though we're all trying our hardest, some habits can't be fixed right away. However, I'm glad to see things starting to work out.

•••

I KICK OFF my shoes and slump onto my bed of my old house. Harrison follows after me and wraps his arm around my waist. Now, it's just between the two of us once again, and everything else in the world seems to stop. This is what love honestly feels like, and I never want to give it up. Harrison is with me now, and hopefully, he'll stay with me until the end.

His iridescent blue eyes watch me, taking in my features and memorizing them. I do the same, taking note of the planes of his face. His black hair is gel-free and hanging over his forehead. His nose looks like it's been broken one or twice. His lips are slightly lopsided, and there's faint freckles on his face. I never want to forget this moment.

"Hi," he whispers before pressing a kiss to my nose. My eyes flutter shut at the light contact, and I snuggle even closer to him.

"Hi," I tiredly mumble back.

"You look really beautiful."

"If you're trying to get me to call you cute, then it's not happening."

"I take great offense to that," Harrison dramatically says, but he sheepishly grins once I give him a look, "Okay, maybe that's the reason. But still, you look amazing, even though you're half asleep."

"You're always telling me how grateful you are to have me," I say, "but I don't know what I'd do without you. Goddamn, I love your eyes and your lame jokes and your style and you. I love you so much that it hurts."

"I love you, and everything about you," Harrison replies, "and to think that a year ago, we were both two different people."

"It's insane," I agree.

It's insane how every Thursday night turned out to be every day for the rest of our lives.

___________________________

This chap was legit shit. So i will go back and rewrite it.

BUT YAY FINAL CHAPTER.

NEXT THURSDAY, I'LL POST THE EPILOGUE. AND THE THURSDAY AFTER (may 19) WILL BE WHEN THE REWRITTEN VERSION WILL BE POSTED.

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--thyselves