Always

Chapter 11

The rest of the day passed slowly. With nothing to look forward to except class with Harry the next day, I found myself desperately trying to end my boredom at home that night. After wasting some time in my room, I began to feel too cooped up. I moved to the living room downstairs to see if my mom was home, but she was nowhere to be found. Working another late shift, apparently. Wandering in to the kitchen, I opened the fridge, in search of something to eat, more bored than hungry. Nothing caught my eye, however, so I shut the fridge door and huffed at myself.

Without the distraction of work or homework, all I could do was think about Harry. Why hadn't I made plans with him tonight? I thought about texting him, but didn't want to scare him off before we even got the chance to hang out tomorrow. After a few more minutes of pacing around my house, I decided to go for a walk. It was dark out by now, but that didn't bother me. I often went for walks at nighttime whenever I had to clear my head.

Once I was outside, my thoughts of Harry led me to wonder which house he lived in. I knew from watching him leave my house the other day that I would have to go to the left, but after that I had no idea. Turning to the left, I started walking. Now that I thought about it, I didn't even know what kind of car Harry drove to give me any clues to which house may be his. I passed a few houses, some with lights on, others completely dark.

As I got a little further down my path, I started to hear the strumming of a guitar in the air. My ears perked up a bit at the music. I didn't recognize the song, but the melody was beautiful and harmonic as it got louder the closer I got. I had just passed a large oak tree when I noticed him. He was sitting on the porch swing of an average sized white house. It had two levels with flowers flowing out of pots around it. Simple, quaint, beautiful, and just the type of house I pictured him to live in.

Since it was dark, he hadn't seen me, so I quickly scurried back behind the tree, trying my best to be silent. It probably was rude to stand there and listen to him without him knowing, but I couldn't help myself. The music drifted out to me in the night air, surrounding me so it was like I feel it on my skin. As I stood and listened, I could hear him singing very quietly. His deep, raspy voice sounded incredible with the music of the guitar, and I had to stop myself from letting out a gasp. I had no idea he had this kind of beautiful talent, and wondered how many other people could possibly know. He was so quiet and shy, I doubted anyone did.

Listening to him play and sing privately was so amazing, I couldn't imagine having the privilege of him intentionally playing for me. Even though I could have stood there all night listening to him, I didn't want to spy on him anymore. Smiling to myself as he finished a song, I started to turn to go back home. Just as I spun, I found myself nearly crashing into a couple and their dog that had just come down the sidewalk, also out for a night time stroll. A shriek escaped my lips before clamping my hand over my mouth.

The couple apologized, surely wondering what this strange girl was doing hiding behind a tree, and continued on their way. Hand still over my mouth, I squeezed my eyes shut, noticing the obvious halt of music. Footsteps could be heard coming down the driveway of Harry's house. Oh no, oh no, oh no,. I panicked internally. I could think of nothing more mortifying than being caught spying on Harry from behind a tree.

"Joey?"

I cringed at his voice before turning slowly to face him where he stood behind me.

"Heyyyy Harry!" I said, trying to act casual, as if I hadn't just been busted.

"Joey, what are you doing?" he asked, seeming to already know the answer.

I sighed. "Well I was just going for a walk when I heard you playing and... um, yeah." I couldn't bring myself to admit I had been spying. He looked at me, slightly embarrassed that I had heard him.

"Just hanging out behind the tree, then?" he asked sarcastically, grinning through his embarrassed expression.

"I couldn't help it, you're really good, Harry," I said earnestly, dropping my façade.

"No, no... I just play for fun," he said sheepishly, avoiding my gaze now.

"Harry, I mean it. Your voice is so beautiful, I had no idea you could sing!"

"Well... um... thank you," he finally said, shuffling his feet as he stood. I noticed he still had his contacts in as he finally looked up and made eye contact with me. I moved a bit closer to him, so we were only standing about a foot apart. He swallowed nervously, looking down at me from his towering height.

"Will you sing for me, sometime?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Would you like me to?"

I nodded slowly, still holding our eye contact. His green eyes peered into my blue ones as one side of his mouth turned up slightly.

"Then I will," he said simply. My eyes shifted from his down to his lips for a half a second before reaching up and pulling his face down to mine. I felt his lips press to my own, gently and cautiously, still not used to the feeling. His hands gingerly reached up to cup my face, long fingers slipping into my hair as his thumbs drifted along my jaw. Slowly, my tongue drug across his bottom lip, asking for entrance, which he allowed. Cautiously, his tongue swept into my mouth as I had done to him, meeting my own as my hands moved to his back and pulled him closer to me.

After a few more soft movements of his lips and tongue, he pulled back a few inches, still cradling my face in his hands, which were shaking just slightly. I couldn't stop a huge smile from spreading across my lips as he stared into my eyes, a tiny grin mirroring my own.

"I really like kissing you," I admitted, meaning it more than he could ever know. I could still feel his lips on my own, his hands burning on my cheeks, the heat of his body pressed against mine.

"I... like kissing you, too," he told me, eyes flicking down to my lips and back up again.

"Good," I said, grin still straining my cheeks. I broke our eye contact to wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer to me again as he wound his arms around my waist. Standing on my tip toes, he still had to bend down slightly in order for me to bury my face into his neck.

As he held me, I placed a small kiss to his neck, to which he released a soft groan and squeezed me tighter. His scent drifted to me; a mixture of soap and natural boy smell invaded my senses, and I immediately fell in love with it. It wasn't overwhelming like most boys I came into contact with; it was just a natural, soothing, Harry smell.

"Harry?" I heard a female voice call from the porch of his house. We were hidden behind the tree, so who ever was calling him couldn't see where he stood.



"Yeah?" he called back before whispering, "My sister."

I nodded in understanding, resisting the urge to peer around the tree and get a glimpse of her. I was sure he probably didn't want to be caught making out with a girl under a tree.

"Mom said you need to come in, now, it's getting late."

"Okay, be right there," he replied.

"Harry, what are you doing over there?" she called, a creaking on the porch suggesting she had started moving towards us. Harry's eyes widened as he heard what I did.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he whispered to me, pressing a quick kiss to my cheek before releasing me and revealing himself from behind the tree to his sister. "Nothing, Gem, just thought I saw something."

"You weirdo," she teased good-naturedly, chuckling as he returned to the porch with her.

"Oh shut up," he threw back, laughing as he said it. I heard the front door open and close again as they went inside.

I leaned against the tree, hand pressed to my cheek as I tried to control the smile that seemed to be stuck on my face. Feeling like a silly school girl, I attempted to calm myself down. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't wipe the grin from my lips. Pushing myself off the tree, I started down the sidewalk towards my house, thoughts consumed of Harry. I could feel him everywhere, even now that he was gone; his hands, his lips, his chest, even his scent surrounded me.

To think that I already felt this way when I hardly knew anything about him terrified me. As I approached my house, I let out a giddy giggle at the thought of seeing him in the morning and again later that night. I was just about to open the front door, thinking of the possibilities of tomorrow night and not really paying attention to my surroundings.

"Joey," said a voice right as I reached for the door. I let out a shriek of terror as I whipped around to where the voice from, hand clenched to my chest, feeling my heart pounding. My mother sat on a chair in the corner of our deck, a surprised look on her face at my reaction.

"Mom, what the hell are you doing out here?" I gasped, still recovering from my fright. She let out a slight laugh, finding my reaction amusing.

"Well you weren't inside so I was just about to call you when you walked up," she explained.

"Okay, but why are you outside?" I asked incredulously.

She shrugged. "It's a nice night."

I pursed my lips and raised my eyebrows at her. She was right, I suppose, for several reasons. I grinned at her. "It is a wonderful night, isn't it?"

"Hmm," was all she said, giving me searching look with a small smile on her face. "It's getting late, love, you should probably get to bed soon."

"Alright," I nodded. "Goodnight, mom!"

I pushed my way through the door, heart finally slowing down from my encounter with my mother. As I bounded up the stairs and got ready for bed, my thoughts returned once again to Harry. I wondered what he was doing now. Was he perhaps doing exactly what I was doing- getting ready for bed and thinking of me as well? What did he even think of me? Maybe the only reason he ever kissed me back was because he didn't know how to turn me away.

I shook my head to clear those thoughts. Surely if he didn't want to, he would have said something by now. Finished getting ready for bed, I climbed under the covers, still able to feel his lips on my own as I drifted off to sleep.

Thank you for reading!