Gold Rush

Chapter 3

A Friday per month we had the habit to do a girls night at one of us with Becky and Ellen, that Friday was at Becky’s. We had plan to eat as much as possible and to watch old pictures from secondary school on Rebecca’s laptop. Our first club night, the week-end at the beach, our trip in France and numerous pictures of random parties.

“Adam’s birthday! Summer 2010, swimming pool party if my memory is good.” Beck announced.

The pictures began to scroll, the pool, the lights, several groups laughing, us three playing the models… We laughed until we reached the couples pictures. He was everywhere. We were everywhere. Harry and I dancing, Harry smiling, Harry kissing me, Harry and I in the pool… The room was silent, the slideshow continued. It was painful to see how happy we were, how life seemed to be simple and beautiful when he was beside me.

“You two look so happy…”

“It’s part of the past now.” I replied with a small voice.

“What happened Hannah? After your car accident with your cousin, or whoever it was, you changed so much… Both of you I mean.”

“I… I don’t know. He slept with Amy, that’s it. He is just like the others.”

“I can’t believe it, I mean, it’s unreal! He was so in love with you and…”

“And he cheated on me Rebecca!” I yield the tears running on my face.

“I’m… I’m sorry.”

“It’s just that it’s really weird,” Ellen intervened, “We know that he acted as a total jerk with you but… it began earlier. You and him it was not the same since a certain time Hannah, you have to admit it. Just after… the accident. And then he cheated on you and you became mad at him instead of crying like girls do… You and him are in continual fight, everytime you met it’s like the World War 3, it must be a reason for that!”

I know they were right but I do not want to talk about it, it was too painful.

“I did cry if it can comfort you Ellen, I cried a lot! Harry and  aren’t made for each other. That’s it. Could we pursue without speaking about him please?”

The atmosphere went cold between us and we ended the little party earlier. I was supposed to spend the entire night with them but I decided to come back home alone around eleven o’clock.

Rebecca did not know how to act, she just wave goodbye while Ellen requested me to send her a text when I’d be at home.

We lived in a small town and nearly in the same area. As I walked in the obscurity without thinking I found myself in a familiar street, however, it was not mine.

“Shit.” I swore.

I was about to turn in the main road when someone called my name.

“Hannah?” He was away but I recognized him, I would have recognized him everywhere.

I saw him approach and I couldn’t move.

“What are you doing here so late?” he asked me with surprise.

“I wanted to walk… And you?”

“Err, it’s my street?”

“Oh, right.” I said blushing and bending my head ashamed.

“Where were you going?”

“It’s none of your business.”

“Come on Hannah! Let’s make a break, let me escort you, it’s late and you’re alone…”

“And?”

“For once, don’t be stupid, allow me to go with you.”

“I was going home.” I replied sharply.

We walked in silence, I could not restrain myself to look at him. He was wearing a black coat and his grey bonnet. The one I offered him. Some of his strands of hair tried to escape, it always had been what I preferred in him, his curly and messy hair. I loved when he let my fingers running through the curls… I was intensely looking at his head when he stopped.

“What?” he asked.

“No-nothing…”

He restarted to walk slowly and talked again.

“Are you going to tell me what you were doing in my street, or will I have to guess?”

“I was at Beck’s tonight, I was not looking where I was going and I lost myself.”

“Why did not you stay with the girls?”

I took my time to answer.

“We had an argument.”

“About what?”

“Why are you so curious?”

“I just try to make the conversation!”

“We fought about you.” I declared.

“Me?”

“Us.”

We had stopped again, facing  each other in the night. Harry frowned.

“Why?”

“We were watching old pictures and they questioned me about our break up.”

He stayed silent, his eyes were shinning, he bit his lower lip and he finally looked away. I was waiting for him to react, to say something but he did not. He just stared at the street, avoiding my interrogative look, hands in pockets and moved forward again.

“They don’t understand why you changed so much… Why you became such a cunt.” I added, I wanted him to react and it worked.

“I changed because YOU changed Hannah!”

“I did not! You went away without reasons!”

“I had my reasons!”

“Oh yes sorry I forgot about that! You did not stop reproaching me to be too much addicted to you, to be dependent of you! But I was Harry! It was my way to show you my love, because I loved you! We were together since two years, and suddenly you complained about how I behaved but it was you the matter! You were running away, as fast as you can into Amy’s bed!” I was yelling, the rage was burning my face.

“Oh stop with Amy! That’s not the point.”

“So tell me what it is! Because I’ll never understand why you left me!”

 “Nevermind. You are almost arrived, it’s time for me to return home. Bye.” He said in a calm voice. He left me alone, without answers. I was frustrated and so angry that I could not sleep until five in the morning. 

***

Three days later, we were in history class when I received a text from an unknown number. Mrs Tuck was an old woman who read her lesson without watching her students, it gave me the occasion to check my phone.

“What does it say?” Becky whispered to me.

“It’s Louis. He’s back in town."