ripped jeans | hes

fifty four

croodle (verb)- to cuddle or nestle together, as from fear or cold

"Hungry, babe?"

I shook my head, looking out the window.

"We don't have to go back home." Harry offered, parking my car in my driveway. "We could go to a hotel or something, deal with your parents in the morning."

Harry had offered to drive home since my hands were shaking so much.

I slowly shook my head again.

"What're we supposed to tell your parents, babe?" Harry asked. "They're going to have questions. They're probably waiting for us."

I looked up at my house before looking at Harry. "It's Thanksgiving tomorrow. We should be home."

"Funny how much you're respecting this family-oritneted holiday when your own family is falling apart." Harry muttered and I gave him a glare. "Too soon?"

"Too soon."

"Apologies."

"We'll just tell my parents that Alec snuck out out to some girl's house and we were trying to find him. He'll be back in time for dinner tomorrow."

"Will he be back in time for dinner?" Harry asked quietly, his voice almost a whisper.

I shrugged, stubbornly stuffing the stupid rehab brochures into my purse. "I don't know. I don't know. I'll have to the hospital tomorrow morning and talk to his doctor to see if he can get checked out."

"Hey." Harry ducked his head so he could catch my eyes.

I locked my eyes with his and blankly looked at him, slightly frowning. 

"I have your back." He said, his eyes directly looking into mine. "It'll be alright."

He reached over and lightly pecked my cheek before jumping out of my Jeep and opening my door. I grabbed Harry's hand as I exited the car, keeping my hand in Harry's as we walked up to the wooden front door.

"I don't even want to see my parents right now." I grumbled, jamming my key into the knob but not twisting it open. "A fucking divorce. Are you kidding me?"

"Alec doesn't even know for sure. He had just woken up, he wasn't thinking right." Harry softly brushed the pad of his thumb along the back of mine.

I didn't say anything.

I let out a deep breath before twisting open the doorknob and pushing open the front door. I scanned the hallway before we stepped inside, gingerly shutting the front door behind us. I held Harry's hand tighter as we stepped into the living room, where I could see my dad watching late-night news on the flatscreen.

I was about to lead us to the safety of upstairs, but Dad whipped around to look at us, causing Harry and I to stop in our tracks.

I couldn't help but feel thankful that it was Dad, not Mom. Dad was a lot more easygoing than my mother, who would surely freak out.

Dad turned down the TV volume and gave us a small smile. "I could sense you in the room. And I heard the front door close."

"Hey, Dad." I kept a blank face, trying to mask my sudden wave of anger as I thought about him hiding the divorce from me.

"One, two." Dad counted Harry and I before giving an animated look. "Where's young adult number three?"

I nervously looked up at Harry before turning to Dad. "Alec snuck out to some girl's house."

"He snuck out?" Dad's voice grew with anger.

I let out a sharp exhale, hoping my mother wouldn't hear us. "I think so. I don't know."