It Never Ends [Of Mice & Men- Alan Ashby fanfic]

Chapter 6: I've Never Done This Before

When Harper woke up the next day, she groaned because Lydia was practically snoring directly in her face. It was a quiet, cute snore, but it was still a snore and she was breathing on Harper. The hot air made her want to suffocate as she jumped out of bed and grabbed her cell phone.

In the living room, Harper’s mom was still passed out on the couch. She drank all of Alan’s beer and was tipsy as hell last night. Harper snickered at the memory and made her way onto her balcony.

She looked at her phone and saw she had a text from Alan. What a surprise. Alan was pretty much the only person that texted her next to Nicole.

Alan: do you want to have breakfast with me or something? I need to talk to you.

Harper grew worried at his text. She couldn’t tell if he was being serious or if he was just fucking around to get her to go on a date with him without her family. Either option made her stomach do flips.

Harper: sure, I’ll meet you at the Starbucks across the street from my place in ten?

Austin: sounds great. See you soon.

There was no smiley face. This guy seriously meant his shit today.

Harper quickly went into her room and put on a pair of shorts and a Slipknot tank top before giving her hair a quick brush and popping a mint. She left a note for her mom and ran out the door, anticipating what Alan would say.

“Hi Harper,” Alan said when he approached her sitting in a seat in the corner of the Starbucks. He should’ve guessed she would be the person isolated in the corner. It was just like her.

“Is there something wrong?” Harper asked, unable to hide her anxiousness. What if Alan never wanted to see her again? He was honestly helping her through everything and he didn’t even know it. He was making her happier.

“No, I just... I’m confused,” Alan said, sitting across from her.

Harper raised an eyebrow, willing him to continue.

“I don’t know how many more signs I can send you, Harper!” Alan exclaimed rather loudly, causing a few people to look back at him.

“Signs about what?” Harper asked, growing more confused.

“I like you... a lot. Usually a girl will get that by now and sleep with me or smoke weed with me or something! All I’m getting from you is an accidental meeting with your family and an indubitable cat romance,” he said, looking immaculately frustrated. Harper thought it was extremely cute.

She was confused though. Alan was probably the most confusing creature she had ever met. Sometimes she thought he wanted to date her, and other times she thought he just wanted to be her friend. “So... you want me to sleep with you?” She asked, blushing at her stupidity.

Alan chuckled. “Harper, will you just be my fucking girlfriend already?”

“Well, I won’t be your fucking girlfriend, but I’ll be your abstinent girlfriend,” Harper answered with a teasing grin as Alan sighed because of yet another innuendo.

“Harper, what the fucking hell?” Harper heard from behind her. She turned around and saw Lydia and Austin walk into Starbucks. Harper and Alan had been talking for hours and hours because they never seemed to get sick of each other. They always found something to talk about, whether it was tattoos or their favourite breed of cats and how they were cutest as kittens.

“Oh, hey Lydia,” Harper said with a smile as her cousin came to her side.

“You’ve been gone for three hours and your mom came in here in couldn’t find you and came back to me telling me Alan abducted you. I should’ve known you were hiding in the corner where she couldn’t see you, you fucking twat,” Lydia scolded.

“Why are you with Austin?” Harper asked, looking at Austin suspiciously.

“Because I um, saw him coming in here when I was coming to see if you were hiding from your mother,” Lydia explained.

“Why didn’t Austin go to the Starbucks closer to our apartment?” Alan asked, smirking at Austin.

“We’re on a date!” Austin yelled, putting his hands up in mock-surrender. “You got us.”

“So... have you sucked each other’s faces off yet?” Lydia asked, pulling Austin down with her as they sat down across from Alan and Harper.

Harper felt herself blush from the sudden topic change. “Fuck you,” she murmured, hiding her face in her hands.

“Is that a yes?” Lydia asked, raising her eyebrow.

“Why do you need to know?” Harper mumbled into her hands. This was something she particularly hated talking about, especially with her family. She definitely wasn't the one to kiss and tell, that was for sure.

“You’re my cousin. It’s strictly family business.”

“Then the answer is no.”

“Your cousin sure is interesting, isn’t she?” Alan asked with a laugh. Alan and Harper were currently sitting on Harper’s balcony to get some quiet time. Austin, Harper’s mom and Lydia were inside playing Just Dance 4 and things were getting a little heated.

Harper snorted. “Interesting sure is a weird word choice. I would say she’s insane or crazy, but I guess interesting is a nicer way to put it.”

“YES! I BEAT YOUR FUCKING ASS AGAIN, CARLILE!” They heard from inside. They both laughed as they saw Lydia doing a little victory dance because she just got five stars on Call Me Maybe.

“Is your entire family like that?” Alan asked.

“My mom’s side is. My dad’s side is definitely more contained and quiet considering they haven’t talked to me in about nineteen years,” Harper pointed out. Even at her father’s funeral, no one talked to her. They probably didn’t even know who she was.

Alan nodded, awkwardly. “They don’t know what they’re missing out on.”

Harper giggled a bit as she turned to Alan, looking straight at him. He looked at her as well, and as if there was a magnet in between them, they slowly moved closer to each other. As soon as Alan’s lips came in contact with Harper’s, there was a chorus of cheers coming from inside the house.

Harper quickly pulled away from Alan and looked inside, seeing the three of them clapping and making fun of them.

“Welcome to the Stein family, Alan,” Harper murmured.