H&M

Chapter 17

"When we're old and gray and our faces changed,"

Harry • • •

"What the fuck was that?" I yelled as the end credits rolled. I looked to the passenger seat to see Maya with a gaping mouth.

"I thought he changed. He said it himself, he wasn't the same." She exclaimed at the screen.

"But he was!" I replied. The movies plot had many twists and turns. The ending was definitely unexpected. Just when you thought you knew exactly what was going to happen the main character murdered his girlfriend and gets another.

The movie ends with the protagonist introducing himself as "fish", a name his murdered exlover gave him.

"This makes no sense." She exclaimed again. I was happy the film had such a strong effect on her.

"I'll get you froyo."

"Frozen yogurt can't put the pieces of my brain back together, Harry."

I laughed at her dramatic statement.

"What's bothering you so much?" I said to her as I put the car in gear and drove towards the exit.

"He claimed to love her yet he killed her with no remorse." She sat in the passenger seat with her arms across her chest.

"He's a psychopath, he can't achieve love." I replied, obviously I was the realist in this relationship.

"Love is not something one achieves." She smiled at me.

"We're definitely getting Froyo." I laughed before handing the employee our speakers.

•••••

I sat on my worn couch, with Maya cradling my lap.

I managed to slip my hands underneath her blouse and caress her back.

"Your hands are freezing." She informed me as her lips hovered over mine.

"Yeah?"

"This kind of reminds me of the dream I had last night." She smiled down at me.

I wished I could relive my dream, as she relived hers.

"I have something very important to ask you." I said, with my heart beating quickly. A few weeks prior, Gemma told me that she planned a dinner for our Mothers' birthday. She mentioned bringing a date and hinted at me bringing one also. I simply put it aside, which I couldn't afford to do for much longer.

"What is it." I slipped my hands into her pants, playfully tugging at her panties.

"Stop." She giggled. Everything about her was beautiful.

"Would you like to go to dinner with my family and I?"

She pulled away, before clearing her throat. She was suddenly serious. "Isn't it a bit too soon?"

"Maybe, but who cares? It's my moms birthday and Gemma planned this homemade dinner. Gemmas bringing a date and I didn't want to be the loner. If you don't want to go, I'm completely fine with it." I always found myself in these situations with her. I do dumb shit and ended up babbling trying to explain myself.

"I really need to think about it." She seemed so unsure.

"I've already told Gemma about you, if that makes you feel any better." I ran my fingers through my hair. Why was she making this so difficult? Just say yes.

"You have?" She attempted to suppress her smile.

"Yeah. I'm like, there's this one girl who just won't leave me alone." I laughed.

"Shut up." She laughed, too.

"Just say yes." I whispered, squeezing her bottom. I loved being like this with her. I felt so comfortable. Chaos could unravel outside these walls, as long as I had Maya's ass in my palms, I'd be fine.

"It's not that easy." She said, kissing my neck. I knew this was to distract me, she knew it drove me crazy.

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because?"

"I don't think I'm ready."

"Why not?"

"Damn, Harry."

"Yeah?"

"Why are you so persistent?"

"I want you to be there with me."

"I want to, too."

"Why don't you?"

"Let me think."

I rolled my eyes. What the hell did she need to think about? We drive to my mother's house, eat, and leave.

"Meeting someone's family is a huge deal." She said both to herself and to me.

"Yeah.." I waited for her to continue.

"And what if they ask about my family? Yeah they're all dead. "

I winced. "They won't ask."

"How do you know?" She squinted inquisitively.*

"I told Gemma."

"Fuck, you told her my sob story?" She attempted to rise from my lap.

"It's not a sob story." I pulled her down.

"What is it then, Harry?" She asked, just slightly raising her voice. If you weren't paying attention, you wouldn't notice. She was passive aggressive like that.

"I'm not sure." I replied honestly.

"I don't want them to feel like they have to like me."

"The only way they'll know if they like you is if they meet you, babe." I reasoned.

She threw her head back and stared at the ceiling.

"I kind of already told Gemma you were coming." I lied.

"Harry." She whined. "Fuck, fine."

"Thank you." I smiled, knowing she'd agree all along.

"Don't you smile at me."

"There won't be a moment when my heart don't feel the same." - Charlie Puth (Some Type of Love)