Broken Things

Chapter 7

SPOV:

I walked over to the windows with a mug of tea clutched in my hand. I opened a few and let the spring breeze come inside the apartment. The sun was bright over the city and the sky was a perfect shade of blue. I was glad to have no appointments to go to today. It was Friday and the day was too beautiful to be worried about work.

I took a sip of tea and then sat my mug on the counter before going over to the coffee table. I took a deep breath and let it out before picking up a few pieces of the shattered Beatles album.

"This is, hands down, the greatest album of all time and you're going to love it, honey bee." I smiled as I heard my dad's voice ring through my memories. We would spend hours listening to this on repeat. It had become a routine for us. He would come home from work and put it on. We listened while I did homework and he fixed dinner.

I could see my dad using a spatula as a mic while singing 'Back in the USSR'. Every timehe put the spatula in my face, I would yell the chorus. 

Laughing at the memory, I gathered all the pieces in my hands and went to my workshop. I walked down the hallway where it was located across from my bedroom. Inside, I had various work benches and racks for storage. Because I developed my own photos, the windows were covered with black paint. I didn't believe in digital development when I wasn't getting paid for my work. I thought that the best way to get the full experience of a photograph was to develop traditionally instead of clicking the 'print' button. 

I spread the pieces out on an empty work bench and rested my hands on the edge of the table. I bit my lip in concentration. I was reaching for one of the larger pieces when I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket. I pulled it out and Harry's name was flashing across the screen. I had almost forgotten about him putting his number in my phone. I smiled and swiped green answer button across the screen.

'Yes the doors are locked," I answered as I turned the lamp off and walked out of the room.

"Very funny," his raspy voice replied. I could hear his smile. I shut the door behind me and walked back into the kitchen. 

"I'm sorry," I giggled and picked up my mug.

"Oh I'm sure you are. Anyway, you don't have any plans for today, right?" There was wind being picked up in the background as he talked.

"Nope. My day is opened for whatever."

"Perfect. Just be ready, okay?" I glanced over to check the time on the oven clock. It was 2:30 in the afternoon and despite the time I finally got to bed last night, I had been up since nine o'clock.

"What do I need to be ready for?" 

He laughed and hung up the phone. I stared at the black screen before shrugging and putting my phone back in my pocket. I went over to the full-length mirror hanging next to the entry way and checked my appearance. 

I had on my favorite oversized, cable-knit sweater. It was a cream color and I had found it in a secondhand shop a couple of months ago. Today, I paired it with dark wash skinny jeans and brown riding boots. My hair was in a loose braid that was currently draped over my shoulder. I went to the bathroom to apply a bit of make-up.

I was just turning off the bathroom light when I heard a knock on the door. I pushed it open to reveal Harry. He was smiling and his hands were in the pockets of his jacket.

"You ready?"

"Um, yeah. Hold on." I hurried over to pick up my bag along with my camera. I carefully put it inside my bag and pulled my bag over my shoulder. Harry leaned against the wall patiently as I locked the door.

"Okay, let's go," I said, dropping my keys in my bag. Harry lifted the door to the elevator and we walked in.

HPOV:

The scent of roses filled the lift as it made it's way down. Stevie was looking down at the floor as she twirled a ring around her finger. The lift reached the bottom and I pulled open the gates. We were hit by the warmth of the sun when we got outside. Stevie pulled out a pair of sunglasses and put them on. I pulled out my pair from the inside of my jacket and slid them onto my face. I lifted my collar and walked after Stevie who had already started down the sidewalk. 

"You can't start walking when you don't even know where you're going," I laughed once I caught up with her. She smiled as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry. It's just a habit. So what are we doing today?"

"Whatever you want to do," I said, nudging her with my elbow. She stopped abruptly. 

"You're telling me that I kept my day open so we can do whatever I want?" she questioned. He arms were crossed and her brows were raised above her sunglasses.

I smiled and shrugged, "Well yeah, I just figured-." She held up her hand to cut me off.

"Oh no, no," she said, "this was your idea. I had to come up with everything last night. Today, it's your turn." She ended with a smirk. Despite, she small size, she was very demanding. It was different. I was just so used to everyone either telling me what to do or hanging on my every whim. I didn't expect her to protest.

"Well I, um, okay. Let's just walk around town?" I raised my shoulders and waited for her approval. 

"Is that what you want to do?" she said, dropping her arms to her sides. It was a question that I didn't really hear very often. I mean, yeah, I got to be free to do some things on my own but to an extent. Most of the time, it was, 'That's nice, Harry, but I was thinking that you'd be better off doing this'. 

I looked down at Stevie who was still waiting for my answer.

"Well I was hoping that maybe we could go to the park with the day being nice and all." I watched her as her smile lit up her face.

"Sounds fantastic. Was that so hard?" she said as we started walking again, "Besides, I can do whatever I want any other day." I smiled sheepishly and ran a hand through my hair.

"Hasn't anyone ever asked you what you wanted to do for a whole day?" She looked up at me; a brow was raised with curiosity. I explained to her the pressures of management and security and how they have, as long as it was what they wanted me to do.

"Wow, I can't imagine." She shook her head and it hit me unaware she truly was of everything. She wasn't famous or globally known for anything. She wasn't the rich daughter of a musician or a popular athlete. She was Stevie and I wanted to keep her that way. I had to be careful.

My eyes scanned the surroundings as we walked. It seemed pretty clear. People were rushing about with the routines for a Friday afternoon. I let out a sigh of relief. I felt a small hand on my arm. Stevie was looking up at me.

"Do you want to walk or take a cab?"

"Walk," I said. She nodded with a smile and adjusted her bag over her shoulder.

We talked as we made our way to Central Park. I asked her about school and found out that she graduated from NYU and had been living here ever since. She left with a degree that specialized in photography and imaging with minors in journalism and English. Her favorite food was anything Italian and she hated cats. She was originally from a town in Indiana and had no plans on going back. Pink was her favorite color and she had never been to Disney World. 

After each question, she would ask for my answers. She took in everything I said and made comments about how she would have never thought that I would would be into things like old classic Hollywood movies. She didn't judge me when I told her that I get nervous before interviews and that I can't stand doughnuts. She even laughed at the face I made when she mentioned them.

I wanted to continue asking her questions. I was addicted to her answers and I was desperate to know everything about her. She was so easy to talk to and I wanted to tell her everything. She didn't feel like a stranger to me. She felt like someone I had been missing for a long time.