the cool side of the pillow {styles au}

eighteen

Songs for this chapter:

Ride - SoMo

Neighbors Know My Name - Trey Songz

Wicked Games - The Weeknd

Wus Good - PARTYNEXTDOOR

Cleo's POV:

I stare at the painting, paintbrush wedged between my teeth, trying to figure out how to finish the damn thing. It's so dark and so wrong; I can't believe I'm just noticing this. It needs some light, some form of relief from the shadows. An idea plants its seed in the foreground of my mind and I run with it. Streaks of yellow and white blossom in the center of the painting, forming a round, glowing ball. Bigger - it needs to be bigger! So bigger it becomes.

I've completely and totally surrendered myself to my work when I'm once again cut off by the shrill ring of the bell. I look up at the clock, confused for a second before I remember it's an early release day. I puff out a breath of air, blowing my bangs out of my face to clear my vision. I stare at the painting again. It's better, but still incomplete somehow. There are three weeks left in the semester and I have to find a way to finish this piece if it kills me.

"It's brilliant."

Harry's sudden presence surprises me and I flinch. How he always sneaks up on me is annoying and endearing at the same time. I turn my head to the side and half smile at him, appreciating his never-ending support. Like many times before, he's perched on the stool next to me, waiting patiently for me to finish. Before putting my things away, I take a minute to admire him: the way his hair swoops up and to the right, how one curl in particular is dangling down over his forehead, his flannel shirt that's left unbuttoned over a white t-shirt which has holes all over the collar, his skinny jeans that are missing fabric over the knees, and lastly his pigeon-toe, boot covered feet perched on the lowest rung of the stool.

He is truly breathtaking.

After I put away my supplies, we exit the building and make our way to where Harry's car is parked in the back of the lot. Although my car has been fixed for quite some time now, he and I have gotten into an easy rhythm where we ride to school together and hang out afterward. I don't mind and I think neither does he. My dad questioned me about it once, but I just said we were really concerned about the environment and all that.

We get settled in and ride in a comfortable silence for a little while, the purr of Harry's engine being the only sound. My mind is a vast ocean with thoughts floating around constantly, never able to remain focused on just one thing. Ever since he said 'I love you' last night, I've been trying to decide what to do about it. I don't think he knows I heard him, so that makes it even harder. Do I address the situation and risk making him uncomfortable, or just ignore it and wait until he's ready to say it - wait until I'm ready to say it? Being the chicken shit I am, I'll most likely do the latter.

"Hey cutie, what're you thinking about?" Harry asks, squeezing my thigh.

I shrug, "Nothing... Everything... I don't know."

He chuckles a little and it makes me smile, "I'm always losing you to your thoughts."

"That makes two of us."

His hand slides, totally inconspicuously, higher up my thigh, "How can I help?"

"Keep doing what you're doing."

"What's that?" His index finger traces a line between my inner thigh and hip bone.

I bite down on my lip, chancing a quick glance at him, "You know what."

"Is that so?"

"Yes," I practically moan as his thumb brushes against my core.

Harry cups my tingling center and runs a finger along the seam of my jeans, "Well let's get you home then, so I can relieve you."