Protect Me

Today

Today Alice is leaving.

It's Wednesday and I only have one class, and it's in the afternoon. She's leaving at 12:00.

We sit across from each other on her, striped, bed.

"I didn't even last a semester! My parents are going to be so pissed." she sobs.

"Don't they already know?" I ask

"The college sent a notice to them."

"Are you going to keep the baby?"

"Yeah."

"Does Vincent know? About everything?"

"Yeah, after the semester is over, he's transferring to a University near my town. When I have the kid, we're hoping to move in together." She sighs.

"Well, it's good you have a plan." I say and the alarm on her phone goes off, she has an hour to get to the airport.

She grabs her bags. "I'll text you, and Facebook you, and tweet you, and Instagram you..." she says.

"I want pictures. Of this baby." I say hugging her.

"Yeah..."

"Have a safe flight." I say, "Bye"

"Bye Parker." she waves and closes the door.

I sit on my bed.

I feel like I lost something. Like I don't know, she was my sister.

I hear a knock on the door. I open it and see Harry.

"I just said goodbye to Alice" he states

"Me too" tears prick my eyes.

"Come here" he brings me into a gentle hug, his shirt absorbing the tears falling from my face.

"I'll miss her" I say pulling away.

"Even though we barley saw her."

"This is true" I laugh.

"Let's go to the green"

I guess that's like our place, we always meet up there, I love being there, he likes being there. We walk around and talk, we sit together and read. It's so peaceful there, and nobody's ever around.

"You ok?" he asks taking my hand in his as we walk the familiar brick path.

"Yeah, I mean, I was just thinking about how, I really like this place."

"I love the green" he agrees.

"No one's ever here"

"Yeah, we could make-out any time, nobody would notice."

"I think that would be a little...PDA."

"Heck I could fuck you right here in the lawn and nobody would notice!" he says and we both burst into laughter.

"We can't have a normal conversation without you bringing up fucking or kissing." I laugh.

"Then our conversations would be boring and average." he says.

"I wonder how Carly is..." I say

"Why? I thought you hated her?"

"I, i well, i do... but I just wonder..."

"You miss her.." he sighs

"Do not."

"Do to!"

"You're an asshole!" I giggle.

When we return to my dorm he sits in my bed.

"Why do you look so tired? You have dark circles." he points out as I walk out of the bathroom.

"You shouldn't tell a girl that." I chuckle, but he stays serious.

"I'm serious, you look really tired."

"I'm stressed out, I haven't been sleeping much. Big deal."

"You need sleep."

"I can't help it." I mumble.

"What are you an insomniac or something?" he says sarcastically.

I look down at my feet. Oh.

"You are?" He asks, guilt threads his voice.

"Yeah. But if you think that it's a joke, you can leave." I cross my arms, getting defensive.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that, I didn't know."

"It's fine." I breathe and lay down facing away from Harry.

"I gotta go," he kisses my forehead. "I love you."