Between The Lines

Chapter 4

I look over at the clock that reads 3:30.

"Gloria, I'm not feeling too well." I groan.

"You're lying." She shoots at me.

"Is it that obvious?" I ask.

"I saw you talking to that boy... What happened?"

"Nothing." I lie.

"Not believing it." She shakes her head. "Go back out there and talk to him some more... He looks lonely."

"He's scary." I whisper to her.

"Tattoos, rings, and busted knuckles aren't scary..." She informs me.

"Riiight." I sarcastically nod.

"You're very observant... Wait, were you watching us?" I eye her suspiciously.

"Maybe." She grunts. "Now go back out there." She pushes me out the kitchen door and I stumble over my feet and fall face first to the ground.

I try to break my fall with my hands but it doesn't work out too well. I lay on the ground for a few seconds, too pissed to get up or move at all.

"Carly, are you okay?" Harry asks while running over to me. He's kneeling down next to me and when I look up at him, his eyes are full of concern.

"Umm.. Ya. I'm fine... I just- I kinda slipped." I finally manage to say.

He holds out his hand to help me up. I take it and when we're both standing, he wraps an arm around my back to steady me.

I peer over to the order window to see Gloria smirking. I scowl and flip her off.

He leads me too his booth and instructs me to sit. I look down at the table and rub my temples. My head is throbbing for the eighth time today. Wow, thanks Gloria.

"So I uh... " Harry awkwardly attempts to start a conversation.

"I love this booth." I cut in with out looking up from the table.

"Why?" He asks.

"The window." I tell him. "You can see everything, everyone."

He nods understandingly. "Everyone is headed on their own journey." He looks at me and smiles.

I look up from the table. "To their own destination." I smile.

Then our smiles start to fade he looks away and fumbles with one of his rings.

I clear my throat a little before speaking. "So, why are you here?"

I ask him.

"The diner?" He looks at me confused.

"No! America." I laugh.

"Well, my dad lives in England and my mum moved here a few years back." He pauses to take a sip of his coffee. "I moved here to be around her, I guess." He shrugs.

"You didn't want to stay around your dad?" I question, probably sounding annoying.

"No, I grew up living with the fucking prick. I wanted to be here, in America."

I nod. "My dad died in a car crash when I was six. I'm in New York because I've always wanted to live in a big city." I smile.

"What about your mom?" He asks while tapping on a sugar packet.

"She has cancer. She lives a few blocks from me... I wanted her to be close to me when I found out and she moved here." I answer.

"Oh." Is all he says.

I start to rub my temples again. I was feeling fine before but now I feel terrible.

"You don't look so good..."Gloria emerges from the kitchen. "Maybe you should go home." She smiles sympathetically.

I know what she's doing. She had to of that heard him say he remembered me from the subway earlier. She wants him to leave with me. Great.

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