The Soldier & The Rose

Chapter 5

After Harry and I left the diner we made our way down to the local park which was only a few blocks away from work. The whole walk there Harry didn't say a word, he didn't even look at me.

He found out. He knows. Kiss your friendship goodbye. 

I wish these thoughts would go away but I can't shake the possibility that I could lose him over this.

We finally sit down at a bench in front of the empty playground. The creaking of the swings is the only sound that seems break through the dead silence. Harry is just staring at the trees, his breathing slow and steady.

"Harry, what's going on?" I finally ask.

He turns to completely face me but keeps his head down, avoiding eye contact. "Claire, do you remember, a while back, when the draft was first issued..." he pauses. "And, for some reason, my number didn't come up for me to go to war?" He asks, not removing his eyes from the ground.

"Yes... why?" I reply.

He gulps. "Well, something terrible happened overseas last week..."

"Pearl Harbor." I whisper.

He looks up slightly but still avoids eye contact. "You heard."

"Saw it in the newspaper this morning. It's everywhere." I tell him and he nods. 

He takes a deep breath. "Claire, I-" His eyes finally shoot up to mine and his voice seems to get caught in his throat.

"I've enlisted again." He blurts.

"Oh." My eyes widen.

I don't know how to feel about this, he's signed up before but he wasn't called to actually go even though everything looked good for him.

"There's something else." He says as he pulls out a small folded piece of yellow paper out of his pocket and hands it to me.

NOTICE OF CLASSIFICATION

Just by reading the first line, I realize what I am holding in my hand. This is his enlistment paper.

Harry is going to war.

I look back up at Harry to find his eyes glossy and searching my face for a reaction. I open my mouth to say something but the profound lump in my throat stops me. Before I realize it, the hot tears have already started rolling down my face.

"I got the letter a few days ago. I came by the diner to tell you that day but, I don't know, I just couldn't." He returns his gaze to the ground. "I didn't know how to tell you."

Not only is my best friend leaving me, but the boy I'm madly in love with is leaving me. Soon I feel the uncontrollable sobs start to come through.

Harry doesn't need to see me like this.

"I'm sorry" I set the paper down on the bench and break into a sprint towards my house. I hear Harry call my name but I ignore him, continuing down the road and not even worrying about taking the bus home.

-

I've been sitting in my room ever since I came home a few hours ago. It feels like I've been sitting on my bed for days but it's only been hours.

I'm a horrible person. I left Harry at the moment he might've needed me most. I've always been strong for him. Especially when it came to his dad having an affair and all the fights he's had to listen to. I saw him cry when it first happened and I was there to help him up every time he crumbled. I've always been the strong one and I can't bear the thought of him seeing me in a weak state. But it was bound to happen sooner or later, whether I liked it or not.

A knock at my door pulls me from my thoughts.

"Come in." I call. Wiping away the remaining tears on my cheek.

The door opens slightly and my mother sticks her head in the door crack. "Claire, sweetie, you've been in here for almost six hours. It's nearly ten and you've not eaten supper. Are you alright?" She asks in a soft, concerned tone. Obviously seeing that I've been crying.

"Yeah, Ma, I'm fine don't worry." I reply, giving her a weak smile.

"Are you sure? Do you need anything?"

I shake my head. "No, I'm okay. But thanks." She nods and closes the door and my gaze returns to the floor.

A few seconds pass and I hear another knock at my door. "Mom, I already said I'm fi-"

The door opens once again but this time a familiar curly headed, green eyed boy is standing in the doorway. After shutting the door behind him he slowly walks over to the empty space beside me on the bed and sits down.

We sit in silence for a few minutes but seems like an eternity. That's the thing with us... We could sit in silence for hours and there's no awkwardness.

But this time, it's different.

"When do you leave?" My voice cracks, finally breaking the silence.

"I get on a train in three days." He replies.

Three days. That's all I have left with him.

My head falls to his shoulder as I silently sob. I suddenly feel like the wind was just knocked out of me.

"It's not fair" I croak.

He wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me to lay back on the bed with him. My head resting on his warm chest and my arm wrapped around his waist. Very much aware that my tears are soaking his shirt and honestly, that is the least of my worries at the moment. All I care about is being here. With him.

"I know." He says softly. "Let's just make the most of the time we have left, yeah?"

I feel my breathing start to settle down as the warmth, that is Harry, engulfs me. Making me feel at ease. He is home to me.

"Gladly." I whisper.

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Heyyy guyss!! I'm baaackkk! So I have decided that I should finally finish what I started. No matter how crappy it may be lol. Updates may a bit slow but overall, I do hope that you enjoy this! Love y'all!

~Victoria xx