Save Me

Chapter 15

UNEDITED

"I'll go out with him," she says.

"Really?"

"No, Harry, I'm kidding. Yes, really."

"Oh, well um..."

That was a lot easier than I thought it would be, to be completely honest. She didn't even hesitate before saying yes. She's not mad or annoyed, she seems absolutely fine with it. I bet that she has a fever or something.

"100% sure?" I ask.

"500% sure," she says. "When is this 'date?'"

"You'll have to talk to him about that one, all I know is that he wants to go out with you sometime."

Please, make it tonight. There really isn't time to make it any other day.

"Alright then. Just give me his number whenever you feel like it. What are we doing today?"

"Today, we're going to a homeless shelter. I would keep on the clothes that you have now because it might not be too clean there."

"A homeless shelter? Why?"

"Because I'm smart. Don't ask anymore questions, alright? We should probably go now."

She nods and stands up. She walks down the hallway and I follow her, getting splashed with the wetness from her hair every time she goes down a stair.

"Don't you blow-dry your hair?" I ask.

"Yes I do, but I didn't think I was going out so soon, so I just put it up. It's not like we're going somewhere that I have to look nice for."

She's got a point there.

On the way to the shelter, Ariana talks and talks, and talks. I'd tell her to shut up, like I would to anybody else, but she's in a good mood, and from what I've seen, that's kind of rare for her. It's better to just suck it up and deal with it.

"Have you ever ben to the homeless shelter before?" she asks.

"No, I haven't, but there's a first for everything."

"I haven't been, either. I don't know if it's gonna be so good. I mean,  I hate seeing one homeless person on the street. Hundreds of them in one place? That's heart-breaking."

"That's the point."

She presses her lips together and narrows her eyebrows in confusion. She looks at me like I'm a maniac but I just smile.

"You'll see once we get there," I say. "Trust me, it will be worth it."

The homeless shelter is in the middle of town, a few houses down a normal street. Homeless people come and go every day, and the shelter gives them food, water, showers, and anything else they need. I know because my mum used to volunteer there before she needed to start working two jobs. I never went with her, but she would always tell me stories.

"One more question," Ariana says.

I sigh. "What?"

"Niall is the blonde guy you always sit with, right?"

"Uh, yeah, that's him. Why?"

"Nothing," she chuckles. "He's cute."

"Okay. I don't really need to hear that."

"Why are you setting me up with him, anyway?"

"Setting you up? No, I'm not setting you up, I'm-"

"Setting us up. It's fine. I trust your judgment."

Trust.

I look over at her and it seems like all the light has flushed from her face. She bites her lip and looks out the window. Was it something I said?