Lights (2019)

New Developments

Harry sits across from me at the diner, nodding to the waitress. He shoots me a grin and picks up his menu. I take a breath and look at my own menu. Harry insisted on taking me out for lunch after we bid my mother goodbye. I managed to wipe my face clear of tears in the car. I think I can do this; being friends with Harry again. I won't let him hurt me from now on. I won't give him that power.

"I think I'm just going to have a salad," I say. Harry snorts.

I look up, arching an eyebrow. "What?"

"A salad? Typical white girl."

I roll my eyes. "Fine, what do you propose I get, then?"

"Hmm...How about a burger?"

"I'm not in the mood."

"When was the last time you had a burger? When we were ten? Eleven?"

"I just lost my taste for them, I guess," I say.

"Well, whatever. I'm getting a burger." He smirks at me.

I smirk back as the waitress comes back to our table. "What can I get you?" She asks in between chomps on her wad of bright blue gum.

"I'll have a house salad," I say to the waitress, smirking bigger at Harry. He rolls his eyes at me.

"And I'll have a bacon cheese burger," he says pointedly, handing the waitress our menus. Okay, I will admit bacon sounds really good. The waitress looks from Harry, to me, and back as if trying to decipher something between us. Honestly, it is kind of creepy. She finally just turns and walks away.

"What are you doing the rest of the day?" Harry asks.

"Well, it's my day off," I say, tracing designs on the tabletop with my digits. "So I thought maybe I would do a little shopping or something." I shrug.

"Oooh," Harry says in a fake girl voice. "Shopping!"

I roll my eyes at him. "What are your plans? Getting wasted?" I cross my eyes and he laughs.

"Nah, it's my day off," he says and I laugh. These conversations are the ones I love most. When we just laugh at each other and talk about random things, like best friends do.

"How's the family?" Harry asks his face softening. I know he's really asking how annoying my father has been lately.

I look down. "Not so well," I say.

"What is it?" He's instantly worried, his eyes turning a shade darker than they usually are.

"That night...that we...um...kissed." I say as my cheeks redden. "My dad...he was talking about my mother at dinner. He's trying to act like she never existed with this perfect new family." I swallow, realizing my nails had been digging into my palms. I unclench my fists and look into Harry's eyes.

"Blair," he says, reaching across and running his fingers over the marks my nails made in my palms.

"I just...I don't mind the new family. But he should at least...remember her, you know? I mean, for God's sake, she was his best friend, too."

I look down. Harry is the only one I can talk about my father with. I can't with Louis because he hasn't known my father and his behaviors as long as Harry has.

"I'm sorry, Blair," Harry says now. "He's a douche. I can beat him up, if you want." He cracks a smile. I can't help but smile. I try to cover it up, but Harry sees it and smiles wider, showing his dimples. I shake my head, still beaming at him as the waitress brings us our food. Our conversation ceases as we begin to eat. I dig into my salad, despite Harry's teasing glance.