Begin Again

Chapter 18

Harry's POV

I sighed as I fiddled with my fingers. I told Eva that I'd come to pick her up at around six and now I sat in my car in front of her house, nervously fixing my hair and checking over my appearance before I exited the car. I was taking her to a diner that we always used to go to.

I sighed and clenched my hands into fists, before relaxing them and repeating the process. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. This was the first time that Eva and I would be hanging out alone and I didn't want to screw this up. She was giving me another chance to make things right between us and I couldn't even wrap my head around that fact yet.

I sighed as I walked up to her door and raised my fist to knock. I tapped the door three times and waited as I teetered back and forth on my legs. The door opened after a while to reveal her mother. Her eyes widened as she looked at me.

"Harry," she said, "what a surprise. I didn't know you and Eva still....talked."

I smiled awkwardly, "yeah, uh...we recently got reconnected."

She nodded and looked at me suspiciously. I felt my cheeks redden slightly as I smiled sheepishly at her. She moved aside to let me in and I walked in slowly. I looked around the house and was shocked to see it hadn't changed at all. The last time I had been in here was in middle school and to even stand in the foyer of the house brought back tons of memories.

"I'm surprised she's talking to you," she murmured after a while. She led me over to the kitchen and gestured for me to sit down at the kitchen island. She went to her fridge and poured me a glass of orange juice before she slid it over. I looked at her and met her brown eyes that resembled Eva's.

"I'm trying to make up for what I did," I said, "I should never have left her for something as stupid as popularity, Mrs. Whitman. I know that a simple apology will never be enough for what I did to her, but-"

I paused and looked down. I shouldn't tell her; Eva doesn't believe me when I tell her so why should her mother?

"But?" she asked, looking at me questioningly. I flitted my eyes up to look at her timidly. I bit my lip before I sighed.

"I love her," I sighed, "I always have. And I screwed up again."

She raised her eyebrow, "how so?"

"My friends...they...they set up a bet in eighth grade. Get her to fall in love with me and then break her heart," I began to explain. Tears began to brim my eyes as I looked at the glass in front of me.

"Don't tell me that's why you're here," she said, "because if that's the case then you can leave."

"No!" I said, "no, that's not why I'm here. I ended that bet before it even began, but I'm just worried that my old friends will go through with it. I haven't told her."

"You should," she sighed, "before she finds out and thinks you were working alongside your friends."

I nodded, "I'll tell her today."

She nodded before she excused herself and went to go fetch Eva. I sighed as I sipped my orange juice. I heard muttering come from upstairs and footsteps running around the top floor. After a while, I heard people descending the stairs and I slid off of my chair in the kitchen to go and meet Eva at the staircase. I smiled as I took in her outfit.

It was a nice day out, so she wore a cute white blouse and jeans along with a white bag. Her hair was down and strands were pinned to the back of her head. She looked adorable.

"Hi," she smiled, as she met me at the bottom of the stairs.

"Hey," I replied. I glanced behind her to find her mom staring at me expectantly. I nodded slightly at her before I glanced back at Eva who was busying herself with her shoes. I knew what her mom was silently telling me.

I was going to tell her.

"Okay," she sighed, standing up straight, "ready?"

I nodded, "let's go."

We bid our goodbyes to her mom and we left the house. We got into my car and I sighed as I sat and stared forward. I felt my nerves seep into my mind, begging me to put it off like I had been for the longest time. I had to tell her, and I had to do it today. It was silent for a moment or two before Eva cleared her throat.

"Harry? You okay?" she asked. I looked at her to find her staring at me worriedly. I nodded my head and sighed before I ran a stressed hand through my hair.

"Erm," I mumbled, "how are you?"

"Good," she said, "you?"

I nodded, "good. I'm good."

She nodded. She looked around outside of her before she looked at me again. I sighed and offered her an awkward smile.

"Are we going to hang out in your car the entire time or," she smirked. I felt my cheeks redden and I swore under my breath before I started the car and backed out of the driveway. As I drove, I felt my hands get sweaty as I stressed about what would and could happen.

She's going to leave again. This time she won't forgive you, Harry.

"Harry, stop stressing," she said, as I focused on the road, "we're hanging out. You don't have to stress."

I nodded and offered her a small smile, even though my entire being was shaking with anticipation.

~

We sat across from each other as we waited for our food. I fiddled with my thumbs and looked around, glancing at her time to time to find her watching me suspiciously.

"Harry," she murmured, "are you okay? You've been acting really weird."

I sighed and shrugged, running a hand through my hair.

"I just," I sighed, "I really want this to work. I don't want to go back to hanging out with my old friends anymore. I want to be your friend."

"That's why we're here," she said, "I'm giving you another chance, H."

I looked at her and smiled softly. Nobody ever called me H except her. I feel myself become humbled as I smiled at her. Her cheeks reddened and she looked down at her hands that sat atop the table.

"I'm thankful for this chance, Eva," I whispered, "but before we even start trying to fix our relationship, there's something I need to tell you."

She furrowed her eyebrows, "what is it?"

I bit my lip and looked down.

Do it.

"In eighth grade..."

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hehehe cliffhanger.

I love myself.

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S :)