Build-A-Boyfriend

10

Harry has been moping since he finished his last Harry Potter book. He tried to get started on the Hunger Games series but after the FOUR ENTIRE DAYS of mourning he went into after the Battle of Hogwarts, I decided that he wasn't emotionally ready to read about children being thrown into a dome to kill each other.

He seems to have some sort of thirst for reading and  once he's absorbed all the knowledge he can about one thing, he wants to move on to the next. Despite the fact that he's a dork, he's more interesting to talk to than anyone I've ever met and in the month he's been here we've just spent all of my free time hanging out, watching films together and cooking. It's been fun and I'm amazed at how much happier I am. Like, just having someone to chill out with and be with at the end of a long day just makes the day worth getting through.

His latest hobby is baking and I've left him in the kitchen while I take a long soak in the bath. Two invitations arrived in the post yesterday, one for some 'Dream Factory Meet-Up' which seem to be a BBQ where you can meet up with other trial volunteers and their 'dream partners'. The other was for the annual student ball at my university that I had completely forgotten about.

Harry does want to go the BBQ, but he's absolutely bursting to go to the ball. I know for a fact that it's because he's been watching Disney films while I'm at work. He pretends he hasn't and I haven't asked him directly as he's obviously a bit sensitive about it, but he doesn't realise that Netflix tells me that the yesterday he watched Cinderella twice in a row.

I sigh to myself as I sink deeper into the bubbles. He really is sweet but I'm scared of him mixing with people and blurting things out to them.

Honestly, I think it's such a stupid idea to program them like that. I mean what was Dr Henderson even thinking? It's weirdly controlling too, like I'd rather he told me the truth because he wants to be honest than because he has to. Sounds like ol' Dr P has some serious trust issues.

There's a sound from the living room and for a second I think he's got switched TV on, before I realise that he's actually talking in a low voice.

Harry chatters on constantly, usually to Dave who just sleeps through his monologues, but this sounds different. It's only when I hear a high pitched giggling that my heart begins to race.

Who could that be?

I leap out if the bath, and shove my dressing gown on before opening the door slowly and looking round the open plan room.

Ffs. I should have known.

It's the Avon woman, Claire. We live in the same block of flats and she has a daughter, Jenna, who I have some lectures with.

Jenna is a classic bitch from the school of Regina George level bitchery, but I kinda like her mum, she's always really nice to me. In fact, I feel a bit sorry for Claire. She's a proper bored housewife and her only hobbies seem to be tanning her skin to a shade of deep mahogany and increasing her breast size annually.

I'm just about to slip back into the bathroom and change properly when she cuts into Harry's ramblings on Hogwarts by suddenly giggling loudly and placing her hand on his chest.

Harry's eyes widen as she suddenly steps forward, like this bitch actually steps right up and presses herself against him.

I'm so annoyed that I can actually feel my eye twitching.

"So," she smiles up at Harry and reaches up to twirl a lock of his hair around her finger, "tell me big boy, why haven't I seen you around here before?" She says breathlessly.

Big boy? wtf?

"I-I..." Harry backs away until he hits the counter. Claire presses further into him. "I... Er... I've only been here a month."