alive [h.s.]

Chapter 4

The weeks always pass by routinely, no matter where we move to. I always wake up to an empty house and go to work, watching people purchase books. I come home and see Harry on the roof each night watching the sunset. He has come over nearly every night this week. Nick adores him. Harry and I haven't spoken much about our catastrophe while trying to make pizza, or the intimate moments afterward and I'm okay with that. I've done a lot of unpacking as well, getting settled while Nick's room is still in boxes.

Finally Tuesday rolls around and the sun shines a little bit too brightly through the kitchen window as I rinse out the coffee pot. I impatiently stare at the clock as I wait for my coffee to cool down. It's 1:47, so Harry should be around soon.

I woke up to an empty house, as usual, but this morning my dad left a note.

Allie-

I'll be back by dinner. We're getting really close with this investigation I can tell. Sorry I've been out so much, but I'll take you to dinner tonight. Love you.

-Nick

I feel a pang of guilt when I see that he signed the letter with his first name. I know it bothers him that I call him Nick, maybe I'll stop. I look at my coffee cup on the counter and see the steam rising from it.

"It must have cooled off by now." I think out loud.

I couldn't have been more wrong. I take a sip of the drink and immediately put the cup back down on the counter, regretting my impatience. I run to the freezer and shove a handful of ice cubes in my mouth trying to cool it down, when I hear a knock at the door. Groaning, I spit out all but one ice cube and suck on it as I answer the door.

"Hello Allison. What are you eating?" Harry says following me inside.

"An ice cube." I reply with my mouth full before spitting it into the sink.

"Why are you eating a-"

"Don't worry about it." I spare him the story of my embarrassing event, "You're a little early." I continue.

"Well the restaurant isn't exactly close and I didn't want to be late." Harry explains.

"Oh. Okay let me just put on my shoes and we can go." I nod to Harry and retreat to my bedroom.

I enter my closet and grab my black high top converse, tying them on and pulling my skinny jeans over them. I unplug my phone from its charger and carry it with me back out to the kitchen.

"Ready?" Harry asks me when I walk out.

I nod and shove my phone into my back pocket following Harry down to the parking lot. Harry presses a button on his keys and the headlights of a large black truck flash. I cringe at the memory of the cars that pulled up behind me after my encounter with Louis and Zayn. They said they work with Harry.

"Harry where do you work?" The question falls before I am able to catch it.

"Um, I'm a delivery guy." Harry answers getting into the driver's seat of the truck.

I buckle my seatbelt and Harry starts the engine as I ask him more questions.

"Deliver what? Packages? Pizza? Meat?"

"It depends." Harry answers staring at the road while he drives. Harry's car is remarkably clean and there is a vague scent of spearmint that radiates throughout the vehicle.

"Who do you deliver to?" I continue to pry.

"Look, don't worry about my job. Why the fuck are you asking so many questions about it anyway?" Harry says sternly, his eyes narrowing slightly.