Honest || h.s.

Foliages

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to whoever reads it. Thanks for sticking around !

This chapter makes me miss summer, smh

Stay amazing, love yourself, and Merry Christmas, if you celebrate. xx

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Harry.

The shop is only slightly busy as we enter, a bell on the glass door announcing our arrival. Skylar holds one of my hands, and in the other I clutch my wallet. Mum dropped us off. Since she said she'll be back in about an hour, I figure we'll have time to get ice cream and walk around the streets for a while. I want to show Skylar somewhere Grandmum used to take me, somewhere where trees and grass and architecture fill every square inch of space. I just have to get through the ice cream parlor without making a fool of myself, and then I'll just have to worry about being around Skylar. Piece of cake for anyone except me.

"No big deal," I mumble, trying to keep my voice low. We stand third spot in line.

Skylar cranes her neck and stands on tip-toe to see the flavours, biting down on her lip. My insides squirm. I find myself following her gaze.

"The man in f-front o-of us is too... too tall?" I murmur in her direction, amused.

She snickers, elbowing me softly without breaking her hand away. "If you're so tall, read them to me."

A feeling of panic shoots down my spine, but I force myself to ignore it, giving a glance at the list of options hanging above the counters.

"Let's--let--let me seeeee," I begin, and she waits patiently. "Ther--ere is a vanilla, a strawberry, a sw-sweet-eet cream, a chocolate--"

"What will it be for you guys?" asks a guy behind the counter, swinging into view. He's got beachy blonde hair and a smirk that reminds my of the Australians that visit the local diner in Holmes Chapel to drink and gamble over sports. He's talking to the people in front of us. I swallow hard. We're next, and I'm not even halfway down the list of flavours.

It doesn't matter, because Skylar isn't paying attention anyway. Her eyes are wide, and I feel her move closer to my side. I glance her way to find her eyes are locked on the boy serving ice cream. She looks uncomfortable.

"Y-you okay?" I hate that I'm stuttering, but it's because I'm in public, I think. "You look like you like you saw a ghost-ost--"

"That's... he's an old friend," Skylar's voice is quiet, and she's doing her best to sound calm, but her fingers are squeezing mine to death. Her gaze won't leave the ice cream guy.

Doesn't seem to be "an old friend," at least not to me. I lift a brow in his direction. He also doesn't seem to be threatening, at least not from my perspective. I blurt something unintentionally, the blood rushing to my face.

"Do you ha-have romantic histor-histor-histor--" I break off in annoyance and embarrassment.

She gets it. I want to punch myself.

"No, no," Skylar shakes her head, and her grip loosens. She's hiding her feelings. I watch her worriedly, concern blazing underneath my reddened face. She shakes her head again. "At least, not really."

"O-okay," I say, shifting awkwardly where I stand.

"Next!" chirps another employee, and we move to the counter.

"What can I get for you two today?" asks the other boy working, adjusting his sleeves. His eyes are welcoming enough, but I notice Skylar's hands shaking as she slips away from me and peers past the glass of the ice cream cooler, trying to look small.