Buses & Bunk Beds (Zarry)

Chapter 16

I wouldn't let the driver take me back to Harry's straight away, needing time to figure out how to break the news to him. We drove around for a couple of hours before making a pit stop to get something that I'd wanted for a while. I hoped that it might help soften the blow that I was about to deliver.

Harry had texted me several times and each beep of my phone made me feel like more and more of a chickenshit. I was dreading this conversation and hated the idea of destroying the last night we were going to have alone for a while. But I also knew that putting it off wasn't going to do any good, so I texted him back to tell him I was on my way.

I hesitated as I walked towards his front door, unsure of whether to knock or use the passcode to get in. My decision was made for me when Harry opened the door as soon as I made it to the landing. He looked right fit, knocking me speechless as I scanned his body. His button phobia was in full effect, both of his swallows and even the top of his butterfly on display, and I wanted so badly to cover his bare skin with my own.

I reached out my hand and trailed my fingertips down his chest. "You look amazing Harry. What are you dressed up for?"

"Come inside and I'll show you. You were gone forever babe. Is everything okay?"

I stepped inside as I tried to figure out how to word what I needed to say. "It was such bullshit Harry, you'll nev-" I stopped speaking as I walked into the dining room, unable to believe my eyes. He had totally transformed the room in the time I'd been gone. Lit candles covered every surface, and a giant vase of red roses was in the center of the table, which also held two plates of steak, potatoes and asparagus.

"Shit Harry, this looks incredible. You did this all? For me?"

"For us," he answered shyly.

"Thank you. It's perfect. I need to get a picture," I said with a smile, pulling out my phone. We'd taken dozens of photos this week, and I loved knowing that I had pictures of Harry that would never be viewed by millions of tweens on Google Images or Tumblr. There hadn't been a moment or an expression that I hadn't wanted to capture on film. I had pictures of Harry sleeping, eating, and even pouting. But my favorites by far were the pictures we had taken of us together. Those shots of us with our heads pressed together and half of our faces cutoff were so cute and couple-y that they made me want to print them out and plaster them all over my fridge. I was turning into such a sentimental sap.

I took several shots of the table and the candles before Harry declared it his turn to play photographer. "Sit down babe," he ordered as he pulled my chair out for me. "Now hold your silverware up like you're about to eat."

"What are we, Asian tourists? Get over here," I teased as I pulled him onto my lap. I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head on his shoulder as he held out his long arm to take the shot.

"Say cheese!"

"Cheeeese," I grinned. "Lemme see...oh that's a good one. Text it to me, yeah?"

Harry nodded as he took his seat next to me. "Want some wine?"

"Sure. You come prepared, don't ya?" I joked, indicating the three bottles sitting nearby.

"I've prepared for everything tonight," he responded with a wink. His words didn't have the intended effect, instead making me feel even more guilty about what I needed to tell him. He'd worked so hard to make this night perfect, and I didn't want to ruin it for him.

Reading my mind, Harry asked, "How'd the meeting go? What did they want this time?"

I opened my mouth to tell him, but I couldn't get the words out. I couldn't destroy this night. We were owed this one perfect evening. I'd tell him in the morning. "You know, just to bitch at me about the other night. Perrie's pissed, no surprise there, but I'm sure we'll figure something out to calm her down."