Just Breath

Chapter Four

♔ LAKEN'S POV ♔

I glanced away from him after silence ensued, and instead focused on the hot beverage in front of me. Granted, he was being very sweet, and I appreciated it more than I would ever show, but I simply didn't trust him enough to tell him the truth.

Besides, I had to think about what I was going to do after leaving here. Harry had already said it, this place isn't even supposed to be open at this hour. It was only a matter of time before he got tired of me lying to him and would kick me out. I still didn't want to go home to my mum, and I certainly didn't want to stay with Charlie. I just hoped he wouldn't call my mother and say anything to her about me not being there, but after I thought about it a little more I knew he would never care enought to do that.

Harry surveyed me from the other booth. "Okay," he said after another second, "you don't want to talk about what happened. What about something else? What do you want to talk about?"

Nothing. I thought, the word itself nearly slipping.

Alternatively, I said, "Why are you stuck here alone so late?"

He half smiled. "I wish I knew. It's just what I was assigned."

I nodded. "Fair enough," I said, without realizing repeating his own words from earlier. I was starting to dry off, but all that did was make me colder, so I wrapped my hands around the cup, not drinking much of it to preserve the heat.

"How old are you?" I asked.

"Nineteen," He answered. "you?"

"Eighteen. Wait, you're nineteen? Not to be offensive, but why are you working at a bakery when you could do something else?"

"I like working here," he said, a bit defensive, and I almost felt bad for saying something. But, he continued with, "I see your point, though. I guess if I were to do something else..." He trailed off in thought.

"I like to sing." He said after a moment, tone revealing that he'd never really thought about it before.

I quirked an interested eyebrow. "Really?"

He nodded. "What about you? What do you do?"

"Nothing," I said, and when I saw the look on his face I went on to say, "yet. I do draw a lot, though, so I might become an artist."

"Hm, an artist. Never met one of those before." He said, earning an amused smile from me.

And suddenly, I realized that he had managed to let me forget my troubles.

I was actually enjoying this.

I can't remember the last time I truly enjoyed something.

"Thank you," I said suddenly. His visage took on an appearance of slight curiosity.

"For what?"

"For letting me talk about something else."