Anywhere With You • {J.C.}

||Thirty-Two|"Us"||

"I wish you hadn't stayed, my vision's clearer now but I'm unafraid."
-The Modern Age

After a trip back to the apartment for a quick shower, Julian made it over to Harlow's house by six o'clock. He had thought about buying her flowers, a necklace—maybe even a ring, depending on the outcome. Instead, he brought only himself and a fresh pair of clothes—nervous that Harlow was going to be upset it took him so long to arrive.

"Hey, Julian. I haven't seen you around in a while." Frankie spoke cheerfully, her expression, however, completely confused. "Come on in. Harlow's in the bathroom, you're more than welcome to wait for her in the living room."

Julian stepped into the house, closing the door behind him. Frankie seemed oblivious as to why Julian was there—she had no idea that the reason her daughter had been in the bathroom for an hour, was because of Julian. She was taking not one, but as many pregnancy tests as Julian's money had bought, with the high possibility of being pregnant with his baby.

He was a wreck—his nerves shot, knowing that Harlow was in the bathroom, doing what she said she'd do. It made him sick to think that just beyond that bathroom door, Harlow knew the answer—she knew what Julian didn't yet. It'd be a lie if he claimed it didn't hurt that she didn't wait for him.

"Want anything to drink? Something to eat- are you hungry?" Frankie spoke from the archway of the kitchen—Julian standing in front of the bathroom.

"No, I'm good. Thanks, though."

"Jules!" Harlow yelled as the door swung open. Before Julian could register what was happening, Harlow was ushering him into the bathroom.

"Lo, wha-what are you doing?" Frankie protested, seeming to follow the pair into the room.

"Go away!" Harlow exclaimed with a laugh hiding in her throat. "It's fine, mom- jus- just go away. Leave us alone." She slammed the door, wasting no time to lock it.

Harlow sighed, looking up at Julian with a halfhearted smirk before folding her arms across her chest. "Hey." Julian smiled weakly, his heart seeming to flutter at the sight of her. "I got here as soon as I could."

"I, um... I wasn't expecting you to come." Harlow's tongue trailed across her lips, nervously shifting her weight to one foot.

"I told you I'd be here."

"I know, but... no offense, you're kinda flaky." Harlow huffed, looking over her shoulder at the shower.

"This is different. This is serious, this is bigger than you and me. I'm- I'm never gonna flake on you again though, I mean it. I'm really sorry about all this shit. It was... juvenile, and... I'm a delinquent." Julian forced a smile, trying to get Harlow to do the same. "It's gonna change, though. I promise."

"I took most of the tests. It says in the directions that it's best to take it in the morning, to get a better read, so... I saved two for the morning."

"Yeah?... what did... what did it say?" Julian started toward the toilet—he needed to sit down.

Harlow pulled back the shower curtain—four white plastic sticks set in a row along the rim of the tub. With folded arms, she looked down at what their future entailed.

"Okay... wha- what does it say? I don't know how to read those things, so," Julian chuckled uneasily before clearing his throat.

"They're all negative. I'm not pregnant." Harlow smiled—genuinely. "I'm really sorry about this. I'm sorry that I got you worried for no reason, but... I was terrified. I didn't wanna deal with this by myself, so... I drug you into it. But, you were right... everything worked out." Harlow sat on the rim of the tub, looking down at the best news she'd received in a while.