Alleviate // H.S

VI

Everly is 4 and Harry is 5.

"Everly!"

I look up from my seat in front of the big bright mirrors that the older girls use. I see my mum waving me over with a smile on her face.

Quickly, I scramble up from the seat and rush over to her. I'm eager to hear about what she thought of my dancing.

I officially performed in my first dance concert EVER today. I did two jazz dances, one ballet dance, one tap dance and an acro trio.

As I approach her and run into her arms, I discover that two people are standing next to her also. Her friend Anne and...

Harry?

I had no idea he would be here.

Hastily, I detangle myself from my Mum and timidly aim my attention towards them.

"Oh Everly, you were absolutely wonderful my dear!" Anne cheers, moving her arms around me to give me a suffocating squeeze.

"Thanks," I shyly respond, looking down at my feet.

"Harry really enjoyed himself too. Didn't you Harry?" I see Anne give him a little nudge in my peripheral vision.

I look up to see Harry looking down at the ground, much like I had just been, keeping his hands behind his back.

I've never seen him act this way before. Usually I'm the one who is shy and he is the one to bring me out of my shell with that crazy smile of his.

He's probably nervous because our mums are standing with us or something.

Anne gives him another soft nudge to gain his attention, which forces him to look up and straight at me.

"Um, y-yeah, I really did," he says, his face turning into a tomato.

He is so embarrassed right now.

"And I believe you have something to give Everly, don't you?" Anne says, looking down at Harry with an encouraging smile.

I raise my eyebrows at that, looking at my own mum who just stands there with a giddy grin.

"Oh, um yeah," he mumbles, stepping closer to me.

He keeps his eyes on me until he opts to immediately dropping his head to look at the ground again as he takes his hands out from behind his back.

He holds something in his right hand though. He holds it out for me to take.

A single rose.

"Isn't that just so sweet Everly?" My Mum chimes in as I stare at it.

"Yeah," I whisper, causing Harry to look up at me again in shock.

"Thank you," I softly say as I take the rose from him.

This is better than any birthday present I could ever receive.

"It's okay," he responds, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. I guess he didn't expect for me to love it so much.

The whole world kind of just disappears around us and it feels like it's only Harry and I standing in the room.

"I really love it."

"That's good," he starts to smile, already coming out of his shell, "I figured that since you're the star of the night, you deserve your own flower."

"But I'm not Harry?" I confusedly state.

"Maybe not to other people, but to me you are," he says a matter of factly, "and also, it's a law that the best dancer of the show gets a flower."

"Where did you hear that?"

"Isn't it a normal thing to know?"

"I-"

I was cut off by the sound of a camera shuttering.

Immediately Harry and I look over at the culprit, only to see our mums taking pictures with their cameras aimed at us, large smiles present on each of their faces.

"Mum!" Harry scolds Anne.

"Harry!" Anne teases right back at him.

"Come on you two, stand closer so we can get a better one," my Mum says as she distractedly looks into the lens.

At that, Harry and I briefly glance at each other before hesitantly stepping closer together, being sure to still leave a gap inbetween us.

"Closer," Anne says.

I huff out of nervousness as Harry takes another step closer to me.

"A little bit more," she encourages again.

This time Harry just chuckles before stepping to have his arm wrapped fully around my shoulders, instantly making me flinch.

"Oh come onnnn. You scared of 'boy germs' or something Evy?" Harry teases, a vibrant grin taking over his face.

"N-no," I stutter and hesitantly wrap my arm around his waist.

This is the first time I've ever kind of hugged a boy before.

Harry gives my shoulders a squeeze and looks back to smile at the camera.

I decide to just relax and follow his lead, but instead pulling a funny face.

"A nice one Everly!"