Alleviate // H.S

XIV

"I want Fleetwood Mac."

"But I want The Swingers," I childishly groan as I scroll through Harry's mobile phone.

"Don't Stop by Fleetwood Mac, pronto." He determinedly demands as his eyes focus on the road.

"Counting The Beat by The Swingers," I glance directly at his side profile, "pronto," I mimic his deep voice. Harry scoffs and quickly glances at me in testimony before taking his hand off the gear stick to try and swipe for his phone. I quickly counteract by moving it away and turning my back towards him, snickering.

"Sweet girl..." Harry groans, leaning his head back into the drivers seat.

"I don't know why you're so opposed. You love The Swingers." I make a valid point.

"That's true. But I feel like listening to Fleetwood Mac."

"Hmm. That's nice," I grin at him, feigning playful maliciousness, "but I'm the one with the phone." I teasingly wiggle the device in my hand.

"MY phone, that is," he continues to argue.

"Harry, I just achieved a pretty cool thing tonight. Can't I just choose the song for once?"

Harry continues to stare at the road as we sit in silence. I can tell he's just trying to make a point that it's his way or no way, but it's not going to work this time, because I'm seeking a pure jam session to some classic kiwi music.

"You know what? I'm just going to pick neither of those options since we can't come to an agreement," I choose to be fair and just. And I'm also choosing my second option in bias.

I chuckle to myself as I hit play, with the eccentric sounds of Don't Dream It's Over by Crowded House filling the car's silence. I look to my right to catch Harry's lip twitch, implying his approval.

I continue to watch him as he faintly bops his head to the beat, his fingers rhythmically tapping on the steering wheel. I smile at the way he looks so relaxed and peaceful as we advance down the motorway. It brings me joy to know that good music is a way to soulfully bewitch him into a sensible state of calmness. Tonight, he has been uncharacteristically less composed. He hasn't been forcing his happy expressions and has rarely appeared grim on this night, and my mood has been in a state of perfect happiness as a result. I look away, rolling down my window for some breeze and then turn the music up.

"Hey now, hey now, don't dream it's over..." I catch Harry mumble the lyrics distractedly, making my grin stretch.

And he continues to mumble along to the lyrics without shame, his enchanting eyes blinking at the road in such a concentrated trance that I'm not even sure he is aware of his vocalisation. Even when he's being quiet, his singing voice will always be very pleasant to listen to.

As we drive, I'm too entranced with the music and company to notice that we're taking a different route on the way home. I furrow my eyesbrows as we drive through a neighbourhood and down a road that doesn't lead to my suburb.

"We taking a detour?" I ask in confusion.

"Took you long enough to notice," Harry smirks, giving me a look. "I want to show you something," he adds.

"Alright," I shrug in approval. I'm in no rush to get home. The only reason Harry is taking me home right now is because after taking a few photos of me on the stage, Dad picked up all of my awards and insisted that they would take up all the room in his car. He said I needed to find my own ride or else I'll be sleeping on the streets.

I think he just wanted Harry and I to spend time with each other.

Although I'm nonchalant about Harry showing me something new, I'm still confused as to why we have to go to a different neighbourhood for it. And my eyebrows furrow even more as Harry turns into a complex of flats. His car rolls into a secluded car park that is surrounded by the apartment buildings. Clearly this car park is for residential use, therefore this is somewhat trespassing.