A life in the Dark

C h a p t e r T w e n t y E i g h t

W e d n e s d a y 1 s t J a n u a r y
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Today, being Harley's birthday, I woke up super early just like every year in order to give Harley his gift. Since the start of Secondary, we've stuck to this tradition where we both wake up super early and I go round his-present in hand, naturally-and we hang out before I have to deal with customers searching for a New Year's look and he has to 'suffer' his family celebrations, as he says.

I'd set my alarm for five, calculating how long it usually tales me to get ready so that I'd get round his at six or something, and immediently began my yoga. After eating, I got changed into some black jeggings and an oversized, loose fitting ivy-green hoodie over my bra, with no top as the hoodie was really warm. Plaiting the loose strand of my hair back slightly, securing it with a hair grip, I grabbed my keys, phone and his gift and left.

Harley's mum answered the door, dressed in a burnt orangey jumper with jeans. "Lettice! Welcome, aren't you up early though? Especially for today?" she joked, knowing our annual routine.

"What? Don't be silly! It's only six a.m," I retorted, handing her a small late Christmas present wrapped in silver gift wrap.

"For me?" she gasped as I walked in.

I nodded. "Yep, and I've got another for Mathew, if you can give it to him." I handed her her husband's gift and she agreed. I headed towards the living room, where Rose and Zach spent the majority of their time and the flat screen TV was blaring. Birthday decorations were hung up in time for all of Harley's relatives that were due later.

"Lettice!" they cheered as I walked through the door, two presents in hand.

"Hey, guys!" I wrapped them in a hug as Harley came through the door to the kitchen; I shared a smile with him as he stopped to watch. "Here you go guys," I said as I handed over the gifts to the long haired brunette and short, blonde haired boy and they started ripping the paper off, admiring the contents with a chorus of 'thank you's and 'I love it's.

"Hey," Harley grinned as I handed him the carefully wrapped box.

"Hey. Happy birthday."

"Thanks," he laughed, holding contact with my eyes, his as dreamy as always. "Wanna go upstairs?" he asked.

"Sure," I replied.

*****

We went up to his room which had its dark blue walls highlighted by the light pouring from the bulbs attached to the walls, surrounded by light shades; a king-sized bed dominated the centre of the room, with its mahogany headboard pressed up against the wall, reaching just below the window. In one corner stood a matching wooden desk, in another was a bookcase crammed with books (and good ones-I've checked).

"Here," I tossed his present to him, before leaping onto his bed sitting there cross-legged in the middle. "Open this!"

He'd unwrapped it within seconds. "Thank you so much!" he beamed, holding up the box he'd unwrapped.

"No worries!" I giggled. "You needed some better ways to organise your room anyways!"

He laughed too, putting the box down on the desk, which was already cluttered beyond imagination with papers, school books and a few random objects. "Yeah, you're right!" He came over and sat on the end of the memory-foam mattress, causing it to dip down a bit at his weight. "How's the holidays been?"

"Good!" I replied, rotating my head away from the pictures on the wall to him. "We didn't really do too much, just looked after the shop, as usual. We're still saving up for a year of travelling and seeing the world."

"Lucky," he pouted, and I smirked.

"I know, I can't wait to see the world."

"When are you going? And where, exactly?"

"Sometime after uni, but we still haven't decided. I'd want to go to smaller countries, not the common ones, you know?"

"Yeah, of course."

"So not France or Germany, or even the U.S since we've been there for school trips. I'd like to go round Scandinavia, and like the Baltics."

"They sound interesting."

"That's the point! Anyway, what did you do in the holidays? Where'd you go for Christmas?"

"My grandparents, up in Yorkshire."

"Was it good?"

"As good as it can get with two annoying siblings." He rolled his eyes and I giggled; Zach and Rose seem like the sweetest children ever, but he insists they're mini devils-in-disguise. "Looking forward to going back in a few days?" he asked.

After everything that's happened, I'm still uncomfortable speaking of school with him, and I so wish that wasn't the case. "Oh, erm... I guess so. Things there have improved so much since September! I can't believe it, honestly."

"Playing football really helped, did it?" I sensed his voice had switched from cheery to... I'm not too sure. S-spite, pethaps? Or...even...jealous?

"Er...I guess, in terms of Jadyn..."

He shuffled a bit, so that he was now sat directly in front of me, his smile suddenly fading, causing me to feel uneasy, and making me want to ask what was up. But I didn't, something made me shut it up, I don't know why. There was an awkward silence as I sat there uncomfortably staring into his eyes because he was staring at mine; he looked just as uncomfortable as me but I-being a bit socially awkward-had no idea how to change the topic: do I ask about the weather? Or say that I have to go? Would that make it more awkward? Urgh what's going on?

He seemed to get closer, so I slowly edged back nervously, which was when I realised he was getting closer; leaning in. I froze as I noticed what was happening and when I did he took the opportunity to bring his lips to mine.

~~~~~~

Hey guys! This chapter was so hard to write.

Today, 3:00, Junior Eurovision is livestreamed on YouTube.

Watch it!

My favourites are:
-Georgia, your voice
-Poland, anyone I want to be
-France, jamais sans toi
-Portugal, (idk how to spell it)
-Ukraine, say love
-Armenia, L. E. V. O. N.
-Australia, champion

Good luck to all of them. Wish I was in Minsk now!