Forever (h.s.)

Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19: Beach Day

Later the next week Fiona and I were lounging in the late summer afternoon when my phone dinged with a text from Harry.

Let's hit the beach before it gets too chilly, it read. Just me u Fiona and Liam. Be there in 20. I love you beautiful xxHarry

I texted him back before even pitching the idea to Fiona. All I heard was beach, and that meant abs. K we'll c u soon angel <3S

"Headed to the beach!" I announced, jumping up from my chair. Fiona followed me, confused.

"Who?" she asked.

"Me, Haz, you, and Liam," I explained. She smiled, that stupid undoubted smile that crossed her face whenever Liam's name was mentioned. I was also pretty sure that she was thinking about Liam's abs too. Then an odd thought dawned on both of us at the exact same time.

"Is this the first time they've ever seen us..." I began, unsure of the phrasing to use.

"Shirtless?" Fiona finished awkwardly, though it was true. I nodded. She looked at me, eyebrows raised, and

finally shrugged. "It was bound to happen sometime," she said casually.

"Wow, way to make that suggestive!" I giggled, throwing a beach towel at her from the bathroom. "Yeah, and it's bathing suits. That's a whole different thing." I paused. "Right?"

"Sure it is," she assured me sarcastically. Then she shook her head. "Let me rephrase that. In our minds, it is. In theirs, it's really not." I rolled my eyes and squirmed.

"Now I'm uncomfortable." She laughed and shook her head.

"You're fine. At least you're tan." She gestured to her famously year-round pale stomach with a smirk.

"Yeah, that's about all I've got going for me," I sighed, finally picking a suit and professionally french-changing the corner. I threw my jean shorts to the side and something silver fell out.

"What's this?" Fiona asked, picking it up. I joined her to inspect. It was the silver airplane necklace I'd gotten for Harry at the festival while we were still broken up.

"Oh, that was a something I found for Harry," I said offhandedly, taking the necklace and setting it aside. I didn't really want to bring up the story of its whereabouts right then.

"You should give it to him today," Fiona replied, not taking it as a big deal. Thank goodness. I nodded, pulling on my shorts, grabbing a shirt, and following Fiona downstairs to put together some sort of makeshift lunch. I was just licking peanut butter off my fingers, Fiona standing a good ten feet away, when I heard the door start to open. It was then that I was aware of my lack of shirt.

"Hello?" Harry's voice followed his face as he peered around the door. Liam's head followed, and I swear to

god if it had been a movie, this part would have been in slow motion.

I wasn't watching Liam, but Fiona told me later how he sort of stopped in his tracks, eyes glazing over and

a familiar stupid smile crawling over his lips. But my eyes were all for Harry, as his were pretty much all for me.

He ran a distracted hand through his hair, opening his mouth and closing it again like he had something to say but didn't know what it was. I actually watched as his bright eyes trailed from my face to my (yes, admittedly tan, but that's about it) stomach, down over my jean shorts and back up again.

"Hi," he said breathlessly.

"Hi. You okay, angel?" I asked, teasing him. He nodded, still looking a little uncertain of his movements. Then Harry swallowed hard and seemed to come to his senses.