𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 ⇀ 𝗍𝗌

three

// CHAPTER THREE:: B.Y.O.W. //

LUNCH came around achingly slow to Audrey as she talked to no one and tried her best to ignore the whispers about her. If possible, West Ham would be declared as the most gossiping town as it is so small, but everyone knows everyone's business.

Audrey groaned as she took her seat, isolating herself from the school in the corner of the lunchroom. She placed her tray on the table and was about to reach for her juice box when it was snatched off her tray and in the hands of Harry.

He stood on the opposite side of the table, with her juice in his hands and a small, comforting smile on his face as she looked up at him, "Hey, do you mind.."

He motioned towards the bench and when she nodded, he quickly sat down and opened her juice. She glared at him and he devoured it, "I wanted that."

He hummed and held out the juice to her, "Oh, sorry." When Audrey shook her head, he continued to drink it until he heard the slurping sound from the bottom of the juice.

He shook it lightly and placed it back on her tray as she sat there impatiently, "How can I help you, Harry?"

Harry placed his hands in front of him, on the table, staring down at them briefly before he sighed, "I wanted to check up on you. See how you were."

"I'm fine." She bluntly answered and he met her eyes, "Thanks for asking."

"No problem," He shrugged, "I wanted to talk to you earlier, but you were held up by Campbell. What did he want?"

"Nothing, he was just being a dick," She mumbled and picked at her mash potatoes that stiffly moved, "Just like the rest of this shitty school."

"It'll get better." He assured and she glanced up at him, "There's a play tonight, 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead'. I'm in it and I want you to come and watch."

"A play?" She retorted, a small smile on her face as if they were returning back to the way they were. As if they've been close this whole time. Audrey places her fork down and crossed her arms in front of her, amused, "Since when do you partake?"

"Since my teacher agreed to boost my grade if I do it," He chuckled, but briefly before mumbling, "And Kelly thought it was a good idea."

Her smile faltered and she cleared her throat, "Where is Kelly? Shouldn't you be tonguing her down than be here with me?"

"She doesn't have this lunch period, remember?" He responded, "You were the one I used to hang out with during lunch before-"

Her eyes dropped down to her tray again and she let out a dry laugh, "You know, you can say it. Everyone in school has been all day today, so no need to hold back."

Silence dawned on them briefly, before Harry perked up, "I'm also planning on having a celebratory party after the play at my house," He informed, changing the topic, "You should stop by."

"I don't think that's a good idea," She shook her head and glanced up to see his furrowed brows, "I don't think I want those 152 days of sobriety to go waste by going to a party where there's alcohol, drugs.. and Kelly."

"Kelly doesn't have a problem-"

"How do you know that?" She interrupted, "I bet if she was here and she saw me talking to you, she'd mentally claw my eyes out."

"She's over it, Aud. It was months ago." He confirmed, but slowly nodded his head, "Look, if you don't want to go it's fine, just think about it, okay?"

She nodded to him, "Okay, I'll think about."

"Good," He smiled, standing up from the seat, "And if your conclusion is to go, you won't be the only sober one there."

She raised her brow, "Are you saying that you won't get drunk?" He hummed to her question and she shook her head in amusement, "You can't do that. You're the host."

"And?" He remarked, "The host could stay sober if he wants to. Plus, it's going to be B.Y.O.B."

"I guess I'll take my water," She joked and he chuckled, "B.Y.O.W."

"That only confirms that you're going." He grinned and she quickly shook her head.

"No, I said I'll take it into consideration," She corrected, "Don't jump to conclusions just yet."

He tossed his hands up, a grin still on his face, "Well, you know the place already, hopefully you'll come- and to the play as well. I play a great role."

She smirked, "And what's that? The bushes?"

"Haha, Audrey," He scoffed, "You were always so funny."

"I've been preserving my jokes until I got back." She shrugged, and he couldn't help but keep up his smile as he stepped away.

"I better hear more at the party, Aud," He insisted, and when she nodded, he walked off and out of the cafeteria.

Audrey didn't notice that she was smiling until minutes after, which made her bite the inside of her cheek and huff out hot air. She stared at his ghost and cleared her throat before staring at her tray once again, her potatoes frozen.

She didn't think that in a six minute conversation, her and Harry could talk as if they were still friend- as if it were all normal and nothing happened. She missed him and he missed her more than she knew.

If only they could say it to each other's face.