Jenalyn: Daring to Defy (#1)[Complete]

Chapter 84: Harper

Sunday, 4:39 P.M.

It's almost akward when Harlee first comes back to the room. Jenalyn loosened up again pretty easily after her freakout- so we were just over here laughing up a storm, literally dumb high, only to falter off as soon as she walked through the door.

I can tell Jenalyn is still nervous around her. I can also tell Harlee's mind, of course, is still only oriented on work.

"Ivan has dinner scheduled for 6:15, and there's going be a small photo-op for the finale concert's cut scenes." she says as she rushes through the door with her phone in hand. 

She barely even aknowledges us sitting here, other than to go over the plans we're obviously involved in.

"We're gonna have my stylist in your room in 20 minutes- did you want to grab anything to eat or drink while we wait, or-" she says, stopping only after she turns around to see both of us absentmindedly listening. 

Her eyes flatten as she first examines me, and then Jenalyn before crossing her arms over her chest. I watch as she forces a smile on her face, though knowing my sister- I can see that she's pissed. "I see you took Jenalyn to... meet Tyler." she says, her jaw subtley clenching after having had mentioned his name.

Jenalyn shifts uncomfortably beside me, and quickly glances at me for direction. As soon as she turns her head back though, I'm quick to shoot Harlee a look. 

"You should've come." I say with a tone in my voice she'll catch onto easily. "You seem tense."

Harlee looks like she wants to go back and forth with me, but instead shakes me off with a quick laugh before turning to Jenalyn. She claps her hands together and shrugs her shoulders. "Anywho!" she sighs, still with the smile plastered across her face. "You're still good for dinner, right? I'm sorry I had to run earlier- but this should be fun!"

Jenalyn glances in my direction again, and I can't help but wonder if Harlee is catching onto the fact that her contest winner, one of her biggest fans, has only had the opportunity to bond with me today. 

"-the photo/video montage is gonna be really cute." Harlee adds after a second. "Even if you... ya know, opt out."

Nope. Of course Harlee wouldn't notice. All she's ever worried about is work anymore- is she really just seeing Jenalyn as a job right now?!

I stand to my feet, turning back to Jenalyn to put a finger up before dragging a confused Harlee off into the bathroom and shutting the door. 

"What're you!-" she goes to complain as soon as I close the door, but I'm quick to cut her off.

"What are you doing, Harlee?" I snap in a whisper. 

Her face grows even more confused, and she shrugs her shoulders as if she could never even fathom what I'm talking about. "Huh? I-"

"You're being so impersonal with this girl, Lee- it's kind of grossing me out!" I say, crossing my arms over my chest and shifting my weight to one leg.

Harlee's face grows offended now, and she looks to the door as if it were Jenalyn listening in on the conversation. She lowers her voice even more, "What the hell, Harper!" she says. "Don't try to make me feel bad! She doesn't want this- what am I supposed to d-"

I literally have to clench my hands around my head, it's so close to exploding right now. Sometimes I wonder what the hell fame did to my little sister, and thank God the world didn't take to me like they did to her.

Hell, I still have my humanity in tact!

"Ohmigod, Harlee- where are you?!" I can't help but raise my voice. I quickly lower it again upon realizing I did, moving in on Harlee until there's practically no space between us. "She does want this, Lee- she needs it..."

I easily remember just a few moments ago, how I couldn't help but ask about the busted lip, bruises, and scars lining almost every part of her visible body, and how Jenalyn so clearly confirmed my theory.

-but basically begged me not to even recognize that it happened, I have to remind myself. 

"She's scared." I quickly follow up, trying to drive the nail into Harlee's thick, work oriented head. "Look at her, Lee.. look at her, and get to know her, damnit!"

Harlee lets out a small sigh, but I can tell that at least something got through to her. She glances at her phone, still cradled in her hand. "But the dinner-" 

"Cancel it!" I say before she can finish- unable to keep the urgency from flooding my voice. "Cancel it, and have Ivan reschedule! You'll be in Philadelphia again, in what? 4 days?"

Harlee sighs again, and glances at the door once more. "Okay!" she says reluctantly, holding her hands up in defeat. "Fine! Okay! I have to call Andy and figure out a way to work it into the schedule then- can this wait at least another 45 minutes while I do that and clean up?"

I nod my head, already on my way out of the bathroom to make sure Jenalyn isn't freaking out or something because of Harlee's behavior. 

"Change of plans!" I say with an excited smile on my face as I walk back to where she still sits on the bed. "So tell me, girly- what do you like to do?"