Two Truths & A Lie

Chapter 12

"My date got sick?" He asked.

I chuckled uneasily. "No, I never found you a date. I tried. I tried a little too hard, I think. I asked at least 100 people if they had dates and it seemed like everyone was taken. When you said today you didn't want to go with a stranger, I thought maybe I wasn't too much of a stranger so..."

Harry didn't say anything, but merely gazed at me a little longer, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging slightly open. My emotions were going wild again just trying to read Harry. He had his hands in his pockets and didn't smile or even blink.

"It was kind of a joke..." I lied, feeling a tiny bit hurt by it all. "Not a funny one, I can see." When Harry still didn't respond, I felt horrible. "Look, I don't know why I came. I really just wanted to say thank you for what you did to Jason in the hall and that I'm sorry your Senior Year Homecoming sucked because I promised you a date and couldn't get you one."

Harry finally laughed softly. "Finding me a date was kind of a joke. Not a funny one, I can see," he mimicked me. He took a step up on to the stair beneath the one I was on to be eye-level with me. He smelled fantastic. "I didn't think you would actually find me a date. When you said you had found one today, I was a bit surprised. I wouldn't have kept asking you to do that if I knew you were stressing so hard about it."

A small laugh escaped my body, and while I was mad at him, I was more mad at myself for literally getting sick over this stupid situation. Good lord, I needed to take a chill pill with helping people. I was definitely taking some me-time in these next couple of weeks. "Don't ask me for help if you don't mean it. I get shit done," I laughed, wobbling on the step as I did. Harry caught me with his hand on my hip and helped me regain balance. I stopped laughing with his touch and stared down at my feet. "Sorry I'm not the most perfect date. We don't actually have to go if you don't want to."

Harry grinned and cocked his head. "You can't convince me you don't want to go to Homecoming. You wouldn't be looking as stunningly beautiful as you do right now if you didn't want to at least make an appearance."

The blood in my body all rushed to my cheeks with his subtle compliment. He held out his arm for me to take and helped me down the steps of the abandoned house and across the street to his. "Did you plan the gray?" I blurted, the question having bothered me since I saw Harry's outfit. He looked down at the flower on his tux and then at my dress.

"Honestly, I had no idea. I figured I would just go with a more neutral color."

"Why not white?"

Harry shrugged. "White is too plain for me." As we got to his front door, he stopped and faced me. "Hastings, my family can be a little forward sometimes. I mean, we're all guys. A little rowdy. A little rude... I'm pretty sure Davis has had four Red Bulls today-"

I giggled. "I think I'll be okay."

Harry seemed to let off a sigh of relief before gripping the door handle. I took the chance to straighten up my dress once more and adjust my braid on my shoulder.

"Oh, and Em?"

I glanced up at Harry once more, a little startled by him calling me by my first name and not my last. "Hmm?"

He grinned. "Just for the record, you're more perfect of a date than I was expecting."

Before I had time to think about what he said, Harry opened the door and put his hand on the bare part of my back, pushing me into the house. It smelled absolutely fantastic and everything was lit up like it would be for Christmas time. From the kitchen, I heard a commotion like something was being sauteed in a pan and from another room I could hear either a video game or a TV buzzing.