Alice

Chapter Four - Now What?

I bit my bottom lip lightly and raised one eyebrow before looking up at her. I wasn't sure on the looks I was receiving but her mouth was hanging wide open.

“What?” I asked her letting my lip go, I tried to read her facial expressions but I think she was trying to soak in the reality of what I just said.

I honestly thought that she was going to be upset and start bawling her eyes out. After a couple of seconds of looking at her and being trapped in the awkwardness, her face changed from stone to like she was going to burst from happiness.

“Are you being serious right now? Your going to be moving to America? Do you know what that means?” She squealed with excitement.

I sat there not knowing what to do, my face fell and I started chewing the inside of my cheek, my eyebrows furrowed. I was confused because my best friend in the whole world is sat in front of me grinning like a cheshire cat. Did she really want me to move far away and not be near her anymore, all friendship down the drain or something?

“Why are you happy that I'll be moving far away?” I whispered sadly.

Poppie started laughing at me. Hard. I looked up and she was clutching her stomach and tears forming into the sides of her eyes, she calmed down after a minute or two and carried on smiling creepily at me and sending shivers up my back, scaring me a little.

I remember that smile she used, she used that whenever we were lining up to watch a movie that had Dave Franco in, she use to scare everyone surrounding her. One time she scared a little kid and he cried so much his mum had to take him out of the cinema, glaring at us as she left.

When she was dating Liam, he mentioned going to watch a movie but he wanted to surprise her, when she came back she told me that it was over between them. I went to him guns blazing but when he told me why, I laughed at him for the stupidity. But I agreed with him because she did look scary when it comes down to her crush. Now nobody takes her on dates to the cinema, all because of me warning them.

“You know your celebrity crush is not here right? You can stop looking at me like that.” I said shivering.

“Obviously, I know that Dave Franco is not coming to see me.” She scoffed, rolling her eyes as if she wanted it to be true. If he was here I don’t think she would be sitting, she would probably be laying on the floor from fainting. I laughed at the thought.

“I'm really happy because this means..” She paused for a second. “I get a free vacation.” She finished saying. My mouth dropped open.

You have to be kidding, so this is why she's over the moon, a free vacation. I should have known, I started to relax my body now I knew that she didn't mean it in a bad way, I laugh to myself, slightly shaking my head and taking a swig of my water. She calmed herself down taking a sip of her water, copying me like she was a double of myself.

“So, when are you moving?” She shuffled around the bed to get to her comfy spot.

I took a deep breath. Before answering her there was a slight knock on the door, my head whipped round fast, nobody heard what she said right? My breathing fastened again.

“Come in.” Poppie spoke after clearing her voice.

The door opened slowly and Harry was stood in the doorway, he looked at me sadly but then coughed and cleared his throat.

“Mum said dinner will be done in ten.” He spoke.

He stood in between the frame and carried on looking at me without taking his eyes off me. Did he hear what was said? Why was he looking at me with that expression? It's not like he would be sad if he found out I was moving anyways. Why would he be when we're just friends.

“Wow usually you just barge in, college has changed you.” Poppie spoke after a few awkward seconds.

“Yeah.” Was all he said, still not taking his eyes off me. He stepped back and closed the door.

“Well that wasn’t creepy at all.” Poppie said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

“Back to the question.”

I hesitated to answer her, I just wanted to go after Harry and wrap my arms around him. Wait. what was I thinking. My eyes widened and my cheeks felt like they were on fire. Was I still into him? This can’t be happening. I excused myself and told her I was going to the bathroom, I stood outside his bedroom, sucked in the air sharply, letting it fill my lungs and knocked loud enough for him to hear but not so loud Poppie could hear it.

After I knocked it dawned on me, his Poppie's brother what am I doing. Before I had chance to dash back to her room he opened the door.

His eyes widened, he seemed shocked that I was there. I looked at him and the thought of him being her brother disappeared. He stepped back and opened the door wider for me to come in. I turned my head around to make sure Poppie was not looking once I knew she wasn't, I stepped into his room, taking in the smell and space that smelled like him.

I heard him close his door quietly as he must of noticed I was trying to be secretive. He walked over to me standing behind me, I could hear his breathing becoming faster. I wasn't sure who's heart was beating loud, mine or his. We stood there for what seemed like ages. I turned around and took a deep breath in and back out again. He was stood so close to me, looking down at me. I lifted my hand and tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear.

“I told her I was going to the bathroom.” He nodded his head in silence.

We use to sneak around often, not to do anything specifically but to hide away from his sister because Poppie was a handful and she was always loud. I came to his room when I wanted to be alone because I knew he would understand but after a couple years, I had to stop coming over here because it became dangerous. For my heart of course.

“I was going to tell you, but I didn't know how. I'm sorry.” I spoke softly. To my surprise he lifted his hand up and cupped my face. I let my face sink into his hand. The palm of his hand was soft, he lifted my face so I was looking up at him. Why was he so close? Why was he being so nice to me? Why is he touching me?

“Its okay Alice.” He whispered, “You don't have a choice, it's not your fault so you don't have to apologise, I knew you would of told me in your own time.”

The tips of his fingers dug slightly into the back of my neck, his thumb inched closer to my bottom lip. His thumb hovered over my bottom lip before pulling it down softly, my heart was going crazy, my eyes closing halfway, I traced the tip of my tongue over my bottom lip before biting it playfully. He sucked in the air that was surrounding us. Why was I letting him do this to me?

“You are such a tease.” He said smiling down at me.

Those were the last words he spoke before he pulled me closer, wrapping his free arm around my waist and traveling to the small dip in my back, his face leaned in, our eyes closed and our lips touched faintly. The kiss was soft and sweet. Harry was kissing me and I was kissing Harry. What could go wrong?

“What is this?” The voice sounded disgusted. My eyes flew open, I knew that voice oh so well. I pulled my body away from Harry. My eyes landed on Poppie that was standing in the doorway gripping onto the door knob, her eyes filled with rage, her eyebrows frowning at us and her mouth screwing up. This was not going to go down very well. Just before I could say anything she exploded.

“Jesus Harry, she’s not one of your toys!” She shouted at him pushing him out the way.

“Come on Alice.” She grabbed my arm tight and started pulling me away. I had one last look at his face which was smiling at me, he shrugged his shoulders just before she slammed the door.

She slammed the door harder than she did before when we got here, one of these days the door will come off its hinges.

“Im sorry, he shouldn't have done that.”

I looked at her confused. But I was the one that went to him. I was going to tell her but her mum called us to come down stairs as dinner was done. This dinner was going to be the most awkward one I've been to. I breathed in and sat down at the table opposite Harry.