Alice

Chapter Five - Awkward

The air was thick with tension. This was the most quiet dinner I've had being here since I was a kid and that was when they had their tonsils out. Poppie's mum placed the plates in front of us and she pulled out her chair, sat on it and pulled it closer to the table. Poppie's mum looked at us and had a confused look on her face, she was probably thinking why we were all quiet. None of us spoke until her mum broke the silence.

"I honestly don't know why you three are being so quiet, have I missed anything?"

Poppie's eyes darted towards Harry and then looked at me, I gave her the look that she knew. I was trying to tell her not to say anything and it was like she knew what I was saying because she smiled and looked at her mum.

"Nope, you haven't mum." Poppie spoke a little too high pitched. Her mum glazed over us and shook her head.

"I am not taking no for an answer, what's happened, why the deadly silence and why the high pitched voice... Pinocchio." She laughed.

Poppie looked from me to Harry and then back down at her plate, she placed the stir fry on her chopsticks and shoved it into her mouth. Harry looked at us both and smirked whilst putting food into his mouth, then licked his lips as he focused on me. Poppie noticed straight away and kicked the side of his leg, I presume because his body jumped and he gave Poppie a glare.

"Poppie don't kick your brother. What is with you kids tonight?"

"It's because I'm moving Linda." I blurted out without realising what I said. She looked over to me and shock filled her face. My face went bright red and I filled my mouth with the food that was sitting in front of me.

"You're moving? Where will you be moving to? I hope that you'll still be able to be around Poppie because she will be lost without you and poor Harry he will most definitely miss you, having a crush on you for so many years and now he wont be able to have you." She laughed teasing Harry.

My head cocked towards Harry that was now sitting there with his face all red. He didn't know where to place his head or his eyes because he wouldn't look up at me. I looked at Poppie which was now shoving the last part of her food into her mouth and wouldn't look at me either.

"Was I not supposed to say anything darling?"

"No mum, you shouldn't have, that's embarrassing. You know Alice had a crush on him ages ago, it's like you're trying to get them together now, which would be gross!"

Poppie's eyes darted at me in horror.

"I'm sorry, my mum heard us on the phone one night when we were talking about it."

I groaned and now it was Harry's turn to look shocked.

"No it's fine pops, yeah I had a thing for him but I don't.. now." I said trying to convince myself that I didn't.

"That's not what it looked like in the bedroom." She blurted out.

"What?" Her mum's smile couldn't be any bigger than it already was.

"Pops!" I moaned at her, smacking my hand on my forehead.

"What, she was going to find out one day anyways." She shrugged her shoulders and picked her plate up placing it into the sink, she walked over to the shelf picked a glass up and filled her glass up with water from the fridge.

My heart was beating so hard, Harry's face was still red but he was smiling at me with the smile he used for when he was nervous. Her mum's head hung in shame and she finished her meal.

"So, when are you moving?" Linda spoke after a couple of moments of silence.

"In four months, the day after we break up from school. I'll be moving to America."

The smile disappeared from her face and the look that replaced it, was devastated. Poppie furrowed her eyebrows at me and Harry looked at me like someone just died. I don't think he realised I was moving to a different country.

"So, your going to be gone before we get to spend summer vacation together?" She looked down at the glass that was half empty, she took a seat at the table again and placed the glass down on the coaster.

"Can't your mum hold off even for the first week?"

I could tell that she hated the fact I had to leave early. I really wish that I could stay for the whole summer but I know my mother wouldn't allow me to stay behind on my own and then make my way there.

"I'm sorry, her new job starts three days after we arrive. Before she goes to work I'm going to be helping her unpack and get the new house sorted so it's more of a home then a dump with everything everywhere." I laughed to myself and then thought, maybe this is why we are moving, maybe she got that promotion she wanted for the last 2 years. It's just a shame that we have to move for it. 

"At least I won't be missing your big 18th." I smiled at her and touched her hand.

Linda stood up and placed her plate in the sink to wash off before putting it in the dishwasher. Harry finished his food and sat there listening to me whilst I spoke.

"Yeah your right, at least we will be together for my birthday." She smiled softly.

"We also get to spend your birthday together too. My birthday is going to be amazing right?" She looked at me with her one eyebrow arched and her mouth perking up the sides forming a small smile and trying to not make a big one. I laughed and replied.

"Yeah, your birthday will be awesome.. I promise. I spoke just before she blurted out.

"And.. That means we will have to try and fit everything in that we were going to do during the summer over the next fifteen weekends."

I looked at her as if she was crazy but it made sense. If we wanted to do what we wanted to do during the summer break, we would have to try and fit it in during the weekends that we have free.

"Can I ask something?" Harry finally spoke, I forgot he was there for a minute. I nodded my head.

"Does this mean you will be repeating school again? Or can you go into college like normal?"

"I think I'll just be starting college right away, I dont think I have to repeat a year or anything like that."

"So what happens with your 6th form stuff?" He asked me placing his head in his hands.

"I'm not sure, I need to ask them if I can still go into college or university with the grades I've got from sixth form." I smiled at him before turning my head back to Poppie.

"What about the holiday to Italy?" Poppie cocked her head and looked at me confused.

"You forgot?" My eyes widened and my shoulders dropped.

"Yeah I forgot." She replied with her mouth slightly parted, her teeth were clamped together and her eyebrows arched.

We spent the next two hours talking and laughing. I said bye to her brother as he hugged me again suffocating me. Again we stood there holding onto each other, until her mum saw and she was going nuts with the cute stuff.

I said my final goodbye and hugged Poppie before getting into her mum's car. Her mum spoke to me in the car about how she wished me and Harry could get together but I laughed at the thought. Maybe we were behaving like that because we were both sad because I know I don't feel like that anymore. Now that I was alone and able to think without his hotness clouding me.

Linda dropped me off back home, I climbed the porch steps, turned and waved at her until she was gone from my eyesight.