On a Leash

Chapter 3 ─ Back to the Dog Days

CHAPTER 3 ─ Back to the Dog Days

The white sheets around me were unfamiliar. I couldn’t stop staring at the linen, at how they looked, felt, even smelt different to my dark covers at home. The covers I should be in the depths of right now. I pushed out a breath and ran my fingers along the fabric, cringing when my chipped nails caught at the fabric.

“God, I was scared you were in some state of comatose, Ross.” I sighed in relief when I looked towards the voice and saw Harrison in the doorway with a smirk on his face. Of course I was at Harrison’s, I should have been able to identify the smell.

“Could you please put a shirt on, it’s off putting,” I grumbled as I pulled myself onto my elbows and looked around. I frowned; this looked nothing like Harrison’s room or any other in his house for that matter. “Where the hell are we Harrison?” I couldn’t stop my voice from coming out panicked and demanding.

“I would put a shirt on if you weren’t wearing mine.” I looked down to see that I was in fact wearing the button-up my friend was wearing the last night, before looking back up in horror. “Oh God, don’t look at me like that; I wouldn’t touch you with a barge pole—”

“Charming.”

He smirked. “We’re at Jake’s house; his mum came to pick him up and saw the state of you. She decided we needed to be taken in before you did anything stupid and I got dragged along.” He shrugged. “And you know I wasn’t in offense, you know I love you.”

“You would be doing well to get your hands on me,” I said, jutting my chin.

“Knowing where your hands have been I wouldn’t want them anywhere near my body.” My chin lowered and I looked at him warily. What was he talking about? He smirked and I shrank away.

“What?" he smirked and with a huff I decided to chabge the subject. "Why were you with me, shouldn't you be with her?” I shuddered at recalling the look of glee on Harrison’s face last night as Katie wound her hand in his and lead him up the stairs, giving measured glances back as they ascended.

“I did something dumb,” Harrison said quietly, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. I straightened, and looked warily as he made his way to the bed and sat down at the end. He cupped his fingers and stared as he rolled his fingers on the palm of his hand. “I may have said something really stupid and I don’t think I can take it back.”

“What did you say?”

“I told her I…” he groaned and rubbed his face, “… loved her.”

“Oh Harrison.”

“I know…”

“How the hell could you love something so messed up?” He looked up at me, his eyes like fire. I flinched back and shrugged meekly. “I mean; how couldn’t you hold it in and ask her to define the relationship?”

He stared at me hard and I had to smile. He was too easily pissed off. “You can’t say anything, Ross; you were acting a right prat yesterday. I presume it was all aimed to piss me off. I mean, I hope you wouldn’t willingly cosy up with Cuttings because—”

“What did you just say?” I screeched.

He cringed. “I was there before anything came out of hand.”

“What happened?”

“He was talking dirty… with you.”

“Oh God,” I moaned into my hands. I felt totally numb, unable to feel any pain that should be warring on inside my head.