alters

13

HARRY is completely winded by the time his story comes to a close. His electric forest eyes stare so deeply and aggressively into mine, that I am forced to look away. My head is clouded by rampaging thoughts, but no words travel to my lips as I stare at the dinerʼs table. My black coated nails scratch at the surface of the menu, attempting to tear the thin plastic away from the paper.

ʻʻSo...is that all you want to know?ʼʼ The curly-haired boy finally asks.

I lamely lift my shoulders. ʻʻIs that all you have to tell me?ʼʼ

He sighs heavily, dragging a large hand through his dark brunette hair. I find the strength to match his stare, my fingers no longer finding pleasure in ripping apart a thirty year old menu. By the silence Harry produces I can deduct that he has run out of things to explain, but I discover my theory is incorrect when he starts to lean forward some. ʻʻThere...thereʼs one more thing that I should tell you about,ʼʼ He tells me softly. His breath smells like smoke.

ʻʻWhat is it, Harry?ʼʼ I want to gently coax this but of information from him, as it seems to be difficult for him. Hurt radiates off his expression; pain is laced within his eyes. The lively, sarcastic boy I only knew for this short period of time has changed drastically, and for some unfathomable reason, I actually start to miss his arrogant humor.

He heaves out a large sum of warm air that used to be trapped in the rock bottoms of his breaking lungs. The mood has shifted as he tenderly traces circles on my palm with his pointer finger. Our nail polish matches. I canʼt understand why I would pay such attention to a negligible fact like this, but it seems thatʼs all my mind can perceive at the moment.

Then, after what seems like hours of silence, he speaks. ʻʻHer name was Lillianーʼʼ

ʻʻOkay yʼall, sorry for the long wait!ʼʼ A very southern teenager waitress with blonde hair tugged into a very high ponytail pops up out of no where. She balances her hand on the table and the other on her small hip. ʻʻCan I start you out with some drinks?ʼʼ

Harry calmly shakes his head, producing a very easy, almost depressing smile. ʻʻNo thank you. We were just leaving, actually.ʼʼ

ʻʻOh, thatʼs too bad, hope you come back soon!ʼʼ Blondie chirps before prancing off to clean up a booth to our right.

Harry retracts his hand and brings it against the back of his neck, softly rubbing it. I realize now that whatever he intended on telling me is lost with the moment, gone with the wind. I frown at this conclusion, but force myself not to pry.

ʻʻIʼll take you home now,ʼʼ He announces while sliding from the booth.

I nod and mumble ʻʻOkay.ʼʼ

We stalk dismally from Aggyʼs Diner, the lingering scent of burnt french fries serving as our leaving companion. Harry hops into the driverʼs seat and I take refuge in the passenger. For a split second I hear him utter the start of a phrase, as if he were about to tell me something, before he quickly becomes quiet again.

I curl my legs underneath me as Harry rotates the key in the ignition, sparking the car to life. Music floats from the radio, a familiar tune. Immediately I recognize it as ʻʻYouthʼʼ by Daughter. I love this song. It plays from the beginning so I assume itʼs from a CD.

ʻʻDo you like Daughter?ʼʼ I question him with the softest tone I can pull off.

Harry merely nods his head, accelerating the vehicle forward. We slide out the exit and in no time flat we are already zooming down the luminous highway. The morning sun flushes and dims the elegance of the lights from the cars, in fact making them painful to look at. I sigh, hoping for a quick drive home.

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ʻʻSo, have your feelings about me changed?ʼʼ Harry inquires of me when he parks the car in the lot of the apartment buildings. I nod and gaze at him.

ʻʻI can never forgive you for what you did to Luke. No matter the circumstances, there will always be a part of me that hates you for that.ʼʼ I inform him matter-of-factly, but for some reason this hangs a metaphorical rain cloud over his curly head. He doesnʼt exactly frown, or pout either. He just stares at his lap somberly. So, I add, ʻʻBut, I guess...I understand now why you are the way you are, and why you did what you did. I am willing to forget this, if thatʼs what it takes to move on. I will forget.ʼʼ

Harry chuckles a bit, a half amused grin on his lips, as he stares out the front window. He runs his thumb across the moist surface of his bottom lip. ʻʻNeed me to walk you in?ʼʼ

ʻʻWhat? Oh, uh, n-no...ʼʼ I flush and turn away, climbing out of the car. When I turn back around to say my goodbyes, Harry has already landed on solid ground outside his vehicle. He begins walking towards me and I ask, ʻʻWhat are you doing?ʼʼ

ʻʻWalking you in.ʼʼ He shrugs and trails behind me.

The inside of the lobby is painted a garish white, with silver and metallic gold accents placed just about everywhere. A gold fabric couch rests in the right corner by a silver coffee table, piled with magazines. Itʼs an expensive place to live at, but the money from my parentʼs job and Jackʼs gambling pays for it.

Harryʼs total black attire and gothic makeup is a magnificent contrast between himself and the lobby. Marry, the elderly lady who works the front desk, directs us dirty glances as we waltz through the ornate room.

He chuckles a bit, slinging off his leather jacket and holding it secure in his right hand, while the left finds its way into his pocket. I arch a brow. ʻʻWhatʼs so funny?ʼʼ I ask.

He laughs. ʻʻThat lady reminds me of Mummy.ʼʼ

ʻʻOh, um, the doctor?ʼʼ I press my pointer finger against the elevator button, waiting for an entry.

ʻʻYeah, scientist, doctor, whatever...ʼʼ

Finally, the elevator doors split open, revealing an empty space. I step inside the small area, alone. Harry nods and curtly moves to leave, but my hand juts out to grab his arm. ʻʻUm...I...uh,ʼʼ I stammer, because I donʼt even know why I stopped him.

He half smirks, then winks at me. ʻʻYour welcome.ʼʼ He assumes then turns right as the elevator doors pulls closed.

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Wow, that was a fast update.
Hope this isnʼt too confusing:/

Oh, and in the last chapter I didn't say any facts about myself so I'll just say two in this one.
1) I have brown eyes.
2) My favorite band is either The Vaccines or Arctic Monkeys.

Please vote and comment for updates!
ali.