1985 (h.s.)

Chapter Sixteen

It's been three days. Three days since I was expelled. Three days since I saw my friends last. Three days since I saw him. His words replayed in my head, daily. My aunt and uncle were worried for my welfare. They checked on me as much as they could, but I didn't want to talk. I had nothing to say. I wasn't going to satisfy them with the I'm fine, bullshit. I wasn't fine. I just lost one of the best friends I've ever had and I was suspended from school for something that was completely made up.

I knew getting over the loss of Harry would be hard, but not this hard. Gosh, I was making it sound like he died. I don't think he did at least. That was another thing worrying me. I hope nothing too bad had happened to him, but it was nothing I could prevent. I couldn't find his house, make forgive me and take him and his family out of there. There was no way. It was something I wish I could do.

I was scared that there was no chance that Harry would forgive me so I accepted the fact that we weren't going to be friends anymore. Well, I didn't want to accept it. There was no other way this was going to go down.

I hadn't been to work yet because of all of the homework and thinking I had been doing. Olive rang us and said she understood. Harry had shown up and assisted her with what she needed. At least I knew he wasn't in that house all of the time. Being at the bakery was his escape. He once told me that it was sort of his safe haven.

"This place," he started, "is like heaven for me, and you, Lanie, you're my angel."

"Please, I'm nothing like an angel," I replied. His green eyes bore into mine.

"You are. Such a sweet soul and so pure, able to live through the toughest of wars and come out stronger. You spread your kindness to the people who need it most," Harry took my hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly.

"I am not kind. Do you not remember when I yelled at that kid for singing in the store? He was crying," Harry chuckled.

"Stop fighting me and let me win this battle, would you?" he pleaded. My eyes rolled. I nodded and continued to help him bake.

That was a moment I kept to me dearly. I constantly wondered if he was lying at that moment. He thought I was obsessed. He led me on. Was this all a part of his act? I hated fake people, consider it a pet peeve of mine. The thing is, is that I couldn't hate Harry. The thought never even crossed my mind. This gave me a glimmer of hope, that maybe, just maybe he was just upset and hurt. At the same time, he was so used to getting used and abused that he didn't want to deal with me anymore. I'm not saying I abused or used him, by the way.

Today was the day I was supposed to return to work. My anxiety was high. On the outside, I seemed okay. My insides, on the other hand, were going crazy. Aunt Erin was driving me and my shift started in 30 minutes. I wasn't going to try too hard to impress, clothing-wise. I had on a simple, fitted black shirt and dark jeans. My hair was tied up into a bun and a necklace with the initials KJH laid on my chest. It was for Kevin James Harper, my dad. I got it as a gift from his co-workers at his funeral. I hardly wore it, but this was a time I needed him close to me.

"Come on Elaine, we need to run by the church before work starts. I have to drop off some donations for the shelter," Aunt Erin called. I slid my socks and shoes on and met her in the car. I hated awkward silence, which is exactly what I had with Aunt Erin in the car. It got exceptionally worse once I had my break down in front of her. I went to turn on the radio and she smacked my hand away.

"Why no radio?" I asked. She loved music, mind you, it was more Christian stuff, but it was music nonetheless, "I promise it's actually quite good news," her voice was a tad lighter. Nice, way to make me almost shit my pants.