in the night- h.s

chapter 59

February 2018

"Happy birthday dear Harry! Happy birthday to you!" Everyone sang to him as they stood round a cake Camille had made. Harry grinned widely and blew his candles out happily, praying that 24 was going to be a year for him.

"Thank you guys." He smiled at everyone before leaning down and giving Camille a kiss. "Thank you." He mumbled against her lips.

"Let's cut the cake!" Sarah beamed, pulling them apart as she leant over to start slicing. Camille went over to get plates while Harry gave Mitch a big hug.

He planned to spend the whole of January and most of Feb in London so he could show Camille how he lived, introduce her to his parents and such before they went off on tour again. That meant that he got to spend his birthday with all his friends and family in his house.

"Happy birthday." Everyone said in turn as he went round and accepted hugs. He eventually circled back to Camille, who handed him a plate with some cake on it.

Everyone made cocktails from his bar, drank beers and ate cake all afternoon which was exactly how he wanted to spend his birthday. He had his arm looped around Camille where he always felt comfortable, everyone was sharing stories of him on prior birthdays which always embarrassed him but that was the point.

One of school friends was in the midst of a great story when his phone started ringing. It had been going off with birthday messages all day but no one actually rung him really. It was Alexa so he excused himself and stepped outside to answer it.

"Hey!" He answered joyously.

"Happy birthday Harold!" She beamed from the other end. The two hadn't seen each other in such a long time, Harry assumed she had called him to catch up as well as wish him a happy birthday.

"Thank you, Alexa. How have you been?" He asked, taking a seat on one of his deck chairs.

"Oh you know me, forever working." She answered with a laugh, bringing a smile to Harry's face.

"Camille told me you were working on something that sounded really exciting? Something about you and other models in other countries?" Harry tried to recall his conversation with Camille but it came in pieces. Alexa went silent for a moment but soon returned.

"Yeah, the photographers doing an exhibition that sounds quite exciting. A lot of amazing models are involved." She answered plainly. Harry squinted his eyes in suspicion, he knew when Alexa was excited about something that she goes on and on about it.

"What? Is the photographer really well known or something? How comes it's so exciting?" He wondered, turning his head to look through the window into his living room. Everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves, Camille looked outside just as he looked and gave him a happy smile.

"Well it's just a really great concept." She mumbled, which only confused Harry even more.

"What aren't you telling me, Alexa?" He laughed, not understanding why she was being so weird about it.

"Rosalie is the photographer, Harry." She confessed. His face dropped, he hadn't heard that name since he had said it himself back at New Years. "I didn't want make it weird if Camille talks about it. It is a really great concept for an exhibition." She continued but Harry was already shaking his head.

"It's fine, Alexa. I get it." He choked out. "I'm happy for her, that she's doing so well." It was true but it also made his heart ache.

"Yeah, I think she is. Anyway, I'll let you get back to your party you're inevitably having. Send Camille my love." She requested. He hung his head, nodding slowly.